I Contracted All Ancient Divine Artifacts-Chapter 273 - 172: Flipping the Table

Geng Jiu’s white clothes were stained with blood as he held a white umbrella.

When he emerged from the curtain of rain and walked toward us, everyone felt the chill of the rain become even more intense.

Those old acquaintances who had once crossed paths with Han Zhan, such as Drunkard Sun Yun, Eater Fan Chaohui, and Chopstick Gunman Si Baikong, felt it even more clearly.

Geng Jiu was now even stronger than before!

The clamor of voices automatically diminished considerably.

Only Chen Tao, still sneering, held a black umbrella and stood in a straight line with Han Zhan, raising his umbrella slightly as their eyes met.

"Geng Jiu, your timing is perfect."

"As the principal of Shang Academy, you created that scroll ranking, accepted bribes, and demanded gold coins from various families."

"In the end, you took the money but didn’t deliver, greedily embezzling a large amount of wealth."

"Today, we’re here to demand an explanation from you."

Chen Tao spoke calmly and deliberately, clearly prepared.

A wicked smile appeared on Han Zhan’s face.

When Chen Tao saw the smile on his face, a feeling of intense disgust welled up inside him.

The man really smiled in a nauseating way, how could he possibly pull off such a smile!

If Han Zhan heard what Chen Tao was thinking, he would instantly and unabashedly respond with three words, "Just like you."

Successfully using Chen Tao’s signature smile to disgust him, Han Zhan finally spoke:

"So, what kind of explanation do you want from me?"

"What else can it be? You took bribes and didn’t deliver, you should return the money to us!"

With Chen Tao setting the example, the high-ranking members of the Anti-Xia Alliance behind him all mustered the courage.

After all, he was just a newly appointed core member, unfamiliar with the place and had no firm foundation.

Unless Geng Jiu was the Alliance Leader’s paramour, what was there to be afraid of?

"Your request is putting me in a difficult position." Han Zhan looked troubled.

"Difficult? Haha." Someone in the crowd sneered twice, "If it’s difficult, then don’t bother doing it!"

After that remark, the high-ranking members all surrounded him.

Such a lively scene also attracted the attention of the onlookers.

"What, are you trying to scare me?" Han Zhan brushed off the blood stains that hadn’t yet dried on his body with his left hand. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"Even Gongyang Jin couldn’t make me submit, you lot? Are you worthy?"

The reputation of Gongyang Jin weakened some people’s courage.

But quite a few were still determined to confront him directly.

"Don’t waste your breath, regardless of whether you return the gold coins or not, you have to return them!"

"That’s right, you used the quota for advanced awakening to extort bribes, a core member like you with a malicious heart cannot stay!"

This was a blatant accusation.

Han Zhan couldn’t be bothered to argue any further.

He glanced at the sky, which was gloomy; the heavy rain showed no signs of stopping.

He withdrew his gaze, holding his umbrella, and continued asking: "What if I insist on not returning the money?"

"Not returning? That’s simple, we are reasonable people. If you can awaken all the listed students from these high-ranking families here, we naturally won’t trouble you anymore."

Chen Tao spoke once again.

He seemed completely confident of victory.

Among the present high-ranking families, there were as many as twenty-one listed students.

Which was nearly the awakening output of the Anti-Xia Alliance for two years.

No matter who wanted to favor or help Han Zhan, they would need to weigh their own strength first.

"Alternatively, you have another choice: relinquish your core member status and leave the Anti-Xia Alliance. We can let go of the past."

Chen Tao’s proposal was purely self-serving.

Among those present, if anyone wanted Han Zhan gone, it would undoubtedly be him.

However, due to Chen Tao’s status, others weren’t inclined to openly oppose him.

Moreover, if Geng Jiu lost his core member status, dealing with him to reclaim their portion of the gold coins wouldn’t be difficult.

This was truly a case of revealing their true intentions.

A straightforward way of overturning the table.

"Alright"

Expecting Han Zhan to do something astonishing or fly into a fury, choosing to fight here.

Such a scenario would fit their expectations perfectly.

The neutral Elder Bing, who had remained silent all along, would undoubtedly suppress anyone foolish enough to use force in Fulong City.

But Han Zhan’s answer was unexpected.

Even the smile on Chen Tao’s face momentarily faltered.

"What did you say...?"

"I said ’Alright’, can’t you hear?" Han Zhan repeated.

"You’ve agreed to relinquish your core member status?"

The victory came too suddenly, catching Chen Tao off guard, unable to savor the joy of success before Han Zhan’s next words brought him crashing down to reality.

"What a joke, you’re daydreaming? I said alright, naturally meaning to awaken these twenty-one listed students here."

This caught Chen Tao off guard.

After hearing it, he burst into laughter.

Not just him, the other high-ranking members hearing it also burst into laughter.

The air was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

"You really amuse me, do you intend to awaken them? Do you have twenty-one Awakening Stones?"

"How will you awaken them, relying on yourself?"

Faced with everyone’s confusion and Chen Tao’s sarcasm, Han Zhan didn’t bother with any more words.

He simply raised his hand gently, and a dazzling five-colored light gathered above his head.

It was a stone radiating brilliance.

Just when everyone was puzzled about why Han Zhan did such a thing, he moved again.

This time, Han Zhan formed spells with both hands, as seals and techniques were cast toward the Nuwa Stone suspended mid-air, its glowing colors suddenly changed.

From the initial five colors, it transformed into a single white color!

And this white light was exactly the same as the light of the Awakening Stone!

The light of the Nuwa Stone cascaded down.

The twenty-one listed but unawakened high-ranking family students all closed their eyes, feeling the radiant glow envelop them.

Inside their bodies, the energy of the Spirit Contract Technique began to manifest, flooding every corner and cell.

Their white hair started turning black, and their wrinkled skin began to smoothen like new, their bodily functions restored to peak condition, they became increasingly youthful.

Their youth returned at a perceptible pace!

They succeeded in awakening?!

The twenty-one students were bewildered, the high-ranking members who had aggressively tried to force Han Zhan were bewildered, and Chen Tao, prepared to land a fatal blow on Han Zhan, was bewildered.

What just happened?

No, what terrified them more than figuring out what happened was—

Han Zhan could use his own means to awaken people!

Did that mean everyone from century-old elders to newly mature youths in the Anti-Xia Alliance could undergo awakening?

At this moment,

everyone looked at Han Zhan with eagerness in their eyes!