Throughout Tempest and the entire Demon Country Federation, the person Mo Li valued most was Rimuru, followed by Xiao.
In terms of time spent together, Xiao could be said to have been with Mo Li longer than anyone except Rimuru.
(Guizhong was excluded from this ranking.)
So how could Mo Li possibly stand by without saving Xiao when his life was in danger, as they imagined?!
If Xiao truly encountered a life-or-death crisis, never mind a trial—even on the battlefield of this war's final decisive battle, Mo Li would dare pull Xiao out directly and take his place himself.
But Mo Li knew Xiao too well. To what extent? So well that even Xiao himself might not understand himself as well as Mo Li did.
It was precisely because Mo Li understood this little fellow so thoroughly that he knew now was not the right time to save Xiao.
Or rather, if Mo Li saved Xiao now, there was a ninety-percent chance he would ruin Xiao's opportunity.
Mo Li knew what Xiao sought, but at the Demon Lord Seed realm, there was no way for Mo Li to further raise Xiao's strength.
Of course, Mo Li knew the method of "breaking before rebuilding, then taking another step forward," but how could he possibly allow Xiao to do something so dangerous?!
But when Xiao insisted on doing it, even going so far as to hide it from Mo Li, Mo Li had already understood Xiao's resolve.
So... let him do as he pleased!
With Mo Li there to back him up, nothing major could happen anyway.
At worst, he would lose half his life and end up critically injured, hovering at death's door!
It was not as though he could not be healed.
So just let him do as he pleased!