Chapter 134: Too sorrowful? Then let’s have something heroic!

On the official Douyin livestream, after hearing the remarks from Feng Qi and Zhu Han, the host’s eyes lit up and she quickly said, "Could our director please connect Xilou to the broadcast?"

A few seconds later, Wang Mo, wearing a No-Face mask, appeared on the giant screen. Originally, the No-Face mask could be considered a ghostly sight, but at this moment, many netizens felt an inexplicable sense of warmth upon seeing it.

The host smiled and asked, "Xilou, did you hear what Professor Feng Qi and Professor Zhu Han just said?"

Wang Mo nodded. "I did."

"What are your thoughts on that?" the host inquired.

Wang Mo replied humbly, "Professor Feng and Professor Zhu are both seniors in the literary world. It is my honor to be able to exchange ideas with them. Therefore, I will certainly give my all in the next round to learn from both of them."

It was a very official answer. In public, he was now extremely cautious with his words. After all, he had no desire to experience another public downfall.

The host continued, "Your opening poem today stunned everyone. Many netizens, while praising you, are quite curious about what lies beneath your mask. Could you please take it off and let everyone see your true face?"

Upon hearing this, many netizens perked up their ears. Xilou’s fans, in particular, looked on with anticipation. Ever since Xilou began streaming, he had never once removed his mask, so no one knew his true appearance. Hearing the host’s question, they immediately grew excited.

However, the next second, Wang Mo shook his head. "I'm sorry, I cannot. Besides, this 'stinking skin bag' of mine is nothing worth looking at."

The host pressed on, "Is it that you are unwilling to let us see your face, or is there a special reason?"

Wang Mo said, "Actually, the first line of the poem I just recited, 'Wordlessly alone I ascend the West Tower,' could also be understood as 'Faceless, I alone ascend the West Tower.' The 'face' as in appearance..."

"Wordless? Faceless?" The host was thoughtful, wondering if he had done something disgraceful that forced him to wear a mask. She felt it was inappropriate to pry further, so she nodded in realization. "Oh, I see... then we won't press the matter."

She turned her gaze to the members of the Shanshui Society. "Honored guests, is there anything else you would like to discuss with Xilou?"

This was originally just a polite formality, but one person from the Shanshui Society stood up. His name was "Mountain Climber." He began, "Hello, Xilou. I truly admire the poem you just recited. However, isn't it a bit too melancholy? To be honest, while the poem is excellent, it doesn't quite fit your persona, your temperament, or your current state of mind; it creates a sense of dissonance for me. In my view, this poem is best suited for a woman in her boudoir expressing her longing. I don't know how you created it, but for someone like you, it feels somewhat out of place. Of course, this is just my humble opinion; I hope you take no offense."

Sure enough, it had arrived. Although Feng Qi and Zhu Han had expressed admiration for Xilou, the members of the Shanshui Society were proud individuals. Seeing the entire elite group of a dozen members left breathless by a single poem from Xilou, many felt stifled. This was why this man had spoken up.

Hearing this, Feng Qi and Zhu Han frowned slightly but said nothing. The others also remained silent.

In the livestream, Wang Mo hadn't actually paid much attention to the man's words. At that moment, he was focused on something else: his follower count had jumped by over 300,000 tonight! He was both surprised and delighted. Gaining 300,000 followers in just over three hours—how much prestige would that amount to?

He quickly asked, "System, how much prestige did I gain tonight?"

The System replied: [The host has gained a total of 225,600 prestige points tonight.]

My god! Wang Mo’s breath hitched. To gain over 200,000 points in such a short time—he was a prestige harvesting machine. Still, he was far from the mission's goal of one million.

"The Shanyin Cup lasts for three days, meaning I need an average of 340,000 prestige points per night to complete the mission. Hmm... 200,000 is still not quite enough."

As he calculated, he heard the words of the Shanshui Society member, Mountain Climber. Wang Mo’s eyes flickered, and an idea formed. Based on tonight’s results, the more talent he displayed, the more prestige he would gain.

In that case, he needed to make a scene.

He spoke up, "Whether a poem is melancholy or heroic should not be the basis for judging its gender. It is merely an expression of the poet's mood at the time. I chose 'Xiang Jian Huan: Wordlessly Alone I Ascend the West Tower' because it best explains the origin of my screen name and fits the requirements of this opening segment. As for something heroic... if you want to hear it, I have that too. Would you like to listen?"

At first, the audience had been distracted, but at his final words, everyone was instantly energized. Feng Qi and Zhu Han of the Shanshui Society leaned forward. What? You have a heroic poem as well?

Mountain Climber was also startled, stunned for a moment before asking, "Do you mean to say that regarding your screen name, you have a heroic poem as well?"

Wang Mo smiled. "Of course."

Mountain Climber hesitated. "This..."

Wang Mo continued, "It’s just that this poem has little to do with the origin of my name; it was an impromptu creation... Have you ever been to Jinling?"

Mountain Climber didn't know why Wang Mo suddenly asked about Jinling, but he answered honestly, "I have."

