I Contracted All Ancient Divine Artifacts-Chapter 254 - 153: The Ten Celestial Stems

Anti-Xia Alliance, Fulong City.

Everyone just saw, the Gateknocker who dared to affront the Alliance Leader was blasted underground by sword energy as vast as a sea, and the Alliance Leader, face frosty, pursued relentlessly.

A few breaths worth of time.

The whole ground suddenly trembled violently.

An even more stunning, fierce sword energy surged skyward from below.

That sword energy was intensely concentrated, the Sword Intent refined and pure, almost tangible, enveloping the heavens and earth with dazzling golden light.

Everyone could clearly see the inscriptions on the sword blade, one side carved with sun, moon, and stars, the other with mountains, rivers, and trees, all vivid and exquisite with divine craftsmanship!

"Gongyang Jin's Sword Dao has improved again!"

"Such pure Sword Intent, magnificent Sword Qi, this is the true elegance of Gongyang Jin!"

"Indeed, kill that scoundrel and make him pay!"

Among the crowd, seeing this scene, many people began cheering and shouting.

In the entire City of Extreme Evil, those who could wield a sword to such an extreme, aside from Gongyang Jin, there was no second person.

Little girl Nuannuan seeing this, she despairingly shut her eyes, not daring to watch further.

The old woman gradually lowered the dry smoke in her hands, knocked it on the ground, and ashes fell from the smoking pipe, scattered everywhere by the wind.

"Let's go, disperse, disperse."

"What a pity," the old woman said, shaking her head.

It had been so long since a Gateknocker appeared, this one passed four trials, being the most likely to succeed.

The pity is, the fifth trial guarded by Gongyang Jin under the Central Army Tent.

"Wait a moment!"

Just then, someone shouted unexpectedly.

Immediately, the crowd that was cheering and shouting suddenly fell silent.

Because they saw, Gongyang Jin, somewhat in disarray, flew out from underground first.

She staggered back a few steps, stopped under the Central Army Tent.

Her previously tied long hair now transformed into thousands of black strands, draped over her shoulders. She held her wide-blade long sword, gazing forward with a stern expression.

In front, Han Zhan also slowly emerged from the underground.

His upper body bore many sword-energy-splintered wounds, looked more disheveled than Gongyang Jin.

However, this wasn't the main point, the point is, he didn't die!

This Gateknocker, he hugged Gongyang Jin and even patted Gongyang Jin's buttocks, being smashed underground by sky-full sword energy.

He didn't die!

"You are quite impressive." Gongyang Jin maintained a frosty expression, spoke with a detached tone.

"Your talent in Sword Dao is second only to mine."

These two sentences uttered by Gongyang Jin caused an uproar in the hearts of Fulong City's citizens.

"I'm beneath you, you're above me, this is reasonable." Han Zhan nodded calmly, sheathed Xuanyuan Sword, showing a shift from his previous arrogance.

Upon hearing this from Han Zhan, Gongyang Jin nearly lost her cool demeanor she kept maintaining.

Fortunately, as the Alliance Leader of the Anti-Xia Alliance, Gongyang Jin ultimately steadied herself, continued speaking coldly: "You have passed four trials, in the hundred-year history of the Anti-Xia Alliance, you are among the rare geniuses."

"Currently, the Anti-Xia Alliance is in need of talent. I can overlook your recent misdemeanor, and exceptionally make you a core member of our Anti-Xia Alliance."

"What are your thoughts?"

These words from Gongyang Jin made the crowd in Fulong City realize.

It turned out Gongyang Jin didn't lose, but considered his talent and therefore didn't truly eliminate him, merely taught him a lesson.

Thinking carefully indeed, a newcomer capable of conquering four trials, even defeating veteran strong figures like Eater Fan Chaohui, if killed would be truly regrettable.

This action by Alliance Leader Gongyang Jin was indeed for the benefit of the Anti-Xia Alliance, truly understanding the greater good!

"That's great!" Hearing Han Zhan wasn't dead, didn't need to die, might even leap to being a core member of the Anti-Xia Alliance, Nuannuan jumped up excitedly.

When seeing a cute, tender-looking, snow-white skin and like a delicate doll little girl cheering enthusiastically for Han Zhan.

The pressure and temperature around Gongyang Jin suddenly dropped a few degrees again.

"What are your thoughts? (Is that little girl your new mistress? You sure have a long reach, even don't spare minors!)"

Seeing his wife angry, Han Zhan quickly bowed, cupping his hands in obedience.

"Fully at Gongyang Jin's command! (Wife, don't be angry, that little girl I merely met by chance, we're entirely clean!)"

Gongyang Jin and Han Zhan spoke superficially while exchanging covert eye contact, the surrounding citizens of Fulong City couldn't see clearly, thought they were both innocent.

Seeing Gongyang Jin recruit another general, further enhancing the overall strength of the Anti-Xia Alliance, the crowd once again began cheering.

Nuannuan jubilantly ran over, hugging Han Zhan's arm joyfully.

Gongyang Jin's right hand gently stroked the sword hilt of the wide-blade greatsword.

Beads of sweat appeared on Han Zhan's forehead.

"Let's go," Gongyang Jin finally restrained herself, stood firmly again under the Central Army Tent, said to Han Zhan.

"Go? Where to?"

"Naturally, to claim your honor."

According to the rules set by the Anti-Xia Alliance, every Gateknocker who succeeds becomes one of the "Ten Heavenly Stems," gaining the status of a core member.

The significance of this status is undeniable.

Being among the Ten Heavenly Stems, none aren't the elite of the Anti-Xia Alliance, the ultimate existence.

Even among those guarding the trials under the tent, only Drunkard Sun Yun and Eater Fan Chaohui possess the Celestial Stem Token corresponding to their identity.

Among them, the token of Drunkard Sun Yun is "Xin Jiu," and the token of Eater Fan Chaohui is "Ding Shi."

"The Ten Heavenly Stems, correspond to Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui. During selection, one side of the token inscribed with the Heavenly Stem's number, while the other side chosen to represent or favor identity characters."

"Does this have any special meaning?" Han Zhan curiously asked.

"Because of the existence of the Slaughter Battlefield, even Anti-Xia Alliance's strong figures cannot avoid death's doom. The Heavenly Stems remain constant, but the second side of the Celestial Stem Token, representing identity, varies to chronicle different individuals."

Led by Gongyang Jin, Han Zhan arrived before a majestic tall pavilion.

Above the pavilion, a plaque inscribed with the imposing golden words "Lingyan."

Pushing the door to enter, the Ten Heavenly Stems divided the Lingyan Pavilion into ten regions, within each region, numerous wooden racks held detailed records of respective Celestial Stem Tokens.

"Currently, Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Xin, these five Heavenly Stems already have incumbents, you may choose from the remaining five for your future identity in the Anti-Xia Alliance."

After entering Lingyan Pavilion, Han Zhan glanced around, confirming no one around.

From behind, he gathered his hands, wrapped Gongyang Jin in an embrace.

Gongyang Jin didn't resist, just let him hug her, enjoying a moment of warmth.

"Chosen already? Our time is limited, he... they're waiting outside..." Gongyang Jin's ear slightly itchy, her cold voice began losing coherence.

"I choose the character Geng," Han Zhan said with a soft chuckle.

"Why?" Gongyang Jin reflexively asked.

"Because Geng sounds like Geng in 'farming,' farm the fields."