Chapter 138: A Sensation Online

Before Wang Mo recited his second poem, the members of the Shanshui Society and netizens alike had all speculated on what kind of work he would present.

Was it an ancient poem?
Was it an ancient lyric?
Or was it a piece of modern poetry?
One could say that every possibility had been guessed.

Yet, not a single person had predicted that Wang Mo would bring forth such a remarkable and unique poem.

At the venue, after a few seconds of silence, Feng Qi sighed heavily, stood up, bowed to Wang Mo, and then began to clap. Zhu Han followed suit with the exact same gesture. Their applause acted like a fuse. Immediately, everyone rose in unison, joining in the ovation.

In the live-streaming rooms, various talented streamers also stood up, clapping while shouting at the top of their lungs: "Family, let's applaud for our streamer Xilou! Applaud for our talented streamer! Hit that follow button in the top left corner—once we hit 1,000 followers, I'll applaud until my hands fall off!"

The applause was thunderous.

Naturally, the most lively scene was in Wang Mo's own live-streaming room. At this moment, the screen was flooded with a dense barrage of gifts; "Carnivals" popped up as if they were free, and airplanes and rockets flew across the screen incessantly. The chat was filled with a uniform stream of:
"Applause!"
"Applause!"
"Applause!"
"..."

On the screen, Wang Mo did not look at the chat or the gifts. His gaze seemed to pierce through the lens, fixing on Feng Qi and Zhu Han as he spoke in a commanding, awe-inspiring tone: "Teacher Feng, Teacher Zhu. My poem has been recited; I await your guidance."

Guidance? Who was teaching whom?

Feng Qi shook his head helplessly, his expression as he looked at Wang Mo incredibly complex. "Mr. Xilou, to be honest, I have rarely admired anyone. Even toward literary giants like He Zhihang, I only felt appreciation and respect, nowhere near the level of true admiration. But today, you have truly earned my admiration! And it is an admiration that comes from the depths of my heart and soul.

Looking back, I feel ashamed. Part of the reason I joined the 'Shanyin Cup' was to promote the Shanshui Society, but part of it was for the prize money. I never once thought about the nation or the world. Since last night, all I could think about was how to defeat you.

Yet you, Mr. Xilou, set aside personal victory or defeat and instead presented a truly great 'Exhortation to Study.' You seized this perfect opportunity to warn everyone of the importance of reading. You encouraged children to study hard and not to indulge in the internet or other distractions. Such vision—I am far inferior. Mr. Xilou, please accept my salute."

With that, Feng Qi bowed deeply with his hands folded, offering Wang Mo a formal and respectful gesture.

Wang Mo exclaimed, "Teacher Feng, you must not! This junior cannot bear such an honor."

"You can bear it," Zhu Han added. "From you, Mr. Xilou, I have finally understood the true meaning of your words: 'With literature and ink in the chest, the spirit is refined by the grace of books.' I am beginning to understand why you chose to be a streamer. I presume you chose this path to use your knowledge and talent to change the chaotic and murky state of current live-streaming, right?"

Great. Another person with an overactive imagination. Wang Mo wasn't sure whether to nod or not.

However, some netizens were quite supportive.
"Wow, Teacher Zhu Han hit the nail on the head. That's exactly the kind of streamer Xilou is."
"Yes, I've learned so much from Xilou's streams."
"I still remember the meaning of 'a grudge that must be repaid'."
"Hahaha, I memorized the stuff about one's ancestors—using that knowledge to roast people is like a dimension-breaking strike."
"I used to think Xilou was just in it for the money. My perspective was too small."
"He even wears a mask, which proves he isn't doing it for fame."
"Not seeking fame, not seeking profit. I'm literally crying over such a streamer."
"..."

*Uh.* Watching the netizens' comments, Wang Mo felt completely emo.

In the official live-streaming room, the host finally seized a chance to speak: "Thank you, Xilou, for your brilliant work. Next, it is time for our teachers Feng Qi and Zhu Han. Teachers, who will be the first to announce their work?"

At this moment, many finally remembered that the "Double Guns" had yet to reveal their poems. All eyes turned toward them.

However, the next second, Feng Qi looked at Zhu Han, shook his head with a bitter smile, and said, "With such a pearl of a poem presented first, we shall not embarrass ourselves. Moreover, the original intention of the 'Shanyin Cup' was to make the youth of China fall in love with poetry and, in turn, become more passionate about learning. Mr. Xilou's 'Exhortation to Study' has encompassed everything. For us to present our works now would only be gilding the lily—a superfluous act."

Having said that, he sat down.

Everyone was deeply shaken. They never expected the "Double Guns" to forfeit in the second round! But after calming down and reflecting, they realized it was only natural. In the brilliance of Xilou's poem, almost nothing could stand up to it. The level of vision was simply not on the same plane.

Since the "Double Guns" had abandoned the announcement of their works, the second round of the "Shanyin Cup" poetry exchange was officially concluded.

However, on the internet—and indeed in China's cultural circles—a storm had just begun to brew.

First were the social platforms frequented by young people, such as Zhihu and Bilibili. The moment Wang Mo finished reciting the poem, someone uploaded it to Zhihu, where it was immediately pinned to the front page by the staff. This platform, known for being full of arrogant intellectuals who refuse to submit to anyone, saw countless people flooding into the thread.

