Ghost Catching System

Can this bunch of flatterers give it a rest?

Chu Hao watched as Master Chen selected the stone material. It had a red aura of wealth and luck, though the color wasn’t perfectly true—just a touch of standard red. As expected of someone who controlled the Stone Manipulation Technique, Master Chen seemed to absorb such good fortune effortlessly.

Indeed, Chu Hao could only absorb someone else’s wealth and luck, not curse them with misfortune.

”Master Chen, this piece of stone is 570,000,” a Longhua Pavilion stone merchant said.

”This is the one,” Master Chen said.

As Master Chen chose his stone, the onlookers saw Chu Hao had yet to pick and couldn’t help but laugh. ”Kid, what are you waiting for? Master Chen has made his choice.”

”Remember this moment. To bet on stones with Master Chen is the peak of your life,” someone chuckled.

Peak my ass!

In the area where Master Chen made his choice, Chu Hao spotted a stone of a deep, intense red. Without even touching it, he pointed and declared, ”That one.”

Isn’t that a bit too rash?

A jewelry merchant laughed, ”Do you even know how to bet on stones without looking?”

Chu Hao replied indifferently, ”Betting on stones is just child’s play to me; a single glance is all it takes. After all, I’m not like you.”

”Ding... Host has successfully shown off, earning 2000 Pretentiousness Points.”

Damn!

Listening to him, the crowd felt a mix of irritation and the urge to punch him. How are we not alike?

Because Master Chen was present and there was a stone-betting event, seasoned figures from the world of stone betting gathered around, eager to witness the spectacle. Of course, there were also those who were just there for the excitement.

On the periphery, some individuals dressed in Taoist robes appeared somewhat out of place in the crowd. Their gazes were calm, merely curious about the stone betting.

”The Stone Manipulation Technique! This craft hasn’t vanished,” a Taoist remarked.

”The Stone Manipulation Technique is passed down in Zhongnan Mountain. It seems this person is a disciple from Zhongnan Mountain, though it’s unclear whether from an outer or inner sect,” someone else added.

This time, the auction of Emperor’s Love attracted many from the Yin and Yang Realm. They too had come with a mission, hoping to acquire Emperor’s Love.

After paying for the stone, Master Chen said calmly, ”Cut it.”

The Knife-handling Master nodded as everyone watched the stone, all reassured by Master Chen’s reputation, which was well-deserved.

”WHIRR!”

The stone-cutting machine whirred, peeling off a layer to reveal the jade inside after just one cut.

”It’s increased in value!” the crowd gasped in amazement.

Some immediately started bootlicking, ”Truly worthy of Master Chen, impressive, impressive...”

”Master Chen, still sharp as ever.”

”Master Chen is truly a legend in the stone betting world. To witness the master in action again, we have no regrets in this lifetime.”

With the value of the stone increasing, the bootlicking became intense, especially from the jewelers, who were practically drooling in their eagerness to catch Master Chen’s attention with their bids.

”An Old Pit Glass-type jade with superior translucency! This piece could be worth over three million.”

”Don’t forget, this is just the outer edge; the jade inside could be even larger.”

Someone immediately offered, ”Master Chen, I bid six million for this jade.”

”I bid seven million.”

”I bid eight million.”

You’re going overboard!

Just after seeing the jade, these fawning merchants were already throwing out bids, as though they wished to offer an astronomical price. This was entirely because of Master Chen’s reputation. Several million meant nothing to them. As long as they could catch Master Chen’s eye and possibly gain his help later, what was a few million more?

”It’s excessive! It’s only showing jade at the edge, and the bid is already eight million,” someone said with envy.

”Well, what can you do when the person is Master Chen! Sigh... there’s no comparison.”

Master Chen was inwardly thrilled; he loved hearing people suck up to him. Floating on air, he waved his hand and said, ”Don’t place your bids yet. I also want to see how much jade this stone contains.”

”There’s definitely jade in it! No one compete with me, I just bid eight million!”

”Pfft! Like eight million is a lot?”

More bootlicking. Not just Chu Hao but the other onlookers felt a bit nauseated too.

It’s not that you shouldn’t flatter, but shouldn’t there be a limit to this suck-uppery?

The Knife-handling Master nodded and continued to cut.

He cut from another edge, frowning as he did so because no jade was revealed.

Master Chen wasn’t in a hurry and said, ”Cut from another angle.”

The Knife-handling Master nodded and sliced another edge. The stone fell away, still revealing no jade.

This surprised the crowd a bit.

Someone muttered, ”Could it be... a bust?”

It was very possible; the apparent jade might just be a very small piece. Despite the size of the stone, some only have a small patch of jade on the surface. This is what it means to have lost the gamble.

”Master Chen’s judgment couldn’t be wrong,” a jeweler said.

The Knife-handling Master looked at Master Chen, somewhat helplessly asking, ”Master, how should I cut it now?”

Master Chen also frowned and said, ”Cut from the angle where the jade appeared.”

The Knife-handling Master started cutting. Finally, after cutting open all the edges where jade had appeared, he saw a palm-sized piece of jade. The rest of the stone showed no green whatsoever.

However, Master Chen breathed a sigh of relief; the piece of jade was neither too big nor too small and was still worth a million without a problem.

The crowd was dumbfounded for a moment before someone, catching on, flattered, ”As expected of Master Chen! He strikes jade with every move.”

”In the stone betting world, nine out of ten bets are lost, but Master Chen always cuts jade, showing his extraordinary skill.”

Chu Hao, listening from the side, felt like he was about to vomit. This incessant flattery... these guys are really something else!

Chu Hao said, ”Who just made the eight million bid?”

A group of jewelers instantly shut their mouths. Talk about hitting a sore spot.

A businessman said, ”I’ll bid eight million for this piece of jade.”

This guy, in an effort to catch Master Chen’s eye, put in a bid of eight million for jade worth one million, practically giving money away to Master Chen.

”How outrageous! If Chu Hao doesn’t find jade worth eight million, he’ll lose, right? That’s blatant bullying!” Mu Yuxun clenched her fists tightly.

Master Chen waved his hand and said, ”I won’t sell this jade to you. Take it to the Longhua Pavilion’s receiving counter.”

That businessman immediately sucked up, saying, ”Master Chen is fair.”

Then the guy, hugging the stone, scurried off to the jade receiving counter, grossing everyone out. What an absolute bootlicker.

Sure enough, Longhua Pavilion offered to buy it for a million.

「Finally, it was Chu Hao’s turn.」

His stone was priced at 500,000, about fifty centimeters in size.

The Knife-handling Master prepared to begin cutting, but Chu Hao waved his hand, saying impatiently, ”That’s too slow. Cut it from the middle.”

The Knife-handling Master was taken aback. It wasn’t unheard of to cut from the middle, but if jade was found, wouldn’t that mean cutting it in half? This kind of bet was an easy loss.

A jeweler laughed and said, ”Do you even know how to gamble on stones? Cutting it from the middle? Do you want to kill me with laughter?”

”Exactly! If you don’t know how to gamble on stones, just admit defeat.”

Master Chen laughed as well.

Chu Hao, with his hands behind his back, said, ”I just want to show you guys that I can pick any random stone, cut it from the middle, and still win against this old man.”