Upon hearing the Demon Emperor Yangling's voice, Xu Taiping's eyes merely flickered before he returned to the Lotus Throne without betraying anything.
Only after returning to the Lotus Throne did he reply inwardly:
"Demon Emperor Yangling, I naturally believe you have such means, but how am I supposed to believe that one of the Nine Abysses' once most powerful Demon Emperors would willingly help the Human Race fight the Nine Abysses?"
As though he had long anticipated Xu Taiping's response, the Demon Emperor Yangling answered with perfect composure:
"You can rest assured."
"Saving your life in your most desperate hour and taking you back to the Mysterious Wasteland Tower was the very Edict the Great Emperor Mysterious Wasteland placed upon me."
"Otherwise, with the deadline for returning these three Painting Scrolls already upon you, you would have no way to continue wielding their power."
After hearing this explanation, Xu Taiping felt somewhat inclined to accept.
So, as he took Old Smoky Ghost's Painting Scroll out of the Gourd to examine it, he communicated with the Lotus Eye:
"What do you think?"
Even without using its Power of Deduction, the Lotus Eye could sense certain unknown dangers.
Almost at the same moment Xu Taiping took out Old Smoky Ghost's painting, the Lotus Eye's voice rang out in his mind:
"Under the present circumstances, if you use ordinary means to reach the Wilderness, you will certainly encounter an ambush by the Nine Abysses."
"So, if this Ghost Lord can be trusted, returning to the Mysterious Wasteland Tower with him first would naturally be the safest option."
"After all, this is a route the Nine Abysses knows nothing about."
Xu Taiping gave a slight nod without betraying anything.
Even without the Lotus Eye saying so, he knew that escaping the Nine Abysses' pursuit