LoserQueen

Chapter 52 The Family Trial Began

"Clank! Clank! Clank!"

Above the house of the Dugu Family, the bell pealed out three times and people in every corner of the house could hear it.

Dugu Zhong and the Fifth Prince looked out of the window at the same time. Dugu Zhong stood up and said, "The spiritual bell has rung. It's time to enter."

The spiritual bell was a spiritual weapon, standing at the very center of the house of the Dugu family. It only rang on important occasions with the music so powerful as if it had rung right above the head of everyone.

Every time the spiritual bell rang, it would stroke three times. At the first stroke, everyone participating in the trial should gather at the stage. At the second stroke, the family trial began. At the third stroke, the trail of that day was over and everyone should exit.

"Let's go." The Fifth Prince left while smiling.

"This way."

In the room where Hua Qingshui and Hua Qingyue rested.

Hua Qingyue suddenly heard the ringing bell, as if it had been thundering in his ears. He was startled and sprang to his feet, saying, "What happened?"

Blood Fox, who was cozily sleeping in the Dugu Muyou's arms yawned and looked at Hua Qingyue with disdain, "You coward! Scared at just a stroke. Huh, you are indeed ignorant."

Hua Qingyue was angry, with his eyebrows twitching. He jumped in front of Dugu Muyou and held out his hand, trying to catch that annoying little fox.

Blood Fox clung to Dugu Muyou's clothes and shouted, "Muyou, kick away the dirty man! He tried to touch me!"

"I promise to flay you today! It's a pity that your skin is not big enough to make a scarf. Never mind. Why not just make a pair of gloves? Oh, it should only be enough for one glove! Wait there! Dare you hide!"

The room went noisy because of the person and the fox. Hua Qingshui behaved as if he hadn't seen anyone and left them playing.

"Muyou, does the stroke mean that the trial is to begin?"

Blood Fox was jumping up and down on Dugu Muyou. She was so annoyed and the veins on her forehead bulged. She grabbed the Blood Fox and threw it behind. Then the world went quiet again. Hearing Hua Qingshui's words, she nodded and answered, "Let's go. The bell is summoning us. We shall be ready to go on stage after the bell rings."

"Where is the place for trial?"

"The family trial is held every three years. Therefore, there's a region set aside in the house, named the Trial Hall, within which are the rings and the grandstand. Normally the Trial Hall won't be open to the public. Only this day of every three years will it be put into use."

Hua Qingshui and Dugu Muyou went out abreast while talking.

Blood Fox and Hua Qingyue, who were left behind, were astounded, for when they looked back, Hua Qingshui and Dugu Muyou had disappeared. So they gave up fighting with each other and hurried to catch up with them.

"Muyou, Qingshui, wait for me."

Hua Qingyue dashed forward, and Blood Fox jumped on his head, gave a stretch and yawned on its "Qingyue" spiritual wagon. Poor Hua Qingyue! He didn't even notice that he served as a wagon for Blood Fox until he finally caught up with Dugu Muyou. When he did notice with shock, he and the fox started another new round of chasing and fighting.

Meanwhile, people all around the house of the Dugu Family had gathered at the entrance to the Trial Hall. The heavy door had opened, and people entered in trickles.

When they arrived, they saw several enormous rings, and those who participated in the trial for the first time cried out in amazement.

"They are so... so huge."

"One, two, three... How many of them are there exactly?"

"The one in the middle is especially tall and grand. Is that the ring for the final?"

"I suddenly feel nervous now. Don't you think so? It feels so oppressive."

"Go away. It's so shameful to walk with you. You are so ignorant! I have seen it last time."

Hearing the conversations around her, Dugu Muyou smiled. She also looked at the enormous rings in the Trial Hall. It was the first time she saw this hall, of course, but she was much calmer than others.

There were nine rings in the Trial Hall in total, all of which were made of extremely hard Spiritual Granite. The one at the center was especially grand, surrounded by comparatively smaller ones, as if it had been the moon surrounded by stars.

Speaking of the Spiritual Granite, it was impossible for cultivators to leave a hole in it, several scratches at most. Therefore, for thousands of years, the nine rings still remained intact despite countless trials.

"It's said that twenty cultivators of Heaven rank from the Dugu family set out together to a mountain abounded with giant Spiritual Stones and cut them one piece by another together with each other. After that, hundreds of people delivered them for many rounds and finally built the nine rings."

Hua Qingshui listened to the explanation of Dugu Muyou and was also moved. In the beginning, he only wanted to cheer for Dugu Muyou. However, he found that seeing the Trial Hall itself was worth the journey. Taoyuan Wonderland had always been separated from the rest of the world and therefore Hua Qingshui rarely experienced things in the outer world though he might have heard of them.

Hua Qingyue and Blood Fox were still in the rough and tumble. For Hua Qingyue, it was as if teaching the fox a lesson was more important than visiting the Trial Hall.

