Ghost Catching System

But as the dual swords swung down, a scorching pain shot through his chest. Chu Hao’s hairs stood on end. Nearly cleaved in half, he rolled on the ground, crying out in agony, ”It hurts, it’s killing me!”

The Heavenly Bone Woman was truly terrifying.

Her Silver Bone Sword was poised at Chu Hao’s neck; an inch deeper, and Chu Hao would undoubtedly be dead.

The Heavenly Bone Woman didn’t strike. Her face was cold, yet a faint blush tinged her fair and flawless skin. She showed no signs of being an Evil Demon; indeed, she appeared more like a Fairy.

Chu Hao felt a chill all over his body as his heart sank into the abyss. He wanted to cry, regretting he had ever come here.

Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun didn’t dare to move a muscle, shouting, ”Don’t hurt our lord!”

The Heavenly Bone Woman said indifferently, ”Any last words?”

In that moment, a mere 0.01 seconds, Chu Hao’s mind utterly collapsed. Instead of the usual flashbacks, he remembered a scene from ”A Chinese Odyssey” where Purple Cloud Fairy points her sword at Supreme Treasure—the resemblance was uncanny.

Chu Hao quickly said, ”Wait, I have something to say.”

The Heavenly Bone Woman just looked at him coldly.

”Actually, the moment I saw you, I fell deeply in love with you.”

The Heavenly Bone Woman was taken aback, giving Chu Hao a strange look, while memories of Zhang Daoling involuntarily surfaced in her mind.

When she first met Zhang Daoling, he was about the same age as Chu Hao.

Back then, she was cultivating when Zhang Daoling, egged on by a group of villagers, intruded into the White Bone Cave. Upon seeing the Heavenly Bone Woman, the fresh-faced Zhang Daoling had shouted, ”Evil Demon, I am here to carry out celestial justice! Prepare to die!”

As a result, the poor fellow got brutally beaten by the Heavenly Bone Woman.

The lad knelt and begged for mercy, claiming ignorance of the greatness before him and apologizing for offending the noble Fairy.

At that time, the Heavenly Bone Woman was not inherently a killer. She found the boy quite amusing, so she assigned him as her Protector right outside the White Bone Cave, forbidding him from leaving a two-kilometer radius.

Zhang Daoling wasn’t dumb. He thought the Heavenly Bone Woman was fattening him up as food and tried to escape at night, only to be caught and beaten repeatedly until he cried.

Now, Chu Hao was being even more direct than Zhang Daoling, claiming he fell in love with her at first sight.

Chu Hao, who had once told fortunes under a bridge, had long learned to read people, and this skill now came in handy. Seeing the pause in her eyes, he sensed hope.

Fighting through the excruciating pain in his chest, Chu Hao’s gaze softened, as if he were trying to melt the heart of the Female Devil before him.

”You might not believe me if I say it out loud, but I once had a genuine love before me, and I didn’t cherish it. Only when I lost it did I feel the deepest regret. There is nothing more painful in the human world than this. Go ahead, thrust your sword through my throat! Don’t hesitate any longer!”

With these words, Chu Hao’s emotions overflowed, his passionate performance bringing tears to his eyes as he portrayed utter regret.

The Heavenly Bone Woman’s heart felt as if it had been pricked; she thought of the old days with Zhang Daoling. With the Bone Sword pressing against Chu Hao’s throat, she asked fiercely, ”What’s that to me?”

Uncle Zhou, I’m borrowing your movie line here! Little Mouse’s life is on the line!

At this moment, some dramatic music should be playing.

Chu Hao, agitated, clenched his fists tightly, tears streaking down his face as he shouted, ”That’s right! It’s none of your business, but I still have to say it, just for you alone.”

The Heavenly Bone Woman shouted angrily, ”Don’t say it!”

Chu Hao closed his eyes and said stubbornly, ”These will be my last words in this world, so I must say them, for the whole world to know.”

”If heaven could grant me one more chance, I would say three words to you: I love you.”

”If I had to put a time limit on this love, I hope it would be for ten thousand years!”

”DING... The Host’s smooth talking has shocked the Heavenly Bone Woman, earning 900 Pretentiousness Points.”

That hits right where it hurts, Old Tie.

The Heavenly Bone Woman’s hand, holding the sword, trembled uncontrollably. Even if his words were false, even if they were just sweet nothings, she couldn’t bring herself to strike.

For Zhang Daoling, too, had once professed his love for her.

Of course, Chu Hao’s words hit even closer to home.

Chu Hao opened his eyes. Seeing the Heavenly Bone Woman’s hand trembling, he was overjoyed.

Uncle Zhou’s classic lines had slain countless young women in their day! Even the Heavenly Bone Woman wasn’t immune!

In the distance, Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei stared at their lord with astonishment. Their minds couldn’t comprehend what was happening.

What is this rhythm?

On the outskirts of the battlefield, many people pricked up their ears. The person in charge of the Seventh District asked, ”What is he saying?”

Another person replied, ”Seems like something about ten thousand years. I didn’t catch the rest.”

”It’s over! Is Chu Hao going to be killed too? What do we do now?”

The Heavenly Bone Woman’s sword lowered slightly. She didn’t know why. Logically, she had no heart, so why did it ache so much, just as it had in the old days?

The System alerted, ”The Host has begun to comprehend the essence of being a Pretentious Expert. Please keep up the good work.”

Chu Hao was stunned. I’ve begun to grasp the essence of being a Pretentious Expert? But it seems I haven’t really done anything! At most, I just bluffed my way through that.

It seems the essence of being a Pretentious Expert isn’t so simple after all.

The Heavenly Bone Woman sheathed her Bone Sword. Her three-dot jade pupils returned to their original state, as clear as limpid water. Her lips moved slightly as she asked, ”What’s your name?”

Chu Hao hastily replied, ”Chu Hao.”

The Heavenly Bone Woman turned and walked away, her Bone Sword on her back, saying, ”From now on, you are my person. If anyone bullies you, report my name. I am... the Great Immortal Bai Gu.”

Great Immortal Bai Gu!

That name fits her style perfectly. Truly badass!

...

Saved?

This is too incredible! Why didn’t the Heavenly Bone Woman kill me? Could it be that my confession actually worked?

If that’s true, then Brother Hao is invincible! Who else could possibly match me?

If one had to act, the performance had to be convincing, or death would be exceedingly ugly. This was a principle Chu Hao had learned from all his time spent being pretentious.

Chu Hao’s chest was still bleeding, but he ignored the pain, quickly scrambling to his feet. ”What I said... was from the heart.”

A faint sadness touched the Heavenly Bone Woman’s exquisite face as she said, ”Does it matter if it’s true or false?”

Chu Hao, taking his acting to the extreme, replied, ”To me, it matters.”

The Heavenly Bone Woman sighed. ”The reason I don’t kill you is because you resemble him too much.”

What does that mean?

Chu Hao asked, ”Who?”

With hatred, the Heavenly Bone Woman spat out three words, ”Zhang Daoling.”

This is a lot of information to process! Brother Hao needs to think this through carefully.

Could it be... the Heavenly Bone Woman didn’t kill me because I resemble Zhang Daoling?

No, that can’t be right. Absolutely not.

If Zhang Daoling looked exactly like me, given her hatred for him, would I still be alive?

Then there’s only one possibility: the words of love I spoke touched the Heavenly Bone Woman, and Zhang Daoling must have said similar things to her too?

Holy moly! Did a Generation Heaven Master actually fall for an Evil Demon?

Chu Hao tentatively asked again, ”Did Zhang Daoling and you...”