240: Chapter 240 This matter ends here.

Tao Qianfang didn't rush to speak; instead, he pulled a token from the Storage Pouch at his waist.

The token was black like ink jade and the size of a thumb. A complex rune Formation was carved on the front, while the back bore three words: Xuanyin Sect.

He flipped the token over in his palm and held it up so everyone at the valley floor could see it clearly.

"We are from the Xuanyin Sect of Taining Province. This is a Core Disciple Token. If you know of us, you should understand what this means."

He spoke with total confidence, as if he had nothing to fear.

A Sect's Core Disciple Token was no ordinary object; it contained a Tracing Formation Inscription carved by the Sect. If the holder met with misfortune, the Spirit Tablet at the Sect's mountain gate would sense it immediately.

Once the Tracing Formation Inscription was activated, everything within a hundred-zhang radius of the holder's final moments would be recorded and sent back to the Sect via special means.

Killing them would be equivalent to sending one's own Face into the Xuanyin Sect's archives.

Of course, Tao Qianfang was not stupid.

He wouldn't mention the token's tracing function at this critical juncture. His four Junior Brothers outside had already been killed by the other party; saying it now would just be begging them to silence him, wouldn't it?

He only needed to show the token to reveal his identity and let the people opposite him weigh the gravity behind it for themselves.

Tao Qianfang's Junior Brothers noticed he had produced the token, and their agitation subsided significantly. Their backs straightened once more as they waited for the group opposite them to tactfully withdraw.

Having cultivated to the Foundation Establishment Peak, they couldn't possibly be fools.

Anyone who wasn't a fool would make the correct judgment after seeing the situation: the price of forming a blood feud with a Core Disciple of a Nascent Soul Great Sect was too high for anyone to pay.

The valley floor fell silent.

Su Chengyuan had never heard of this name, but the reaction of the Five Great Forces provided the explanation for him.

Their expressions changed abruptly. A few people even subconsciously took half a step back, their hands trembling as they gripped their Magical Artifacts.

They clearly knew of the Xuanyin Sect.

"How is it possible? The Xuanyin Sect is hundreds of thousands of miles from here. Why would they come to a place like this?" The members of the Five Great Forces felt a chill in their hearts and couldn't help but murmur.

And Tao Qianfang's next words added even more weight to the situation.

"Our Xuanyin Sect is one of the four Nascent Soul Sects in Taining Province."

"What? It's actually a Nascent Soul Sect." Su Chengyuan's heart sank upon hearing this.

He didn't know the Xuanyin Sect's status in Taining Province, but he understood the words "Nascent Soul Sect."

Nascent Soul Cultivators were existences standing at the Peak of a province's cultivation world. A Nascent Soul True Lord could easily slaughter dozens of Golden Core Cultivators, let alone Foundation Establishment Cultivators like them, who were less than ants.

This time, they had truly kicked a steel plate.

Su Chengyuan didn't show any flaws on his Face, but his mind was already racing through several scenarios.

He glanced at Li Shi and Zheng Bei out of the corner of his eye. The Disguise Talismans were still active; their Faces and auras were entirely fake.

Looking at their cultivation levels, the effects of the spirit burst pills hadn't worn off yet. With three at the Foundation Establishment Peak and thirteen at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, their true cultivation levels were hidden.

The other party didn't know who they were, nor did they know the truth of their cultivation.

This was the only thing that could give him a slight sense of peace for the moment.

Some of the twelve Loose Cultivators on Zhao Shan's side also changed expression. When the reputation of a Nascent Soul Sect was brought to bear, not everyone could withstand the pressure.

But with the Disguise Talismans, their panic was only internal. As Foundation Establishment Cultivators, they could still maintain their composure on the surface.

Su Chengyuan stood in place, his expression calm, but only one thought remained in his mind.

If the other party wasn't lying—and from the current situation, there seemed to be no need to lie—then the nature of this matter had completely changed.

