Rachel's statement highlighted a limit in Liam's mindset. Actually, calling it a limit was either a stretch or incorrect. The issue mostly stemmed from conflicting factors.
Liam was nothing short of obsessed with protecting, and he was the greatest danger that could befall anyone's life, both as an enemy and, especially, as an ally.
Horace had also warned Liam before sending him away, and he would literally die before betraying his teachings.
That was why Liam was reluctant to involve people he cared about in the mess that was his life. He knew he couldn't stop them, but he could at the very least erect barriers and limit their exposure to keep them as safe as possible.
Nevertheless, the playing field had changed.
While Liam still couldn't deal with all the cultivation world could throw at him, he had long since left behind his powerless old self. He had stepped onto the branching stage, the cultivation journey's great divider, and had already defeated a mid-stage expert.
