"Tell that slut Li Mei that my nephew won't be joining the Thousand Sword Sect! He'll be with me at the Myriad Flame Sect!"
Blinking his eyes in surprise, the elder couldn't believe that the genius the Thousand Sword Sect was after, and the same one whom Xinyi asked for an invitation was her nephew!
At the same time, he remembered that Xinyi's surname was also Jian!
Thinking that it was natural for someone related to Xinyi to be sought after since he would obviously share the same level of talent and potential as her, the elder directly said, "It doesn't matter what anyone thinks, have it announced that Jian Shen will be joining the Myriad Flame Sect!"
"But... Elder... If we do that.. What about our reputation?"
"Humph! Just do as I say, kid!"
"Yes!"
Nervous that he might cross his bounds, the disciple hastily left the tent to do what he was ordered to.
"Tsk, that slut acted faster than I expected."
"Huh? You knew she was going to do this?"
"Of course I knew. That was why I even asked you to officially give him an invitation as soon as the tournament started. But, who would've expected for her to resort to such a means."
Shaking his head, the elder said, "There's no use in thinking of what has already happened. For now, go ahead and report to the Sect directly and tell them about Jian Shen. Until you come back, I'll look after him."
Hesitating for a while since she didn't want to risk Jian Shen's safety by leaving him with an elder she wasn't much close to, Xinyi decided that she needed to go to the Sect.
If it was just a debate of words between them and the Thousand Sword Sect, everything would be okay.
But if they decided to take a step forward and try to harm Jian Shen, since they wouldn't be able to obtain him, she alone wouldn't be enough to keep him safe.
"Okay. I leave him in your capable hand's elder. I trust nothing will happen to him, while I'm gone."
Though the last part of her words sounded like a request, the elder could clearly sense the threat of death looming behind them.
Almost as if she'd kill him in case something happens to him.
Therefore he did the only thing he could. Which was stand up and repeatedly nod his head and promise to personally take care of his safety.
…
"Jian Shen."
"Xinyi.… You have something to do, and have to leave immediately, right?"
Surprised, Xinyi was just about to ask him how he knew, when he explained himself.
"You always had the same look on your face when you left."
Hearing those words Xinyi's fists subconsciously clenched as she remembered the past where he would cry and beg her to take him away, but she could only walk away due to not having enough power to keep him safe.
"I'm sorry... I really have to go. But, I swear! This is the last time!"
In response, Jian Shen only nodded his head and didn't say anything, because he had heard the same line many times until now.
Noticing this, Xinyi didn't try to say or do anything more and just left, after which the elder took over.
"Come with me boy, I'll take you to your tent."
Nodding his head Jian Shen followed behind the middle aged hunched back elder.
While his face looked like it belonged to someone who was always angry, the smile, however, was quite the opposite.
Taking Jian Shen with him to the biggest tent reserved for the Myriad Flame Sect, and was surrounded by all of the other tents, the elder sent him inside and told Jian Shen to find him if he needed anything.
...
Turns out the Jian Shen wasn't the only one with a private and individual tent, there were about seventy more of such tents.
However, Jian Shen's tent was the biggest one of them all.
This was because the influence Xinyi held as the next Sect Master of the Myriad Flame Sect wasn't something any of the other contestants could compare to.
Given how big Jian Shen's tent was, while all the other private tents were of the same size, it was on my natural that he became someone of great interest to both the participants and the disciples from the sects who came to arrange the assessment.
Soon someone from the Myriad Flame Sect leaked the details about him being Xinyi's nephew.
At first after hearing this everyone thought that Jian Shen was just someone who was using his family relations to get ahead. And, if he was truly talented and strong, he would've chosen to stay in a normal tent.
But soon more information came out saying that the Myriad Flame Sect, and the Thousand Sword Sect had already declared him as someone they were intent on recruiting.
Once all of this information was out in the open, many daring contestants tried to peek inside his tent to see what kind of a person was capable of having two of the Four Great Sects fighting over.
Unfortunately, there were about eight disciples from the Myriad Flame Sect surrounding Jian Shen's tent at all times, making it impossible for anyone to even try and get close to it.
And Jian Shen himself never stepped out of the tent even after the tournament had started.
...
"He's close! Ugghhhh!"
Throwing up a mouthful of blood, Qingyu almost stumbled forward but held on by using a black coloured sword to support her.
Wiping the blood away with her white sleeve which was completely stained and now looked red, a weak smile formed on her pale face.
However, she didn't stop to rest anymore, because Qingyu could feel that she getting closer to Jian Shen by the second.