Chapter 22: Lin Mo Is Being Kept? (Request Follow Reads!)

Li Xiang looked utterly baffled and said, “Master Nong Qing, is there some mistake? Are you certain the student’s name is Lin Mo?”

Nong Qing glanced at him coolly:

“Do you think I’d mix up his name?”

That’s almost an insult to an Immortal Master…

Li Xiang hurried to explain, “No, that’s not what I meant—I mean, perhaps…”

For a moment, he didn’t know how to phrase it.

Nong Qing didn’t press him further, instead saying:

“He’s quite… handsome.”

That confirmed it… Li Xiang and Liao Wenbin exchanged a glance.

Though Lin Mo wasn’t particularly famous across the entire Nanshan High, as Director of Education, Liao Wenbin certainly knew this student.

The results of this third mock exam were out; excluding the essay, Lin Mo’s total score had surged to second among all Nanshan applicants.

That score would place him in the top hundred across the entire Xichuan Province—no doubt he’d get into a prestigious university.

This student’s Immortal Exam results were always mediocre, so how could he suddenly compete for a direct admission slot to the Dao Academy?

Liao Wenbin frowned, then said:

“There might be some misunderstanding, Master. If you’re interested, I can speak with him first.”

As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves, revealing exaggerated muscles, as if ready to drag Lin Mo over right then and there.

Nong Qing hesitated, then shook his head:

“Forget it. Fate and chance can’t be forced.”

He wasn’t particularly interested in Lin Mo to begin with.

If he could naturally take in Ye Chen, the destiny-born child, then Nanshan High would be giving them a “buy one, get one free”—a simple favor.

But now that the primary target was gone, this “free gift” was no longer necessary.

Besides, cultivation is all about affinity. Since Lin Mo left first, regardless of reason, it means he has no connection with our Dao Academy.

Both Li Xiang and Liao Wenbin caught his implication, their faces simultaneously showing a trace of regret.

This was the Xuan Yuan Dao Academy, ranked eleventh in Qinzhou.

Missing out on two direct admission slots was truly a pity.

Ye Chen aside—even if he didn’t get into Xuan Yuan, getting into any Dao Academy via the Immortal Exam wouldn’t be hard.

But Lin Mo was a pleasant surprise—yet this surprise vanished before Li Xiang had even warmed to it.

His emotions had swung more wildly than riding a flying sword.

“That’s all. I must return to the academy. No need to see me off.”

Nong Qing acted swiftly and decisively, leaving no room for delay.

His cold, official demeanor made it impossible for the two to beg him to stay.

Only after watching him leave the teaching building did Liao Wenbin turn and sling an arm around Li Xiang’s shoulder, his usually earnest face breaking into a wide grin:

“Hah! Teacher Li, good job—Class One produced two outstanding talents!”

As he spoke, his grip tightened, his grin growing increasingly sinister:

“But Teacher Li, you seem a bit negligent—how can you not even know your students’ basic details? Has my ideological education been insufficient?”

Li Xiang instinctively tried to shrink back, but his entire upper body was trapped under Liao’s grip, immobile.

He wore a miserable expression—he’d only heard rumors before, but now he felt firsthand the Director’s “love-based education.”

Indeed, it was profoundly moving, impossible to resist.

Liao Wenbin narrowed his eyes and said:

“Teacher Li, I won’t make things hard for you. Ye Chen’s fine—he’s a prodigy with his own ambitions, no harm in that.”

“But someone like Lin Mo, a rising talent—if he doesn’t get a direct admission, it’s a waste. Don’t you agree? Hmm~!?”

Li Xiang nodded stiffly: “Director Liao is right.”

Liao Wenbin suddenly grinned again:

“Then hurry up, Teacher Li—contact Lin Mo right away, don’t waste time.”

“Use any means necessary—get Lin Mo to reach out to Master Nong Qing himself, clear up this misunderstanding, so he doesn’t miss such a golden opportunity.”

As he finished, he loosened his grip slightly, and Li Xiang finally broke free.

A few minutes later…

Li Xiang stormed back into Class 10 of Senior Three, glaring at the few remaining students—but the familiar figure was gone.

He frowned and asked:

“Where’s Lin Mo? Where did he go?”

Most students looked confused; one replied:

“Isn’t it vacation? He probably went home.”

Li Xiang suddenly remembered: this year, after the third mock exam, they followed tradition and gave students one day off to rest before the final sprint.

Lin Mo wasn’t a boarder—he’d left school right after the exam.

“So the brat really left?”

Li Xiang’s face darkened, and he walked out again.

Watching his hurried departure, someone asked curiously: “What’s going on? Why is Teacher Li looking for Lin Mo?”

“You don’t know?”

Another student said: “It’s already in the class group—Lin Mo scored 455 on the Immortal Exam. Rumor says Xuan Yuan Dao Academy’s recruiters want to directly admit him and Ye Chen!”

“Wait, I heard Lin Mo scored 500—the recruiters are fighting over him!”

“Isn’t it because Lin Mo’s face is so stunning the recruiter fell for him?”

“What? Lin Mo got picked up by a recruiter? Damn! If teachers like that, I should’ve gone too.”

“With your looks? Why you? I should’ve gone!”

“Uh… he’s a guy.”

“...Suddenly even more excited.”

“...”

As the rumors spiraled wildly through the class, Li Xiang had already reached the school gate.

Too late—he missed Lin Mo, who’d left long ago.

He pulled out his phone, opened his contacts, and dialed:

“Sorry, the number you dialed is temporarily unreachable.”

Did he turn off his phone for the exam?

Li Xiang frowned, opened the Immortal Crane app, and sent multiple pop-up messages to Lin Mo—but all vanished into the void, unanswered.

He thought for a moment, clicked “Red Packet,” typed an amount, and sent…

“Damn, my hand slipped.”

The moment he sent it, he cursed inwardly.

Overcome with emotion, his fingers accidentally tapped twice more—the red packet amount “10 yuan” instantly became “1000 yuan.”

He instinctively tried to recall it—but it was too late—

【Ding! Your red packet has been claimed.】

The system reply appeared instantly.

That brat… Li Xiang gritted his teeth, fury flashing across his face, fingers flying across the screen as he typed:

“If you don’t answer, I’m calling your mom to school!”

In the end, Lin Mo couldn’t withstand the “call your parents” threat—he picked up Li Xiang’s voice call.

A cheeky voice crackled through:

“Teacher Li, let me explain first—wait, no, let me justify—”

Li Xiang sneered: “Fine. Come to my office right now. I’ll hear your justification face to face.”

Lin Mo: “...”