Ghost Catching System

Chu Hao stretched out his hand, and the Ritian Stick appeared in his palm. The Ritian Stick’s most powerful move, the mighty ”Absolute Kill,” was one he had yet to use. It had a minimum consumption of 10,000 Mana Points and was an absolute killer technique.

He currently had 22,000 Mana Points and, curious about the strength of this move, decided to give it a try.

”Ding... Host uses the third skill of the Ritian Stick, ’Absolute Kill,’ consuming 23,000 Mana Points.”

Chu Hao chanted the ancient incantations in his mind as his aura wildly surged, raising the Ritian Stick into the Void.

Chu Hao roared, ”Absolute Kill!”

As the Ritian Stick ascended into the sky, all the Ghost Officiants immediately saw a golden iron rod appearing high in the Void. It shone like the sun, dazzling and brilliant, stretching over ten meters long as it rapidly descended.

Its target, naturally, was the Ghost Mother.

”BOOM!”

The ground shook. The terrifying shockwave of energy blew all the Ghost Officiants away, causing the stones on the earth to burst. Its power was truly immense.

The earth continued to crack, and a huge pit appeared where the Ghost Mother had been, the Ritian Stick standing in its center like a pillar holding up the sky.

Chu Hao was beside himself with excitement. How could the Ghost Mother not be dead now?

However, the System did not send a prompt indicating the Ghost Mother had been killed, which made Chu Hao’s heart tense.

The Ritian Stick shrank and returned to Chu Hao’s hand. He swallowed a large amount of Restorative Mana Potion and looked into the pit.

The Ghost Mother lay battered within the massive pit, her spiritual body torn to shreds. Even a Divine Deity would probably be on their last breath by now, he thought. It seems even a Ghost King couldn’t withstand that.

Chu Hao burst into laughter, unstoppable elation and excitement filling his heart. The Ghost Mother was finally dealt with. He carried the Ritian Stick on his shoulder, raised his head high, nostrils flaring as he looked at the sky, and declared, ”You ant-like Ghost King! This Taoist Master’s rod has reduced you to ashes!”

”Ding... Host successfully showed off, earning 900 Pretentiousness Points.”

”Ding... Host’s sky-high bravado earned a critical hit of 1,800 Pretentiousness Points.”

Truly impressive.

The Ghost Officiants stood agape, their jaws practically on the floor in shock at such overwhelming dominance!

Like the radiant sun, the iron rod—over twenty meters long and two meters in diameter—had smashed down, and the massive pit in the center stood as proof of its might.

Chu Hao drank a Mana Potion and strode forward, ready to finish off the Ghost King for good.

He stood boastfully before the Ghost Mother. She was now extremely weak, her spiritual body shattered. She looked at Chu Hao with shock and anger, unable to speak.

Chu Hao said proudly, ”Come hit me! Why aren’t you boasting now?”

The Ghost Mother was nearly exploding with fury. This human is too vile and shameless! How utterly brazen! If it were a fair fight, he would have died countless times already!

Chu Hao wasted no more words. He lifted the Ritian Stick, ready to smash the Ghost Mother’s skull, right where her Ghost Heart was located.

”Stop!”

Just then, a voice emerged from the Void. Chu Hao instinctively looked up.

He saw a tall figure appear, not in human form but that of a humanoid shark. Sword Star Lord had arrived.

Chu Hao frowned and asked, ”Who are you?”

Sword Star Lord looked at Chu Hao, his eyes slightly narrowed. He was three meters tall with a powerful build, covered in black scales that shone with a dark luster. His imposing demeanor, naturally awe-inspiring without showing anger, made him seem like an Asura.

For some reason, upon seeing Chu Hao, Sword Star Lord felt his usually calm demeanor roil with a mix of excitement and complexity. He said, ”Chu Hao, do you truly not remember me?”

Indeed, Chu Hao had never seen Sword Star Lord before. The Sword Star Lord he’d encountered previously had an obscured appearance and was not so large in stature.

Regardless of who this person is, I have to kill the Ghost Mother! Chu Hao thought. She’s worth a significant amount of Experience Points!

