Chapter 90: This Sparring Match Has No Winner

The surrounding crowd had originally been watching the unique Xie Daxia, but those with sharp eyes noticed strange movement appearing beside him.

They saw Zhang Huaiyu, who was seated, his expression growing increasingly dazed, his gaze fixed on some spot before him.

His right hand lifted several times, then lowered again, but in the end, he still raised his hand to reach beyond the edge of the Echo Drum, lightly stroking that invisible cheek.

But it was obvious that all obsessions were illusions; only by seeing through them without exposing them could one realize the phantoms had no tactile sensation.

Zhang Huaiyu woke as if from a dream, looking left and right, and seeing the other four still struggling painfully, his expression inevitably revealed a touch of embarrassment:

"So I really am a lecher... Eh?!"

Seeing Xie Jinhuan opposite him staring at him with deep resentment, as if wanting to kill someone, Zhang Huaiyu was startled:

"What is this, Young Master Xie?"

The beautiful woman who had been causing trouble hurriedly explained:

"Young Master Xie's heart is too upright; he probably saw a demon."

"Oh? Is that so?"

Zhang Huaiyu was stunned; noticing no one was paying attention to him, he quickly stood up and retreated to the side to watch the fight.

The crowd truly hadn't expected Zhang Huaiyu to be the first eliminated, but at this moment, they had no mind to attend to it, simply continuing to watch Xie Jinhuan.

And Xie Jinhuan's current situation was far more painful than the audience imagined.

Xie Jinhuan, looking at the Head Butler Hou lying on the ground with his backside facing him, shaking his hips frantically, was on the verge of falling into demonic madness.

He even wanted to beg the Ghost Bride for mercy, to swap back for the Beauty Trap; he was willing to accept his social death.

He just wanted to earn some silver, at most he wanted to hold the Ghost Bride and dance; there was no need to risk his life!

But once the Ghost Bride spoke, her words were binding; to temper his Dao Heart, she conjured the 'Shadow Stream Master Butler Hou', and before his eyes, demons began to dance wildly...

Damn it!

Xie Jinhuan was grinding his back teeth to pieces, inch by inch drawing the Tiangang Mace; knowing it was an illusion, he tried his hardest to suppress his hand, but he truly could hardly hold it back.

He felt that if he looked for one second longer, he would be sickened to death right here.

Even if he won, the thousand taels of silver wouldn't cover his mental damage fees; he would need the Ghost Bride to wash his eyes for several days before he could recover.

And although the difficulty for the others was slightly lower, it was obviously not easy for them either.

The female astronomer from the Imperial Observatory, her face flushed red, carrying a touch of a maiden's romantic longing, finally, not knowing what she saw, actually leaned forward and went pop pop pop...

But clearly, no one was there in front of her.

The little nun immediately woke up, found thousands of people around her staring at her, and was instantly struck as if by lightning, her face the color of a pig's liver; she leaped up and ran, looking as though she would have to change her place of residence and would be hard to see in Jingcheng in the future.

And Linghu Qingmo also had wide eyes and a flushed face; halfway through, perhaps feeling the pressure was too great and daring not to face her true heart, she used the 'Spirit-Waking Spell' to forcibly break free from the illusionary realm!

Discovering that two people had already exited and no one was paying attention to her, Linghu Qingmo felt a great relief, quickly and quietly shifted to the side, glanced at Xie Jinhuan, and her expression instantly froze:

"Eh? Xie Jinhuan he..."

"Shh~ Young Master Xie is currently slaying demons and destroying evil."

"Hah?!"

Linghu Qingmo's inner embarrassment was instantly scattered; looking with disbelief at the gritting-teeth Xie Jinhuan, her meaning seemed to be:

You must be crazy, right?

Even while having a wet dream, you are slaying demons and destroying evil?

Do you have no feelings?

If you have no feelings, why did you kiss me?

Could it be that you value slaying demons and destroying evil more than women...

Yes, yes, yes, this is as it should be; Xie Jinhuan should be like this...

Dong dong dong...

Outside the Golden Tower, the drumbeats roared like thunder; on the platform, in an instant, only two people remained!

Wei Lu wanted to trample Zhang Huaiyu down; having fallen into the illusionary realm, he wasn't even clear if he had won. At this moment, he also summoned the ruthlessness of a martial artist, his forehead bulging with veins, his fingernails almost digging into his knees, and he even held back his nosebleed!

But under such immense temptation, Wei Lu's body still unconsciously leaned forward; it looked as though he wanted to suck on something in front of him, yet he was forcing himself to hold back!

And Xie Jinhuan was even more terrifying; his face was already iron-green, his eyes bulging with rage, his entire body's true qi surging wildly, radiating sky-piercing killing intent, which scared the dancing beautiful woman to hide to the side!

