He had to fabricate a plausible reason that would prevent the Fire Clan from seeing through any flaws. Otherwise, once the Fire Clan truly made a move, he would be in deep trouble.
"To be honest, I have some history with the former patriarch of the Great Flame Clan. I once promised him that I would protect the Great Flame Clan, but your Fire Clan comes from the Greater Flame Realm. If I were to wipe out your Greater Flame Realm, it would inevitably cause resentment among the Great Flame Clan. That is why I did not attack you right from the start."
The excuse was a bit far-fetched, but Su Chen had no other choice. Given the situation, any reason he came up with would arouse the Fire Clan's suspicion.
Chapter 1450