Wang Mo asked, "Could you share your thoughts on it?"

Mountain Climber said, "It is an ancient historical city where one can feel the rise and fall of Chinese history and the chaos of war. It is a city that can evoke infinite emotions."

Wang Mo nodded. "You are quite right. I have also been to Jinling, and that is exactly how I feel."

He paused, his voice rising. "Therefore, I have a poem about it! It is also a 'Xiang Jian Huan.' Please listen!"

The entire Douyin livestream fell silent. Even in other talent-focused livestreams, netizens stopped scrolling. Only Wang Mo’s resonant, confident voice echoed:

"Please listen!"

" 'Xiang Jian Huan: On the West Tower of Jinling City' "

"On the West Tower of Jinling, leaning against the clear autumn,
Ten thousand miles of sunset drape over the flowing great river.
The Central Plains are in chaos, the elites are scattered, when will order be restored?
I try to entrust the sorrowful wind to carry my tears across to Yangzhou."

The clear, ringing voice rippled through the livestream. It was sonorous, powerful, and majestic. Invisibly, an extraordinary aura emanated from Wang Mo, sweeping across the entire hall.

In an instant, Feng Qi and Zhu Han, who had just sat down, felt as if they had been struck by lightning, and both stood up abruptly. The other members of the Shanshui Society were similarly shaken to the core.

If the first poem was mournful, this one was filled with heroic spirit. If the first was lonely and poignant, this one was ambitious and resolute. If the first carried the longings of lovers, this one carried the weight of a nation!

The same poetic meter, the same poet—Wang Mo—yet they produced two entirely different effects. Of course, what made everyone truly unable to contain themselves was that the quality of this second poem was still so high it left them in despair.

Feng Qi swallowed hard. "This..."

Zhu Han’s eyes bulged. "A second poem? With the same meter? This..."

Was he even human? Many people struggled their entire lives to write one good poem, yet Xilou had produced two in one go! And to write two poems with the same meter, each with such distinct and profound artistic conceptions—the difficulty was doubled.

The host was dumbfounded. The turn of events had completely exceeded the show's script, leaving her at a loss for how to manage the situation.

Across the various livestreams, the netizens were in an uproar.

"My god!"
"Oh my mother."
"What is happening?"
"I have goosebumps all over."
"My mom asked me why I stood up and then knelt down."
"Heavens, what kind of poem is that?!"
" 'Ten thousand miles of sunset drape over the flowing great river'... it’s so majestic it makes me want to cry."
"Xilou, are you trying to defy the heavens?"
"A monster, how can an internet celebrity be such a monster?"

The poem Wang Mo recited was the work of Zhu Dunru from the Song Dynasty. Zhu Dunru did not have much fame in the grand river of history, but this poem, with its grand spirit and deep, lingering sentiments, expressed his intense patriotism and earned him a place in the prosperous era of the Song Dynasty, where poets were as numerous as carp in a river.

Of course, in terms of artistic conception and technique, Li Yu’s "Xiang Jian Huan" far surpassed Zhu Dunru’s, but in terms of momentum and vastness, Zhu Dunru’s clearly won out. Especially for many male netizens, they were naturally drawn to heroic poetry. A heroic poem was enough to make their blood boil. Therefore, when Wang Mo finished, the excitement surging in the hearts of these netizens exceeded even the first performance.

At this moment, Wang Mo’s livestream was flooded with frantic comments. Wang Mo didn't look at them; he kept his gaze fixed on Mountain Climber. "What do you think of this poem?"

Mountain Climber opened his mouth, but in the end, he could only say, "Sir, your talent is immense; I am no match for you."

Having said this, he bowed deeply to Wang Mo before sitting down. What else could he say? What else was there to say? Faced with the second poem Wang Mo had tossed off so casually, no matter how arrogant he might have been, he couldn't keep it up. Scholars could be arrogant, but they needed the substance to back it up. If the gap between them had been small, Mountain Climber would have put up a fight, as there is no "first place" in literature. But when the gap was as wide as a chasm, to remain arrogant would be nothing more than overestimating himself and making a fool of himself.

The host finally regained her composure. "This... which..." Her eyes eventually settled on the duo. "Professor Feng Qi, what do you think of the second poem Xilou just recited? Could you provide a critique?"

Feng Qi’s face darkened. Damn it, is this host a professional? I don't want to critique it! How am I supposed to? What can I say other than to flatter him?

However, under the gaze of everyone, he forced a smile. "My thoughts are the same as Mountain Climber’s. Mr. Xilou has immense talent, and he has truly opened our eyes."

After saying this, he looked at Zhu Han. Coincidentally, Zhu Han turned his head as well. Their gazes met, and both saw the shock and anxiety hidden deep in the other’s eyes.

The reason for the shock: Where on earth did this Xilou come from? That an internet celebrity could have a mastery of poetry that crushed them was simply inconceivable!

The reason for the anxiety: Just moments ago, they had been brimming with confidence when they told Xilou to wait for the second round. But now, it seemed they might not be able to handle it.