If even with the connection that Xue Lin established from within Haoyue, Qiu Meng couldn't get the Dongli princess' heart, then unless he blackmailed or brainwashed her, she would never be his. This was common sense, common sense that made the Celestial Grandmaster question what right he had to keep pushing for someone that clearly didn't want him. Likewise, even if Haoyue did want him, Xue Lin would never stand for it. And if he had to choose between the two, Qiu Meng wouldn't bat an eye before picking his Xue Lin.
The more he pondered on the issue, the more rattled Qiu Meng felt — rattled and lost like a ten-year-old attempting to understand why his ever-doting parents now denied him an afternoon trip to the playground.
Convincing Xinzi to save the Nameless Sword Mountain from Daji's vengeance was a risky move — a move that kickstarted a timeline that didn't exist in any of the River of Time's variations.
Enjoy!