Ghost Catching System

Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Subduing Dong Qi (First Update)_1

The True Word Brush, three feet in length, its bristles snow-white, its shaft made of bronze, was engraved with inscriptions.

Chu Hao gripped the True Word Brush, swirling it through the air with a divine grace.

He intoned, ”Approach! Seal the heavens, seal the earth, seal the supreme, the Sealing Curse.”

”Approach” was written with the flourish of a dragon and the grace of a phoenix. Right after, a forbidden curse the size of a millstone materialized before him, like a three-meter-diameter grinding wheel. This forbidden curse began extending in all directions like a spider’s web, sealing everything in the vicinity.

It was a titanic curse net, capturing the Void. Countless Ghost Flame Butterflies were trapped within, with no chance of escape. Chu Hao asked coldly, ”Have you ever experienced despair?”

The Ghost Flame Butterfly, which Dong Qi had transformed into, continually crashed into the forbidden curse but couldn’t break free. He was shaken, his mind in total disarray.

”What... what is that thing in your hand?” Dong Qi asked, shaken.

Let alone him, even Zhong Minyue was astonished. What kind of Magic Artifact was that?

From a distance, on the pavilion, Yao Hu widened his eyes so drastically that his eyeballs seemed to bulge out as he said, ”That... that’s the True Word Brush, without a doubt! It truly exists in this world!”

Seeing Yao Hu’s intense reaction, his speech even becoming incoherent, the Ghost Princess urgently inquired, ”What is the True Word Brush?”

Yao Hu’s voice trembled with excitement as he said, ”That... that’s a thing of legend, a treasured relic of Taoism in its most flourishing era, the Nine-character True Words Brush!”

The Ghost Princess exclaimed in shock.

At the zenith of Taoism’s glory, only Buddhism could contend with it. If that item was indeed a treasured relic of Taoism, did it mean that Chu Hao’s origins were astonishing?

Both of them widened their eyes, not wanting to miss a single moment.

”DING... Host has impressed with pretentiousness, gaining 120 Pretentiousness Points.”

Chu Hao was delighted. The True Word Brush was truly useful. Merely the first character, ’Approach,’ was enough to trap the Ghost Flame Butterfly. There were still two more characters of the true words left to use, but now it seemed there would be no chance to deploy them. However, this was just fine; it fitted the style of a Pretentiousness Grandmaster, where one move was all that was needed.

Dong Qi was like a turtle in a jar, too easy to kill now.

But the System suggested he should subdue him to gain a significant amount of Experience Points. Besides, Chu Hao didn’t really want to kill anyone. Isn’t subjugation more interesting?

Chu Hao stood with his hands clasped behind his back, exuding an unfathomable depth and an irresistible majesty. He spoke lightly, ”This Taoist Master has given you chances time and again, but you’ve shown no sign of repentance. You can’t blame this Taoist Master for being unmerciful.”

Dong Qi’s soul trembled. He finally realized how terrifying the man before him was.

”DING... Host has mastered pretentiousness, gaining 60 Experience Points.”

From the beginning, Master Chu Tian had never taken him seriously, hadn’t even bothered with him. Yet, he had insisted on courting death. After barely escaping, he had come back for revenge.

Truly courting death, Dong Qi thought.

His consciousness sent out a trembling message, ”Taoist Master, please spare me. I will leave immediately and never appear before you again.”

Chu Hao responded indifferently, ”This Taoist Master is very merciful, but that doesn’t mean I cannot become angry. You have thoroughly enraged me. Your brazen actions leave me no choice but to let your soul be scattered and lost.”

Dong Qi screamed in horror, ”Taoist Master, spare my life, please! Junior Sister, save me!!”

Zhong Minyue sighed, remaining silent. So Chu Hao is this formidable, she thought ruefully. If I had known earlier, I wouldn’t have followed him here.

Chu Hao continued, ”However... ants struggle to survive, and there’s always a sliver of hope. This Taoist Master is compassionate and doesn’t wish to annihilate you. Would you be willing to become my servant, to follow by my side, and atone for your wrongdoings?”

Dong Qi asked with a trembling voice, ”Is that the only way out?”

Chu Hao gave a cold snort. With the True Word Brush, he wrote down the character ’Soldiers.’

