Xiao Jietian naturally understood that the other party was not asking him to leave out of fear of being implicated, but rather out of concern that he would suffer losses if he clashed with the Burning Flame Valley.
After all, the Burning Flame Valley's reputation as the strongest force in the southwest region of the Central Plains had long been deeply rooted in everyone's hearts.
Xiao Jietian looked at Liu Shan and asked, "If I leave, won't your Liu Family have to bear the Burning Flame Valley's wrath?"
"It's fine," Liu Shan replied, stepping forward. "We can cover this up and make it look like a conflict between two subordinate families. At most, the Burning Flame Valley will see it as internal competition. They'll issue a warning at worst, and that will be the end of it."
Hearing this, Xiao Jietian understood that the Liu Family intended to take full responsibility for the matter. However, if the truth were ever exposed, the Liu Family would undoubtedly become the first target of the Burning Flame Valley's fury.
Their words sounded sincere, not mere empty pleasantries. Xiao Jietian shook his head and said, "It won't stay hidden for long. When that happens, your Liu Family will be in danger. Don't worry, though—I will resolve this matter today. It won't implicate your Liu Family."
While Xiao Jietian did feel some apprehension toward the Burning Flame Valley, his concern was directed solely at Old Ancestor Huoyun. As for the rest, the strongest among them was Valley Master Tang Zhen, a peak five-star Dou Zun.
It had to be said that the Burning Flame Valley suffered from a serious generational gap in strength.
If the Burning Flame Valley insisted on pursuing this matter, even with their past ties to his former Xiao Family, he wouldn't mind teaching them a little "warmth."
He also wanted to test whether the Thunder's Fury—formed by fusing four half-spiritual lightning bolts with all his trump cards—could actually kill a Dou Sheng.
Liu Shan looked at the confident expression on Xiao Jietian's face and opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.
Suddenly, a streak of light appeared in front of Liu Shan. When the light faded, an exquisite token floated silently in the air.
The moment Liu Shan saw the pattern on its surface and the characters engraved on the back, his pupils shrank sharply, and he stared fixedly at the token.
"Patriarch Liu, you should understand the weight of this item very well, shouldn't you?" Xuan Yi spoke calmly as she walked over with Xiao Ling and Xiao Meng, who had mostly recovered after taking medicinal pills.
Though her voice was calm, it carried an unshakable confidence and authority.
Seeing the token, Liu Shan immediately understood why Xiao Jietian and the others were so confident in resolving this issue.
With this token in hand, and already being in the right, they could even destroy a subordinate force without fear. Even if they killed an elder of the Burning Flame Valley, the other party could only lower their heads and apologize.
The power represented by this token was simply too immense and too terrifying. On the entire continent, very few forces were willing to offend it—and none dared to do so lightly.
Offending them was no different from poking a hornet's nest, and it could easily trigger a chain of devastating consequences.
"That's enough. It seems our worries were unnecessary," Liu Shan said. The heavy stone in his heart finally lifted, and he felt completely relaxed. He couldn't help rubbing his hands together and laughing.
He had never expected that this quiet woman who usually followed silently behind Xiao Jietian and rarely spoke would possess such a formidable background.
Xuan Yi put away the token and stood silently behind Xiao Jietian without saying another word.
Xiao Jietian's impression of the Liu Family improved even further. At the very least, they had shown genuine courage and gratitude.
He was quite satisfied with the Liu Family's character and had already decided to offer them some support after this matter was settled—a proper return for their courageous stance earlier.
"I may have to trouble Uncle Liu for a few more days," Xiao Jietian said. "If people from the Burning Flame Valley come, just tell them exactly what happened." The intelligence network of the Boundless Heaven Hall had already been established, so he knew exactly what the token represented—even though it wasn't Xuan Yi's personal identity token.
"No trouble at all! Stay as long as you like," Liu Shan replied hurriedly, waving his hand.
Having such a powerful figure staying in his home was a blessing that couldn't be bought even if their ancestral graves were exploding with good fortune.
Xiao Jietian nodded gently and returned to the Liu Family's guest quarters with Xuan Yi and the others.
…
Liu Shan looked around at the gathered Liu Family members and said in a deep voice, "You all understand what should and shouldn't be said about today's events, correct?"
"Understood, Patriarch!" Everyone nodded solemnly. This matter concerned their family's very survival, so they naturally understood the gravity of it.
"Good. First Elder, everyone present today will receive a reward. Please arrange it," Liu Shan instructed an elderly man.
"Yes, Patriarch!"
"Alright. Leave a few people to clean up here. The rest of you may disperse."
After applying both carrot and stick, Liu Shan waved his hand, dismissing the crowd.
The Liu Family members all cupped their hands respectfully toward Liu Shan before departing.
In front of the entire Liu Family estate, only Liu Shan, his son Liu Qing, Liu Fei, and about ten guards remained to handle the aftermath.
Liu Shan's gaze turned toward the Cheng Family's former territory. Today, all of the Cheng Family's elites had been dispatched and perished here. Their long-time sworn enemy had been officially wiped out.
He had accomplished something his ancestors had never managed to do. Now, when he faced his ancestors in the afterlife, he could hold his head high. He could even claim the right to start a new branch in the family tree.
"Father, you should control your expression. It's not good to keep secretly gloating like that," Liu Qing reminded him quietly, noticing his father's mouth curling upward more and more.
"Cough, cough. How could your father be secretly gloating?" Liu Shan cleared his throat and spoke earnestly. "I'm simply exercising my facial muscles to prevent stiffness. There's absolutely no such thing as what you're saying."
Liu Fei, listening to their exchange, couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle softly.
"By the way, Father," Liu Qing asked curiously, "what exactly was that token just now? You seemed so shocked by it. And from your conversation, even the Burning Flame Valley seems extremely wary of it."
Liu Shan glanced around cautiously, then spoke with a solemn expression, uttering two simple words:
"Pill Tower!"
The moment Liu Fei and Liu Qing heard those two words, their eyes widened in disbelief.
To the people of the Central Plains, the name "Pill Tower" resounded like thunder. If one were to rank the forces that absolutely could not be offended, the Pill Tower would undoubtedly sit at the very top.
The Pill Tower was the sacred land in the hearts of alchemists across the entire continent. Its power was incredibly strong—so strong that even the Burning Flame Valley had to bow its head before it.
"Moreover, this token is no ordinary token from within the Pill Tower," Liu Shan continued, his voice heavy. "The power it represents is even greater, and the status it signifies is even more terrifying."