It would have been interesting if it actually HAD been Mao's mistake for once and forced him to grow as a person... But making a mistake like that is kind of a career ruiner so it would become a very different story if that was the case.
my point is that since it has a sequel, it (probably) wasn't axed, this series also doesn't have the Rushed Ending / Axed category on mangaupdates : https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=88385
some popular mangaka just want a change of pace after working on one series for years: examples : inoue takehiko (vagabond, real) , JEON Geuk-jin / PARK Jin-Hwan (the breaker: new waves)
since it (probably) wasn't axed , whether it became more popular or not (sales going up) because of fei , would have no effect on manga lasting longer.