"That damned Zeng Qiyan, I should have killed that bastard that day," Song Zhenwei thought, filled with regret.
He never expected Zeng Qiyan to be so unscrupulous, not only leaving himself but also taking so many teachers and students with him. It was fortunate that during this time, Ji Mo and his three students had been exceptionally brilliant, gaining many fans. Xuan Yang, in particular, was highly popular, which kept many students from leaving. Otherwise, more than ninety percent of the students would have departed.
Song Zhenwei tried his best to retain the teachers and students, but it was to no avail; no one gave him any face. He was incredibly dejected, deeply struck, and appeared much older all of a sudden. Had he failed so miserably as a person?
Song Weixi comforted her father, her expression equally somber. Langya Academy was just beginning to improve, and now such a drastic change had occurred. If not handled properly, the academy might collapse because of this.
The city of Qianlong was in an uproar. Just a few days ago, people had predicted Langya Academy's rise, only to see it begin its decline.
"Dean, there's no need to stop them. Let them go. Once these people leave, they'll never be able to return," Ji Mo said loudly, telling Song Zhenwei not to obstruct the teachers and students from leaving. Since these people lacked a sense of belonging to Langya Academy, why force them to stay?
"Haha, return? Ji Mo, you must be dreaming. We have a wonderful opportunity like Shengling Academy. Would we ever come back?" Wu Kong laughed triumphantly. He felt that his abilities were wasted at Langya Academy and that Shengling Academy was his true stage. One day, he would become a renowned master throughout the Southern Region, revered by all.
Zhu Chang said coldly, "Without us, Langya Academy cannot survive. Just wait for it to close down. Langya Academy has no future. Those idiots who are not leaving will just wait to go down with Langya Academy."
As soon as these words fell, hundreds more wavering teachers and students became uncertain and decided to leave. Zhu Chang's words made sense. With nearly eighty percent of Langya Academy's teachers and students choosing to leave, leaving less than three thousand people, it would be difficult to sustain the academy. In that case, it was better to leave early. Moreover, Shengling Academy, ranked third, was too tempting.
"Only the wise know when to adapt. Those who want to leave, hurry up. Dean Zeng will lead us to Shengling Academy, and our future will be bright," Zhu Chang continued to incite them.
Song Weixi could no longer stand Zhu Chang's demeanor. Her eyebrows shot up, and she wished she could tear his mouth apart. However, Ji Mo held her back, reminding her not to act impulsively and that it wasn't worth bothering with such a person.
Zhuang Changming and Cui Pei struggled internally. They had originally been part of Zeng Qiyan's faction, but they still harbored some affection for Langya Academy. Although the character of these two was questionable, they had a redeeming quality: a fondness for the academy and an unwillingness to betray it.
"Cui Pei, are we really not leaving?" Zhuang Changming asked, feeling uncertain and unable to make up his mind. He also did not have a good outlook on Langya Academy's future.
"We're not leaving. I'm used to being here. Besides, I have faith in Ji Mo. I believe the academy will not decline like this; it will rise." For some reason, Cui Pei had an inexplicable confidence in Ji Mo. It was likely because he had fallen into Ji Mo's hands too many times, developing a strange sentiment. Furthermore, those who opposed Ji Mo had never ended well. Therefore, this time, he firmly chose to stand on Ji Mo's side.
Song Zhenwei felt a wave of sadness and advised the students, "Fellow students, you must think thrice before acting. With your qualifications, Shengling Academy will not accept you." He saw things very clearly, believing these people had been deceived by Zeng Qiyan. Shengling Academy had great ambitions, aiming to be the number one academy in the Southern Region. How could they possibly accept these burdens that would lower their overall standard? Only a small portion of the most outstanding individuals from the other merged academies were able to enroll in Shengling Academy. Now that over eight thousand students were leaving, it was obvious that Shengling Academy could not possibly accept them all. It wasn't just the students; it was uncertain if they would even accept the teachers. Song Zhenwei couldn't understand why these people couldn't see the situation clearly.
"Song Zhenwei, stop spreading fear-mongering. I am now at the Half-step Immortal Realm. Shengling Academy will naturally give me face," Zeng Qiyan said, his face full of arrogance. "I will have a broader horizon and a brilliant future. You can just go down with Langya Academy."
"Go down? You're finished, but my Langya Academy will not be. What's so great about Shengling Academy? In the Academy Ranking Competition in two months, I will make Shengling kneel before Langya and sing 'Conquer'," Ji Mo retorted, unable to stand someone showing off in front of him. He would not back down, not even a little. Moreover, he had great confidence in his three students. Lin Mengmeng and the other two were exceptionally talented and possessed great fortune, destined for extraordinary achievements.
"Ignorant. How can Langya compare to Shengling? If Langya can truly defeat Shengling, I, Zeng Qiyan, will be at your beck and call. If Langya cannot win, hand over that sword." Zeng Qiyan stared at Ji Mo, a cold smile on his lips. He still harbored a desire for that immortal sword and wanted to possess it.
"I accept this wager," Song Weixi said through gritted teeth, wanting to save face. She also believed in Ji Mo and thought their side had a good chance of winning.
"Not suitable," Ji Mo said, seemingly unwilling.
"What, scared? Don't you dare to gamble?" Zeng Qiyan taunted.
"Scared?" Ji Mo glanced at Zeng Qiyan with disdain and said, "I don't want to be at your beck and call. The stakes must be changed. If Langya wins against Shengling, you will kneel at the gates of Langya Academy, admit your mistakes, and shout 'I am an idiot' ten thousand times."
Upon hearing this, Zeng Qiyan narrowed his eyes, his face filled with killing intent. He gritted his teeth and said, "Then it's settled. So many people are witnessing this. I hope you don't go back on your word."
Ji Mo said, "I always honor my bets and am honest and trustworthy. As for you, don't you dare renege on it then."
Wu Kong's heart suddenly skipped a beat for some reason. He remembered the tragic outcome after his gamble with Ji Mo and felt a pang of panic. A thought inexplicably crossed his mind: perhaps Ji Mo would win this time too. In his memory, Ji Mo seemed to have never lost a bet. But he quickly dismissed this thought, chuckling at his own oversensitivity. That was Shengling Academy, ranked third in the Southern Region, rumored to have the strength to contend for the top spot in the Southern Region, possessing numerous geniuses. How could Langya possibly win?
"I will reiterate: once you choose to leave Langya Academy today, the academy will never accept you again. If you wish to leave, the academy will not force you to stay. For those who wish to share honor and disgrace with the academy, the academy will lead you to glory," Ji Mo declared loudly, his voice echoing through the heavens and earth.