”Command Soldiers! All soldiers under the heavens, be at my behest! Emergency Wish-Granting Command!”

A colossal ’Soldiers’ character appeared.

All around the ruins, every sharp object—steel rebars, stone pieces—began to levitate and point towards the Ghost Flame Butterfly in the air.

HISS!!

Everyone was once again flabbergasted. This was nothing short of divine intervention.

Chu Hao fixed his gaze on Dong Qi and said, ”You...! Will you submit?”

”DING... Host has successfully impressed with pretentiousness, gaining 120 Pretentiousness Points.”

Dong Qi was utterly terrified. He felt an incomparable despair. Who exactly am I fighting against?

”I yield, I yield.”

”DING... Subdued the Ghost Flame Butterfly, gained 1,000,000 Experience Points.”

”DING... Host level increased to 7.”

”DING... Congratulations to the Host, you have completed this mission and received a Silver Treasure Box.”

Host: Chu Hao

Apprentice Ghost Hunter: Level 7 (Max level 9, then becomes professional)

Experience Points: 500,000/1,000,000

Pretentiousness Points: 430

Mana Points: 700

Ghost Servants: Diao Chan, Sadako, Chu Beauty, Jiayeci, Ghost Flame Butterfly

It looked like the moment it submitted, it had already become a Ghost Servant.

Chu Hao hurriedly said, ”System, aren’t we taking on this Ghost Servant a bit too hastily? What if it rebels? This is definitely a BUG.”

System: ”The System has already considered this and provides a Ghost Servant Contract Symbol, which the Host must purchase.”

With a glare, Chu Hao said, ”System, you’ve gone bad, always wanting Pretentiousness Points.”

Fortunately, the Ghost Servant Contract Symbol was not expensive, just 200 Pretentiousness Points. He could earn it back just by showing off twice.

Looking at his remaining Pretentiousness Points, a mere 230, he felt like crying but had no tears. Now I need to work hard to show off again, he thought.

Dong Qi returned to his original form, kneeling on the ground, trembling. That ’Approach’ inscription not only trapped him but also continuously weakened his strength. Now, even if he were released, he lacked the power to escape.

Chu Hao took out the Ghost Servant Contract Symbol and slapped it onto Dong Qi’s forehead.

A chill came over Dong Qi’s forehead, and he was shocked to discover that of his Three Souls and Seven Spirits, three of his *hun* souls and three of his *po* spirits had been taken away.

Chu Hao put away the Ghost Servant Contract Symbol and spoke indifferently, ”If you betray me, I’ll burn this symbol and turn you into an idiot.”

Dong Qi was utterly terrified. Trembling on the ground, he couldn’t imagine that this person possessed such means.

Chu Hao and his two companions then left.

On a hidden terrace above, Yao Hu and the Ghost Princess watched with shocked gazes.

Yao Hu said, ”We must report this. The appearance of the True Word Brush is no small matter. Things are likely to become unsettled.”

The Ghost Princess’s eyes sparkled as she said, ”Yao Hu, since only the two of us know, we could steal it.”

Yao Hu turned around and shook his head. ”Ghost Princess, you’re underestimating the True Word Brush. Once it appears in the world, it’s definitely not something the two of us can control. I reckon even those reputable and orthodox sects, once they learn of the True Word Brush’s existence, will not remain calm and will certainly come to snatch it.”

Yao Hu sneered, ”What reputable schools? They’re nothing but a bunch of hypocritical, sanctimonious fakes. Let’s go back.”

The two also departed.

Back on the third floor of the shop, Dong Qi was given a random room, and Chu Hao returned to his own room.

He rubbed his hands together and said, ”Open the Silver Treasure Box.”

”DING... Congratulations to the Host, you have received 200 Pretentiousness Points.”

Chu Hao was thrilled. The treasure box could also yield Pretentiousness Points. This thing was great.

「The next day,」

There was an additional person on the third floor of the shop. Wang Meng and the others were somewhat puzzled.

Wang Meng asked, ”Ah-Hao, who is this?”

”Him? He’s a distant nephew of mine,” said Chu Hao.

DAMN!! Dong Qi’s face went dark.