All eyes in the room turned toward Evan Lin’s phone.
Most people present looked utterly confused.
"Did you bring in an outside spokesperson?"
Fourth Elder Rowe raised his brows and gave a cold laugh: "Let me warn you in advance, there aren’t many people who can make the Rowe clan afraid. I hope your helper is high enough up the ladder—otherwise, don’t blame me for being ruthless!"
His gaze flickered uncertainly. If this Lin kid really had a master stronger than Brandon Rowe, then that master must have some serious background.
If the person backing him was another Ancient Martial Clan, the Rowe clan might reconsider. But if they were above even the Ancient Martial Clans, the Rowe clan would have no choice but to back off for now.
That’s exactly why Fourth Elder Rowe hadn’t made a move yet.
Evan Lin said nothing.
Old Man Liu and Professor Gordon Gu were both a little nervous.
Everyone strained to listen.
A woman’s voice sounded from the other end of the call.
“The results are out.”
Autumn Zheng spoke from the other end. As soon as her words dropped, people froze in place.
Results?
Mason Shang and Helena Meng raised their eyebrows, while Old Man Liu and Professor Gu looked pale.
Maya Meng couldn’t help bursting out laughing. She glanced at Evan, standing there with a straight face, and suddenly found him absurdly funny.
“Are you crazy? Talking about grades at a time like this?”
“Did you read yourself stupid?”
She snorted loudly.
Evan didn’t answer her. Fourth Elder Rowe’s brows tightened, his face turning icy cold—he felt like he was being played.
"You took first place."
Autumn Zheng could imagine the situation Evan was in right now. She’d originally tried to stop him from coming—she’d already called the Zheng family patriarch, and every connection the Zhengs could mobilize was in motion.
Ever since Azure Dragon and Lin Jiuxuan stood up for the Zhengs and secured a spot on the Young Tiger Rankings, the family’s status had skyrocketed and was nothing like before.
Given enough time, even the Ancient Martial Rowe clan would have to be cautious in Beijing—they wouldn’t dare act too recklessly.
But Evan still came. Before leaving, he asked Autumn Zheng to take care of Jill Jing and to call him when the results were out.
After that brief sentence, Autumn Zheng fell silent on the other end.
Inside the hall, everyone who’d just been speculating suddenly went quiet.
First place?
First place in what?
Most people were still completely lost—only a handful, like Mason Shang, understood what was really going on.
"Did you hear that?"
Evan finally spoke, sweeping his gaze around the room, pausing briefly on Mason Shang and the others.
"Is this your so-called justice?"
Mason Shang gave a cold laugh: "Do you believe I could make one phone call and turn your first place into dead last?"
"You and your teacher are just background-less nobodies who don’t know their limits! What are you trying to prove with that call today?"
"Or do you actually think this matters?"
Mason found Evan’s actions laughable, but also infuriating—he felt openly provoked.
"What an idiot. Don’t you realize where you stand right now?"
Maya Meng’s brows were icy cold, her gaze full of disgust and disdain: "Only weak dogs with no ability care about grades and studying. You think you can change your fate with school, but I’m different."
"I treat it like a game. You only won because I let you, not because you’re stronger than me!"
Maya Meng snorted, her reasoning airtight—she refused to admit defeat.
She didn’t care, and hadn’t taken anything that just happened seriously.
"Brother Liu, looks like your student really is just like you."
Helena Meng sat down, her face now stripped of all regret or kindness—only pure ridicule remained: "Two shabby scholars, trying to prove themselves. But their method is just laughable and sad."
Most of the guests thought the same.
In a life-and-death situation like this, instead of calling in some heavyweight to steady the room, this kid just made a call about some irrelevant grade?
Was he really insane?
Outside, Ivy Gong looked anxious, and the people around her kept shaking their heads.
"The point isn’t about you. It’s about giving my teacher an explanation."
Evan spoke slowly, looking at everyone in front of him, his gaze steady: "In a lifetime, all that matters is acting without guilt toward your own heart."
"I rose from nothing, reached the Ninth Heaven, once sought the dao of longevity, the opening of Heaven Gate, and the answer I wanted after becoming a true immortal."
"In my life, I’ve seen countless lights and desolate deserts. All events in the world divide into two types: those related to me, and those unrelated."
"If it’s unrelated, whether I intervene is just a single thought. If it’s related, every ounce of justice owed must be repaid in full."
"Justice is the Heavenly Dao."
Evan’s voice was calm. After he finished, most listeners frowned deeply.
"What, did he read too many webnovels? Now he’s talking about becoming immortal?"
"Is this kid an escapee from a psych ward? I heard there are plenty of people there who claim they’re immortals."
"He wants longevity, wants to be a real immortal—so badass, why not go found his own sect?"
People outside started laughing, finding it ridiculous.
Inside the hall, plenty of people shook their heads, not taking it seriously.
Longevity.
No matter how you heard it, it just sounded fake.
Let alone becoming a true immortal.
Mason Shang was laughing, and Maya Meng was so mad at Evan’s words that she started laughing too—she thought he was a total idiot. Helena Meng glanced at Old Man Liu, her amusement obvious.
"Bro, you’re so good at hyping yourself—no wonder Molly Su got so bewitched by you."
Logan Rowe spoke up, his tone openly murderous: "Too bad she’s not here today. Even if you wanted her protection, you wouldn’t get the chance."
"Otherwise, I’d really have trouble, since I couldn’t very well execute you in front of her!"
Execute.
Logan Rowe bit out those two words with extra force.
With Fourth Elder Rowe here, he didn’t believe Evan Lin could leave alive.
Fourth Elder Rowe’s brows twitched at those words, his gaze flickering toward Evan. Now that Su Molly was involved, his killing intent deepened.
As for what Evan said, he didn’t believe it—but the youth’s calm, unhurried bearing was truly astonishing.
Maybe no one realized it.
This was the first time since his rebirth that Evan had spoken about the Heavenly Dao.
The justice he spoke of was one reason the Nine Mysteries Immortal Lord had risen so rapidly over three hundred years.
Until now, Evan had never spoken of it.
This time, he did—his words calm, neither sad nor joyful, utterly composed.
For one simple reason.
He was angry.