Dugu Muyou grabbed Blood Fox which was running by and punched it on its head. Blood Fox felt dizzy and went quiet immediately.

Hua Qingyue, who was still thinking about the gloves made from fox fur, smiled maliciously and reached out for Blood Fox. However, he was glared at by Dugu Muyou and stopped. He withdrew his hand and scratched his head. Dugu Muyou looked around and said, "It's a nice hall, and we've got nice weather today."

Hua Qingshui had a most gentle smile, for his naughty brother did listen to Dugu Muyou.

There were guards spread around the Trial Hall to keep the order. They were all serious with weapons in hand, and they all paid close attention to the regions where they were in charge, ready to solve anything threatening the security.

The nine rings occupied the center of the Trial Hall, with high walls around. Above the walls were lots of seats, which were for audiences expecting to watch the trial. One of the grandstands had the best position and the widest space named the Central Grandstand, which was prepared for the Dugus and important guests.

"Let's go."

Dugu Muyou looked at the gate of the Trial Hall and entered with Hua Qingshui and Hua Qingyue.

When everyone had arrived, the gate slowly shut.

A middle-aged man in blue appeared on the central ring and spoke to the crowd downwards, "Attention, please. Those who are to watch the trial can choose any seat at the grandstand as you please. We have enough seats for every one of you. And those who are arranged to sit at the Central Grandstand please sit as arranged."

The man in blue didn't use any spiritual weapon, but his voice spread around the Trial Hall which everyone could hear clearly. He must have used some special spell.

Hearing his words, people coming from all across the world to watch the trial of Dugu Family gathered at the grandstands around them.

Quite a lot of the audience were citizens nearby coming to have fun. The trial held every three years were entertaining shows for them and every family available would come to watch and enjoy the hustling atmosphere.

Despite a large number of seats, they were still limited. Therefore, the Dugu Family issued tickets beforehand, which would cost some money, and only those with tickets could enter.

Some people were arguing because of their seats, and it was the time when guards would show up and keep things in order.

Those who came to watch the trial without invitation would choose their seats as they please, and others were situated at the Central Grandstand.

Dugu Zhong led everyone up to the Central Grandstand in person.

The one walking closest to him was the Fifth Prince. Following them were people from the Zhu and Hua families as well as those from the Wings of Wind Mercenary Group. Still behind them were representatives from smaller families and forces. At the very behind were the Dugus over twenty-five, neither participants of the trial nor staff.

Dugu Muyou talked to Hua Qingshui and Hua Qingyue, "You should also go up to the Central Grandstand. Only the participants, score-recorders, and guards will stay here."

Though people from Taoyuan Wonderland never showed up at the trial, the Dugu family would still send them invitations out of courtesy, which were taken by Hua Qingyue and Hua Qingshui, this time. Even without the invitations, they would still be invited to sit at the Central Grandstand due to their identities.

As soon as Dugu Muyou finished what she said, Dugu Jin, who was asked to fetch the Hua brothers showed up.

"Please follow me to the Central Grandstand. You'll have a better view there."

"Watching here would be fine." Hua Qingyue waved his hand, because it was easy for them, who could swordfly, just to stand and watch in the air.

"Well, everyone would watch on the grandstand. It's just the rules. Otherwise, there would be so many people gathering around the ring."

Blood Fox raised its head, tired. Its eyes that used to be so bright also seemed tired now. It said, "only I can stay. Huh, you should just go up there."

Hua Qingyue was about to go mad when Hua Qingshui tugged his clothes to warn him.

"We understand, and we'll go up there immediately. Muyou, we'll cheer for you from there."

Dugu Muyou thanked him with a smile. Hua Qingshui went up with Hua Qingyue who was so reluctant. And Blood Fox shook its head in delight.

Dugu Muyou saw its childish behavior and doubted, "Are you really a divine animal? I think you look like an idiot."

"How dare you doubt me? I'm a divine fox, much nobler than you! Well..."

Dugu Muyou covered its mouth at once and warned, "Hush, the trial arrangement is to be announced."

At the central ring, the man in blue saw that people were either already on the stage or ready to go up. So he spoke again.

"All participants, please look here. We are to have the first and second rounds of the knock-out phase. Here is the combat list for the first round of the order. Find out your own order and wait near your own ring."

When the man in blue finished his words, a cloth showed up on his hand. Several men came up to the ring with a frame. The man in blue handed them the cloth and before long it was unfolded and fixed on the frame, with densely dotted characters.

Dugu Muyou looked at the cloth to find out her own name. Despite a large number of characters on the cloth, they could still see their own names more than clearly with their excellent sight.

"Ring 9, come out by the sixth patch."

After Dugu Muyou found her own name, she moved to Ring 9 without paying any attention to the names of her opponents, for it was just the first round and she couldn't be so unlucky to encounter an extremely powerful opponent.