83: Chapter 83 The Five Great Families, Trial Tournament

Xihai City.

A city located at the border of the Zhouwu Dynasty and the Nanli Dynasty, neither too large nor too small.

The city walls were built from massive bluish-gray stones, standing about thirty meters high, with mottled surfaces covered in the marks left by time and warfare.

Above the city gate, the three large characters for 'Xihai City' in ancient seal script had weathered the elements yet remained vigorous and powerful.

Inside the city, streets crisscrossed, shops lined the ways, and a constant stream of pedestrians moved to and fro.

As a key town on the border of two major dynasties, Xihai City had been a strategic prize since ancient times.

Thousands of years ago, Zhouwu and Nanli had fought fiercely for this city for decades before finally agreeing on joint management—the city belonged to Zhouwu, while three nearby spirit mines belonged to Nanli.

Since then, Xihai City had become a hub for trade between the two dynasties, remaining prosperous to this day.

It was noon when Lu Jinghan's group of three entered the city.

Qin Muchuan walked at the very front, his eyes darting around curiously, looking exactly like a country boy who had just entered the city for the first time.

“Senior Brother, this Xihai City is quite lively; it's even more prosperous than many cities in our Zhouwu.”

Lu Jinghan walked behind him with steady steps, his gaze casually sweeping over the shops lining the streets as he said calmly, “Being at the border of two dynasties with frequent trade, it is naturally prosperous.”

Su Fuguang nodded, his eyes falling on a towering pavilion nearby. The plaque on the pavilion bore three large characters, 'Wanbao Pavilion', written with powerful brushstrokes.

“Senior Brother, there's a Magical Artifact pavilion over there. Do you want to take a look?”

Lu Jinghan shook his head. “No rush, let's find a place to stay first.”

The three of them walked along the main street for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before stopping in front of an establishment named Yunlai Inn.

The inn's storefront wasn't large, but it was kept clean and tidy. A couplet was carved into the pillars at the entrance—the first line read 'Guests from all directions are brought by fate,' and the second line read 'A pot of wine finished, each goes to the ends of the earth.'

Lu Jinghan pushed the door open and entered. The shopkeeper was a lean, middle-aged man who greeted them with a smile.

“Welcome, honored guests. Are you staying the night or just stopping for a meal?”

“Staying.” Lu Jinghan took several Spirit Stones from his sleeve and placed them on the counter. “Three superior rooms for three days.”

The shopkeeper's eyes lit up. He quickly took the Spirit Stones, removed three keys from the wall, handed them over, and said attentively:

“This way upstairs, please. Three rooms in the 'Heaven' wing, all next to each other. If you three guests need anything, just give a shout.”

Lu Jinghan took the keys and turned to go upstairs.

Qin Muchuan and Su Fuguang followed behind, each entering their respective rooms to rest.

Lu Jinghan pushed open the door to Heaven Room No. 1, walked to the window, opened it, and looked into the distance.

The city's buildings were packed close together, streets were interwoven, and pedestrians were like a woven tapestry.

In the distance, a tall tower stood in the center of the city. The tower was bluish-black, with faint spiritual light circulating around it; it was the residence of one of the city's prominent families.

Lu Jinghan withdrew his gaze and sat at the table, calculating his next route in his mind.

He was only passing through Xihai City; his true goal was an ancient Immortal Cave three hundred miles west of the city.

That Immortal Cave wasn't large, and the Opportunity inside didn't mean much to him anymore, but for Qin Muchuan and Su Fuguang, it was a good place for tempering themselves.

However, the Restriction on that Immortal Cave wouldn't naturally loosen until next month; they couldn't enter even if they went now.

With a few days of leisure like this, it was just right to rest in Xihai City.

The next morning, Lu Jinghan was awakened by a burst of clamor.

He opened his eyes and walked to the window, only to see a massive crowd surging toward the bluish-black tower in the city center; it was incredibly lively.

“Senior Brother!”

Qin Muchuan's voice came from outside the door, sounding somewhat excited.

“Hurry and get up! Something seems to be happening in the city; so many people are heading that way!”

Lu Jinghan opened the door. Qin Muchuan and Su Fuguang were already standing outside, both looking eager to go.