Seeing that the only two remaining were about to collapse, everyone grew tense.

Lin Wanyi, with a heart full of dread, couldn't help but shout:

"Xie Jinhuan, hold on!"

Linghu Qingmo also encouraged from the side: "Xie Jinhuan, it's all fake; don't be seduced by the illusions..."

Xie Jinhuan knew what was before his eyes was fake, but so what?

Being forced to stare at Head Butler Hou dancing a sexy dance, and the more he danced, the more lewd he became, the more he danced, the more damn wild he got, even moving closer; how could one endure that?

If not for the high sunk cost, Xie Jinhuan would rather withdraw from the competition directly than sit here for one more second.

Even if he got the silver in the end, Xie Jinhuan felt it wasn't worth it.

After all, this nightmare would probably haunt him for the rest of his life...

But fortunately, the pressure on Wei Lu's side was not much less than his.

Facing an elder whose buttocks were pressed against his face, even though Wei Lu knew it was an illusion technique, he could no longer persist; when his inner torment reached its extreme, he actually gritted his teeth and leaped backward, dodging the illusion before him, and plunged headfirst into the inner river.

Splash—

Seeing this scene, thunderous cheers immediately erupted from both banks along the river:

"Ho..."

"Beautiful—!"

The Wang Shizi of Danzhou pounded his palm fiercely and exclaimed excitedly:

"I knew Brother Xie could withstand the temptation! We won, we won..."

Seeing the outcome was decided, the beautiful woman, fearing Xie Jinhuan might suffer harm from holding back, immediately ceased her technique.

"Haa..."

Xie Jinhuan was nearly suffocating!

Discovering that the steward Hou had finally vanished and the beautiful woman appeared before him, his expression was as if he had crawled out of the hell of Wujian.

Linghu Qingmo, watching anxiously from the sidelines, was overjoyed at this sight and almost wanted to rush forward for a hug!

But seeing Xie Jinhuan's ferocious expression as if he wanted to kill someone, she dared not approach, only saying anxiously:

"Xie Jinhuan, you..."

Xie Jinhuan did not want to speak.

Although it was only a brief five minutes, this was absolutely the most prolonged time he had ever experienced in his life; at this moment, he even felt as if he had lived a whole lifetime apart!

Even though the beautiful woman was of above-average beauty, she now looked like a celestial fairy, and Seeing Mo Mo was so beautiful it made one unable to keep their eyes open!

Zhang Huaiyu stood nearby, seeing Xie Jinhuan endure until the end, and clasped his hands saying:

"Brother Xie's state of mind is rare once in a thousand years; I, Zhang, am in awe."

Splash~

Wei Lu emerged from the water, appearing calm now. Having already defeated Zhang Huaiyu, amidst his joy, he carried a hint of restraint he dared not speak of to outsiders, and clasped his hands saying:

"I am convinced in both heart and mind; this plaque should be taken by Brother Xie."

But Xie Jinhuan could not feel proud at all; now he only wanted to rush back to Danzhou to tear the steward Hou into pieces to vent his anger!

Suffering such a great grievance just to earn a thousand taels of silver was simply degrading himself...

Noticing everyone around was offering congratulations, Xie Jinhuan clasped his hands to the left and right:

"I yield. I can't go on, I must go to calm down. I take my leave first, sorry..."

Saying this, he turned and walked toward the Golden Tower, and after walking a few steps, he still:

"Pah! I'm so angry..."

The crowd had already seen how difficult it was for Xie Jinhuan to endure just now; since he hadn't even broken his teeth, they all had sturdy teeth, so naturally they held no grudge, merely discussing in a cacophony:

"There is no false reputation under a great name; this self-control is truly formidable..."

"But if one cannot slay demons and monsters, is it really that unbearable?"

"Uh, perhaps the demons seen were too arrogant; young and impetuous, unable to endure is quite normal..."

And amidst the noisy crowd, the Hundred Households officer Lu Qian, dressed in plain clothes and hidden in the shadows, watched Xie Jinhuan's departing back with furrowed brows:

"This youth's reaction, self-control, state of mind, and techniques are all flawless; no wonder his reputation rose so quickly. Our setup could not possibly trap him..."

His deputy followed at his side and whispered:

"He seems to be injured. With such a large scene, he should be impossible to run to Changle Street to attack my lord Han. Should we keep watching for a while longer, or return to report?"

The Hundred Households officer Lu Qian also felt that under these circumstances, Xie Jinhuan would not go to Changle Street to assassinate, and after thinking for a moment said:

"You return to report; I will continue watching and try to find out his location."

"Yes..."

(End of this chapter)