Although Xu Taiping and Fairy Lingyue had both inferred from the intentions of the person behind Zhao Linglong that Lin Qingnu would very likely use the Ceasefire Token to refuse A Meng's Sword Inquiry,
when they actually heard Lin Qingnu refuse the Sword Inquiry, surprise still showed on both their faces.
For Lin Qingnu's refusal now amounted to proof of their earlier conjecture-someone wanted to use Lin Qingnu as a blade to hone the sword hearts of Zhao Linglong and Senior A Meng.
Watching Lin Qingnu walk down from the Sword Platform step by step, Fairy Lingyue murmured, her gaze sharp:
"If this scheme truly came from Lin Buyu, her identity may be far less simple than we currently understand."
Xu Taiping asked curiously:
"Why?"
Fairy Lingyue explained:
"Leaving aside how she appeared at this True Martial Sword Champion Assembly, this scheme itself looks more like the handiwork of those old monsters from Outer Heaven."
"What those old ghosts scheme for is never the gains and losses of a single victory or defeat. Instead, they use a Sword Inquiry as a starting point to guide the karma and fortune of this world over hundreds, even thousands or tens of thousands of years, letting that fortune and karma nurture the fruit they desire."
"And like people planting trees, they quietly wait for the fruit to ripen, then pluck it and eat it."
Though he did not fully understand Fairy Lingyue's words, Xu Taiping still felt a chill run through him after hearing them.
For according to Fairy Lingyue, any cultivator in the Shangqing Realm, any opportunity or calamity, might be part of a scheme laid by some old ghost in Outer Heaven.
Xu Taiping thus asked tentatively:
"Sister Lingyue, have you experienced such things yourself?"
Fairy Lingyue hesitated, but ultimately nodded.