”What do you want?” Chu Hao asked.

Pointing at the Ghost Mother, Sword Star Lord said, ”You cannot kill her. I will take this Ghost King with me. Furthermore, you will also come with me!”

Even the Ghost Officiants were puzzled. Hell was vast, and not everyone had the privilege of meeting the master of a Small Hell.

However, the newcomer was clearly powerful, capable of floating in mid-air—a feat ghosts in the Underworld couldn’t achieve. Only those at or above the Ghost King level could.

Chu Hao, obviously unaware of such common knowledge from the Yang Realm, bellowed, ”Who is this riff-raff daring to obstruct this Taoist Master from exorcising demons and vanquishing evil spirits? If you have any sense, scram quickly before I get angry! Even I’m afraid of myself when that happens!”

”Ding… Host has successfully shown off, completing 90% of the Pretentious Expert task, achieving the realm of showing off to everyone you meet.”

Chu Hao was overjoyed. Ninety percent complete! I’m finally about to level up!

Moreover, upon hearing the System’s notification, he started to grasp the meaning behind being a Pretentious Expert.

Show off to everyone I meet.

As the name implied, it meant to show off to anyone and everyone, regardless of who they were or how powerful they might be. Just show off, and that was it.

Sword Star Lord’s lips twitched. Seeing Chu Hao’s boasting reminded him of his unfortunate encounters in the Yang Realm, filling him with ire.

Yet, Sword Star Lord was also curious to see what kind of expression this young man would make once he realized who he was dealing with. A wicked sense of amusement suddenly sparked within him.

Sword Star Lord declared, ”Chu Hao, do you really feign ignorance of who I am?”

Eager to level up, Chu Hao didn’t care about the consequences. Pointing his Ritian Stick at Sword Star Lord, he said, ”And who do you think you are? State your name!”

”Ding… Pretentious Expert task 95% complete. Please continue to work hard, Host.”

Gao Jingshou and the other Ghost Officiants’ mouths twitched. Is Chu Hao too full of himself? they wondered. He dared to speak so brazenly even to an Underworld bigwig who could float in the Void. Still, the ghosts were also curious about the identity of this floating dignitary.

Chu Hao hadn’t thought that deeply about it. In my mind, if ghosts in the Yang Realm can float, then those in the Underworld shouldn’t be an exception, right?

Sword Star Lord was very displeased. This kid is too good at posturing! Back in the Yang Realm, Chu Hao couldn’t kill me, only beat me up. And this is my true form, here in the Underworld, no less!

Sword Star Lord glowered, his gaze chilling. In that moment, he emanated divine might, looking down upon Chu Hao from above as he announced, ”I am Sword Star Lord, Jail Master of Black Rope Hell and the Gouge Out Eye Hell.”

Chu Hao was clearly stunned. Upon hearing ”Jail Master of the Gouge Out Eye Hell,” his legs subconsciously trembled, and his body stiffened.

Gao Jingshou and the other Ghost Officiants were struck dumb, falling to their knees with a ”THUD.”

”We greet the esteemed Jail Master!”

The master of a Small Hell!

What an incredible status! Even Black and White Impermanence or Ox-Head and Horse-Face would have to kneel if they were present. This was a true Divine Deity of the Underworld!

Sword Star Lord looked down from his lofty position, confident that Chu Hao would be terrified. Indeed, he observed the young man’s body shaking and his pupils dilating.

This greatly satisfied Sword Star Lord.

Shit!

Chu Hao was inwardly falling apart. My pretentious act went too far! How did an Underworld Deity end up appearing? Back in the Yang Realm, I encountered an Underworld Deity. The one back then was probably just an avatar, and even that was incredibly powerful. Why am I so damn unlucky?

Sword Star Lord, very pleased, continued, ”Chu Hao, the token I gave you, are you carrying it?”

A token! No way!

Subconsciously, Chu Hao took out the Ghost Token he had received from an Underworld Deity back then. His body trembled violently, his face filled with horror, and cold sweat poured down his back.

What can I do? I’m so freaking desperate!