Ling Tian was certain that Shi Lin and the others would never lay a hand on Hua Min'er now. It wasn't just because doing so would invite Ling Tian's revenge, even a relentless hunt. More importantly, it would all but eliminate any chance of joining forces with him in the future—and that was the last thing Shi Lin and the others wanted.
Since they weren't going after Hua Min'er, Shi Lin and the others must be hurrying to her aid. After all, they wouldn't rush over just to watch. Once Ling Tian had thought it through, he quickly realized what they were after: they wanted to do him a favor so that they could join forces with him later to face the final tribulation.
Seeing that Po Qiong and the others understood, Ling Tian said gravely, "Exactly. As Po Qiong said, they're worried I won't join forces with them. So they're going to rescue Min'er and do me a favor, making it hard for me to turn them down later."
"Well, that makes sense," You Ye said, then changed his tone. "But it's good for us, too. Shi Lin and the others are closer to the destination. Unless something unexpected happens, they'll arrive well before you do. With their help, Min'er will be safer. At the very least, they can deter the cultivators attacking her and buy her some time."
Ling Tian, Po Qiong, and the others agreed. Ling Tian felt a little grateful, even though he knew Shi Lin and the others had their own motives—and the same went for their private calculations.
Though he was thinking about all this, Ling Tian never slowed down. He continued toward Hua Min'er at top speed.
Leaving Ling Tian and Shi Lin's group aside as they raced to her aid, Hua Min'er