High Elder Juxue hadn't expected to meet someone like Lin Mu today. He had seen several talented people over the years, but it was always refreshing to see new youngsters.
"May I ask High Elder Juxue something?" Lin Mu questioned, making the old man focused on him. "Of course, you can choose to reject me. I shall not make any demands." He added.
"Go ahead, junior." High Elder Juxue permitted. "As long as it is reasonable, I don't see a reason to deny."
"Then… can you tell me the reason for the change in the tournament's progress?" Lin Mu finally questioned.
"Mmm?" High Elder Juxue was surprised that Lin Mu asked him this.
To others, asking questions to a High Elder of the temple of the guardian beasts was a rare opportunity. After all, this was a Seventh Tribulation Stage immortal Realm expert.
There were not many like him, that too at his unique position. Thus it was normal for cultivators to ask about their doubts or for insight into Qi skills or cultivation techniques.
It was a rare chance of getting guidance from one of the top experts.
And yet, Lin Mu had asked something that most others wouldn't even bother with.
To the others, the week-long break was just a good opportunity to rest and cultivate.
It would give them the chance to recover from the several week long fight in the spatial planes as well as reevaluate their opponents.
If anything, they would wish that they can get a longer break so that they can prepare better. Even top rankers would wish to learn about the performance of their opponents to get to know them better.
They all knew that others would have ended up revealing a part of their skills and trump cards during the fights in the Spatial Plane. This would give them a good chance to obtain an insight into their opponents.
Even a slight advantage could change the course of the battle, thus it was natural for them to want to know more.
Lin Mu was analyzing the high Elder's expression the entire time and could tell that the man didn't seem to care much about his question.
'At least this is good. He isn't offended about it, which means it's nothing too bad.' Lin Mu thought to himself.
High Elder Juxue went silent for a moment, before finally replying.
"Before I tell you about it… What do you think can be the reason for such a delay?" High Elder Juxue questioned Lin Mu.
"Hmm…" Lin Mu had somewhat expected the elder to do an inquiry like this, but he didn't mind. "For the tournament of the Temple of the Four Guardian beasts to be delayed like this, it has to be a significant reason." He spoke.
'Oh? Does he have some information about this already?' High Elder Juxue wondered and waited for Lin Mu's answer.
"I think… There has been an unexpected flaw in the tournament or… someone that has interfered in such a way that the rules cannot directly stop them." Lin Mu said after thinking for a few moments.
Hearing Lin Mu's words, High Elder Juxue kept a calm face, but internally he couldn't help but nod.
'Whether he obtained intelligence from someone or just thought about it on his own, it is still impressive.' High Elder Juxue thought before speaking. "Say it is someone interfering, do you have an suspicion on whom they could be?" the old man asked next.
"It is not good to put blame on others. But if High Elder Juxue permits me, I shall put forth my suspicions." Lin Mu said, choosing his words carefully.
"Speak Junior." High Elder Juxue asked him to proceed.
"This junior has been paying attention to the various contestants participating in the tournament. High elders must know that this is something everyone has been doing and one can easily find various documents and booklets available for this too." Lin Mu first spoke.
"That's true." High Elder Juxue nodded.
"As such, I've been looking into individuals that have had unexpected defeats or issues after their fights were over." Lin Mu revealed, making the old man narrow his eyes.
"While doing this, I came upon a group of individuals that are from the same background and power. All opponents that faced these individuals suffered after their fights were over.
It didn't matter whether they won or lost, they all had injuries or bad effects. Some of them had to withdraw too." Lin Mu explained.
"Is that so…" High Elder Juxue didn't speak further but took a pause instead. "So who is this or rather the group of individuals that Junior Mu Lin has a suspicion about?" he finally questioned.
"The members of the Black Fin Island." Lin Mu finally answered.
After hearing this, the old man closed his eyes and took a breath.
~whisper~
The old man's lips moved lightly before a wave of energy spread in the hall. Lin Mu could feel it too and realized that something was happening.
'He's using a skill?' Lin Mu couldn't exactly put a finger on it.
The process was fast and before he could even realize it, Lin Mu saw that his surroundings had changed.
"Teleportation?" Lin Mu muttered but then sensed no Spatial Fluctuations. "No… this is Rapid movement." He guessed.
It wasn't Lin Mu's first time seeing something like this. Even the Saintess had used a method like this which could move him without him knowing. Lin Mu's senses were still unable to pick up on it, but when the High Elder Juxue used it, he could at least tell that he had moved.
Of course, Lin Mu also knew that he could have resisted or even stopped it. After all, he could still use his Spatial Skills which would have rendered others unable to capture him.
But knowing that there was no danger, Lin Mu had let High Elder Juxue do whatever he was doing.
And now he could tell that he had been brought to another place.
"Traces of Wind Dao are here too…" Lin Mu sensed another thing a moment later.
"Junior Mu Lin's perception is indeed quite good." High Elder Juxue's voice was heard again.
This time it came from behind Lin Mu, prompting him to turn around. There, he saw the old man standing.
"What is this place, High Elder Juxue?" Lin Mu asked. "And why did you bring me here?"
"This is a private room of sorts." High Elder Juxue replied. "And I've brought you here to talk to you. Some things are best kept secret." He added.
"Didn't you already isolate the hearing of others in the announcement hall?" Lin Mu asked in doubt.
"I did… But it is still good to be a bit more cautious." High Elder Juxue answered with a hint of vagueness.
Hearing this, Lin Mu narrowed his eyes as a thought appeared in his mind.
"So it is like that…" Lin Mu spoke. "The Temple suspects spies too?" he quickly picked up on it.
"Hahaha, I can't help but feel hopeful about the next generation if there are still bright juniors like you in it." High Elder Juxue chuckled. "But yes… Juniors words are indeed true."
"So it really is like that… And the Black Fin Island… they are complicit too?" Lin Mu asked next.
"We have the suspicions… There have been too many individuals that have been affected, as you've said. But the member of the Black Fin Island hasn't exactly broken any rules of the tournament.
Thus it limits what we can do. We need to consider all things before we can go ahead with any plan." High Elder Juxue replied.
"But it isn't just the Black Fin Island, is it?" Lin Mu asked in doubt. "If the temple suspects about spies too… then it must be someone really capable or high up that infiltrated." He said openly.
"We don't think it is a person that has infiltrated." This time though, High Elder Juxue denied.
"Not an infiltration?" Lin Mu raised his brows in doubt.
"No one can infiltrate the Temple unless they can fool the Guardians themselves." High Elder Juxue said in a heavy voice. "Rather than that, we suspect that someone is obtaining information and manipulating things in some unorthodox ways." He revealed.
This was not something Lin Mu had expected, and it made him confused.
"How so?" Lin Mu questioned.
"The temple's goal is to let the cultivators explore and display their talents while battling against other individuals. Normally with the insight of the temple, this cannot be affected.
But there are certain methods that can still interfere with it. Normally we wouldn't even think about them, as they are too 'rare' to be found. But now we are being forced to think otherwise." High Elder Juxue answered.
"And what is that?" Lin Mu asked.
"The only other method left to obtain information without the temple knowing would be… Divination." High Elder Juxue revealed.
Upon hearing this, surprise appeared on Lin Mu's face.