He glanced at them and said calmly, “Let's go take a look.”

The three went downstairs and followed the main street toward the city center.

The closer they got to that tall tower, the more people there were.

“Have you heard? The Trial Assembly for the Disciples of the Five Great Families is today!”

“Of course I heard. It happens once every five years; it's the biggest event in Xihai City!”

“I wonder which family will take the top spot this time?”

“In previous years, the Zhao Family was always first, and I doubt this year will be an exception. I heard the Zhao Family's Young Lord, Zhao Zhibai, is already at the Peak Golden Core stage. His combat power is extremely high, with few rivals among his peers.”

“That's not necessarily true. Those from the Li and Wang families aren't bad either; they might have a chance.”

“We'll just have to wait and see.”

Listening to the discussions around him, Lu Jinghan understood what was happening.

A Trial Assembly for the Disciples of the Five Great Families—that was somewhat interesting.

Although the strength of these Five Great Families in Xihai City was far inferior to the top families in the Imperial Capital, with their strongest being only at the Peak Soul Transformation stage,

in this borderland, they could still be considered local hegemons.

The three followed the flow of people to the square in the city center.

The square occupied a vast area, about three hundred meters across, paved with bluestone. Several tall stone pillars stood around it, their surfaces covered in runes.

In the center of the square, an arena had been set up. The stage was about a meter high, with copper pillars at each of the four corners. Atop each pillar was a fist-sized spirit pearl emitting a faint light.

The arena was already surrounded by people.

On the north side of the square, a row of viewing stands had been constructed.

Dozens of people sat on the stands, all dressed in luxurious robes and possessing extraordinary Auras.

The five people at the front were the heads of the Five Great Families of Xihai City.

From left to right, they were Zhao Family Head Head of Zhao Family Zhao Yuankui, Li Family Head Li Yuanshan, Wang Family Head Wang Zhenguo, Sun Family Head Sun Hao, and Zhou Family Head Zhou Mingyuan.

The five sat upright on the stands, their expressions calm as their gazes fell upon the arena.

Head of Zhao Family Zhao Yuankui wore a black brocade robe; his face was resolute and his gaze steady. The Aura of a Peak Soul Transformation expert swirled around him, making him the strongest family head among the five.

Beside him was Li Yuanshan, whose cultivation was also at the Peak Soul Transformation stage.

Wang Zhenguo was at the Late Stage of Soul Transformation, while Sun Hao and Zhou Mingyuan were at the Middle Stage of Soul Transformation.

Behind the five stood the Elders and young Disciples of their respective families, their robe colors varying and clearly demarcating their affiliations.

The square was boiling with the sound of voices.

“Look quickly! Over at the Zhao Family, the one in the black martial attire is Zhao Zhibai!”

“He truly has an extraordinary bearing; one look and you can tell he's no ordinary person.”

“Over at the Li Family, Li Qingyun has come too! I heard he obtained a Profound Rank Magical Artifact in a Secret Realm last year, and his combat power has surged!”

“Wang Zhan of the Wang Family, Sun Yu of the Sun Family, and Zhou Wenbo of the Zhou Family have all arrived. This Trial Assembly is likely going to be a fierce battle between dragons and tigers.”

Qin Muchuan stood in the crowd, standing on tiptoe to look toward the stands, his eyes full of curiosity.

“Senior Brother, the strongest of these five families are only at the Peak Soul Transformation stage. I bet there aren't many among the younger generation who can actually fight.”

Su Fuguang nodded in agreement. “Indeed, compared to those families in the Imperial Capital, they are quite lacking.”

Lu Jinghan didn't speak, merely standing in the crowd with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed on the arena.

Just then, Head of Zhao Family Zhao Yuankui stood up from the viewing stand.

He raised his hand and pressed down, and the noisy discussions in the square gradually quieted.

“The quinquennial Trial Assembly for the Disciples of the Five Great Families is being held today in Xihai City.”

Head of Zhao Family Zhao Yuankui's voice wasn't loud, yet it clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

“The rules are the same as in previous years. Each family will send three Disciples to compete in a drawn duel. The final winner will be the champion of this Trial Assembly.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the dense crowd in the square.

“Now, the Trial Assembly officially begins.”