Then... the bloggers on Zhihu were left stunned.
"This is actually pretty awesome."
"Damn, this poem is even wilder than me."
"666!"
"What a great 'Exhortation to Study,' it speaks to my heart."
"You all usually claim to have vision—come on, see whose vision is as grand as Xilou's!"
"Though a gentle scholar, he holds the world in his heart. I can only express my admiration."
"'Of all pursuits, study is the highest'... excellent, this line will be my signature from now on."
"..."

It was extremely rare for Zhihu bloggers to praise something unanimously without attacks or infighting. After all, yesterday's two poems by Wang Mo had been trashed by some on the platform.

If even Zhihu had been conquered, Weibo was a given. At midnight, several trending topics landed on the Weibo hot search list:
[Exhortation to Study]
[Xilou's second work shocks the audience]
[Double Guns forfeit and concede]
[Xilou's poem is second to none]

This time, no celebrity scandal or news could overshadow the heat of these search topics. The reaction from netizens on Weibo was far greater than the day before.

"I'm scrolling through Weibo while liking 'Exhortation to Study'."
"Sigh, it's making me feel too embarrassed to play on my phone."
"Does anyone else think Xilou's voice sounds exactly like a certain fallen idol?"
"Are you talking about Wang Mo?"
"Yes, yes, that's him... I almost forgot that name."
"Brother, don't compare Xilou to that guy, it's embarrassing!"

Some marketing accounts noticed this as well. After sharing the poem, they commented: "Both are young, both share the blood of the dragon, and even have the same voice. Yet, one is uneducated and calls Yue Meng (a fictional character) Yue Fei (a national hero). The other writes an 'Exhortation to Study' with the world in his heart. Why is the gap between people so large?"

In the comment section:
"Is the blogger talking about the once-useless top idol Wang Mo?"
"Who else could it be?"
"Looking back, it seems Wang Mo didn't do anything truly heinous, right? He was just flamed by the whole internet for one slip of the tongue; it was a bit excessive."
"I think so too. Many stars have made mistakes regarding history and culture, but only Wang Mo 'collapsed.' It's a bit hard to justify."
"Heh, someone is trying to whitewash Wang Mo? That was a small mistake? He insulted a national hero and challenged the nation's dignity. Banning him was perfectly normal!"
"..."

At Yunhai Media, Yuan Xiong had been monitoring the online reception of Wang Mo every day. Seeing these comments, he blinked and suddenly revealed a smile.

Wang Mo: "What are you laughing at?"
Yuan Xiong pointed at the comments: "Look, so much time has passed, and people are starting to speak up for you. This is a good thing. It means your negative impact on the internet is nearing its lowest point. Many have calmed down from their emotional state and are becoming rational. After all, the public's perception of you is the most important thing."
Wang Mo: "Aren't there still so many people cursing me?"
Yuan Xiong was speechless: "You still expect no one to curse you?"
Wang Mo: "Yes."
Yuan Xiong: "Keep dreaming. Aside from the Renminbi, I've never seen anything that isn't cursed by someone."
Wang Mo was dissatisfied: "Brother, what kind of comparison is that? Comparing me to an object?"
Yuan Xiong retorted: "Aren't you a thing (an object)?"

Wang Mo almost vomited blood. Damn it. He never won an argument with this old guy.

Yuan Xiong continued to browse the web. As an excellent agent, he had to keep track of his artist's reputation and feedback at all times to make the right decisions. Suddenly, his hand trembled. He rubbed his eyes, his pupils dilating. It seemed he had discovered something incredible. He pinched his arm to make sure he wasn't dreaming, then shouted in surprise: "A-Mo, come here!"

Wang Mo walked over slowly: "What is it?"
*Whoosh!*
Wang Mo turned into a blur, instantly appearing by Yuan Xiong's side. He looked closely, and he too became excited.

Half an hour ago, an official account had posted: "In recent years, the rapid development of the Chinese internet has allowed the younger generation to spend more and more time online. This has caused many young people, even children, to lose themselves, becoming addicted to the pleasures of the internet and forming twisted worldviews, outlooks on life, and values. This is highly undesirable. At any time, the youth should prioritize their studies; they must not lose the big picture for the sake of the small, lest they regret it for the rest of their lives. We recommend that teachers and parents take their children to read Xilou's 'Exhortation to Study.' Although this poem may be biased toward other industries, it truly depicts a blueprint for the future of learning and warns young people that only through study can they achieve success. It is worth reading and pondering. Here are a few lines from the poem for everyone to encourage one another:

*Youth must study diligently, for literature can establish one's life.*
*The court is filled with noble figures in purple robes, all of whom are learned men.*
*Knowledge is a treasure of the body, and the Confucian classics are the jewels of the seat.*
*Look at the prime ministers; they are all learned men.*
*Do not say the scholar's cap is a mistake; poetry and books will not betray you.*
*When successful, serve the world; when in obscurity, improve yourself.*"

Wang Mo read the post repeatedly. He was deeply moved. The last time this had happened, it was when his career collapsed. This was the second time.