Killing them would mean forming a blood feud with a Nascent Soul Great Sect.

Not killing them would be like letting the tiger back to the mountain. If the other party investigated in the future, it was likely that not a single person present would escape.

Su Chengyuan weighed the options quickly in his mind. He didn't want to create such an enemy for his son, Su Cheng.

The Danding Sect could withstand the retaliation of a Nascent Soul Great Sect, but the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce would likely be turned to ash in an instant.

Letting them go was a disaster, and killing them was also a disaster. He had to choose the lesser of two evils.

Dead men tell no tales. Su Chengyuan made his decision.

He looked toward the people from the Five Great Forces and said, "Fellow Daoists, the Golden Core Elder behind these people will arrive tomorrow at the latest."

The grudge has already been formed. Keeping them alive is like leaving a landmine that could explode at any time.

Why not take this chance to finish what we started?"

The leader of the Five Great Forces interrupted him.

"No."

Su Chengyuan narrowed his eyes slightly.

The other party shook his head, his attitude clear: "When our five parties set out from Luoxia City, everyone in the city knew about it."

We are the ones who came to this Ten Thousand Snakes Valley, and we are the ones who broke into the Formation. There's no way to deny that."

But from beginning to end, we haven't killed a single one of them. On the contrary, they are only injured, while we have lost over twenty people. As long as we don't pursue the matter, it won't be considered a blood feud."

He paused and glanced at Tao Qianfang.

"But silencing them is different. If we kill them, we are openly falling out with a Nascent Soul Demonic Sect."

We didn't know their identity before we entered. Even if they investigate in the future, our five parties can still say it was a conflict born of ignorance."

But if we show murderous intent, the nature changes. That's not a conflict; that's a provocation.

If the Face of a Nascent Soul Sect is trampled upon, who do you think they will let go?"

The leaders of the other four parties nodded one after another; clearly, their attitudes were unanimous. After all, their spheres of influence were either within Taining Province or not far from it.

Su Chengyuan looked at them, feeling somewhat annoyed. What they said seemed to make sense.

But they were using Disguise Talismans; no one would be able to trace it back to them.

"Do you mean, Fellow Daoists, that you're leaving?"

"We will take the bodies of our fallen companions and no longer involve ourselves in this business, nor will we touch the things underground."

The other party's tone was weary but resolute. "What you choose to do is your business. We won't participate, nor do we know anything about it."

In truth, they were all heavily injured. If a battle really broke out, they might all be left here, especially since this new group was clearly waiting at ease for the exhausted enemy.

After saying this, the other party didn't rush to leave but turned to look at Tao Qianfang and the others.

"Fellow Daoist, this conflict was an offense to your Sect's plans due to our ignorance. But our five parties have lost over forty lives, and your Sect has also suffered casualties. Everyone has paid a price." He paused, his voice sounding helpless. "Let's call it even, how about it?"

Tao Qianfang's gaze swept back and forth between the two opposing groups.

He actually wanted to pull those five forces in to deal with the newcomers. With seventeen fresh combatants blocking the valley, he and his eleven injured Junior Brothers had no chance of winning a direct confrontation.

If he could pull over the remaining nine Foundation Establishment Peak Cultivators from the alliance, combined with himself and Zhong Tang, killing this new group shouldn't be a problem.

But Qi Donglai's attitude was clear: they wanted to leave.

They had also suffered heavy losses and were all injured, having exhausted all their trump cards. Why would they risk their lives for the Xuanyin Sect against a group that was clearly at their Peak combat strength?

Tao Qianfang swallowed the metallic taste of blood in his mouth and remained silent for a few breaths.

"Fine. This matter ends here. My Xuanyin Sect will no longer pursue it."

Although he said this, his heart was far from calm. He wanted to threaten them, but he was afraid they would become desperate and do something drastic, which would truly be disastrous.

The people from the Five Great Forces nodded and said no more. They turned to gather their people and then looked at Su Chengyuan.