“First place!”
“Zero, exactly eight thousand merit points!”
The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master announced the results with a faint smile on his face.
What followed was a long silence.
The vast hall of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion echoed only with the immortal voice of the Pavilion Master.
Save for the four Vice Pavilion Masters, who had already expressed their astonishment.
The others, after a brief silence, erupted into an uproar of shock like a tidal wave crashing ashore.
“How much?”
“Eight thousand merit points?”
“Are we sure there isn’t something wrong with the artifact used for testing?”
“A new team, eight thousand merit points?”
The stewards were utterly dumbfounded.
Mu Ying and the others gasped in disbelief.
Yu Tiandu, unable to accept this, exclaimed, “Impossible!”
“Eight thousand? Are you kidding me?”
“I don’t believe it! There must be a mistake in these results!”
In truth, there were many who shared his sentiments.
Including Li Shangqiu.
Exactly as he had feared.
The first place also turned out to be a new team.
And they had achieved a record so astonishing it left him in the dust.
He spoke in a deep voice, “Pavilion Master!”
“As your disciple, I beseech you to reverify this team’s identity token.”
“Eight thousand is just too exaggerated!”
“I cannot accept this outcome!”
The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion Master glanced at him, then at the many stewards and disciples around.
In a calm tone, he said, “The four Vice Pavilion Masters have already reverified it.”
“I too personally questioned the results.”
“There is no error.”
“Instead of being dissatisfied, perhaps you should examine your own shortcomings.”
“A group of senior disciples, outdone by mere newcomers.”
“If word gets out, even I would feel ashamed on your behalf.”
Jiang Fan stood among the crowd, his lips twitching.
Are you lecturing the disciples or dragging me into trouble?
Why involve me?
Isn’t this just painting a target on my back?
That one comment—”Senior disciples outdone by newcomers”—who knows how many people silently began holding grudges against him.
As expected.
No sooner had the words left the Pavilion Master’s mouth than Jiang Fan heard a murmur of whispers.
“Who’s the leader of Zero?”
“Looks like someone impressive, huh!”
“Usually, it’s the seniors giving the juniors a hard time, but today the tables have turned.”
“We haven’t even met him, and he’s already given us senior disciples a resounding slap in the face.”
“I’ve got to meet him. I can’t let this slap go unanswered.”
…
“Little Junior Brother, you’re a new disciple as well, aren’t you?”
“Do you know who the leader of Zero is?”
Jiang Fan pointed honestly at Yu Tiandu not far away:
“There he is.”
“I don’t like him either. Feel free to punch him a couple of extra times for me.”