Chapter 46: Catching Ghosts

Zhang Xiaofan never expected that, despite his cautiousness, he would still be discovered by Jiang Jianhao. Glancing around to make sure no one else was present, he stood up from the underbrush.

“Jiang Jianhao, I didn’t think you’d have a ghost on you. Impressive—you murdered your lover Shen Daiying right in front of everyone. You’re ruthless enough,” Zhang Xiaofan sneered coldly.

Jiang Jianhao’s expression shifted. “You actually know I have a ghost? Are you a cultivator?”

He glanced Zhang Xiaofan up and down, then burst into wild laughter. “Of course you are. What a pity—you’re still too young to know just how terrifying my ghost is.”

As he spoke, he approached Zhang Xiaofan. “I’ll give you a chance. Let my ghost get close to Zhou Jiajia and I’ll spare your life. Otherwise, heh, I’ll turn you into a wandering spirit, doomed to roam forever.”

Zhang Xiaofan retorted, “Let me show you an old acquaintance first.”

He opened a small box, and Liu Yu burst forth. Liu Yu, tongue lolling, spat, “Jiang Jianhao, tonight, I will devour your heart alive!”

Jiang Jianhao collapsed onto the ground in terror. “Liu... Liu... Liu Yu!”

“You didn’t expect it to be me, did you? You may have hired someone to seal off the hotel so I couldn’t escape, but I still got out. At last, I can have my revenge.” Liu Yu laughed fiercely.

Jiang Jianhao cursed venomously, “Don’t think you’re powerful just because you’re a ghost. Over the past few years, I’ve sought out accomplished masters and learned the art of raising ghosts. Today, I’ll show you mine.”

With that, he threw out a small box. Immediately, a third-level male ghost appeared. The ghost seemed to lack much intelligence, staring at Jiang Jianhao with dull eyes.

“Destroy that ghost for me,” Jiang Jianhao commanded.

The third-level male ghost let out a wailing cry and charged at Liu Yu. But Liu Yu was a fourth-level ghost, her black mist even denser, and as a murdered spirit, her resentment was deep, making her energy formidable.

In a flash, her long tongue lashed out, instantly binding the male ghost. With a powerful suction, the black mist around the male ghost visibly diminished.

“Liu Yu, don’t kill him—I need him!” Zhang Xiaofan shouted in panic. It had taken so much effort to catch a third-level ghost; he couldn’t afford to lose it now.

Liu Yu nodded, and with a wave, swept the now-weak male ghost back into Jiang Jianhao’s discarded box. Zhang Xiaofan hurried to retrieve it, handling it with utmost care.

Jiang Jianhao turned to flee, but Liu Yu swiftly appeared before him, her claws slashing viciously. With a single blow, Jiang Jianhao was sent flying.

“Jiang Jianhao, never thought you’d fall into my hands, did you?” Liu Yu snarled.

Clutching his battered chest, Jiang Jianhao fell to his knees, sobbing, “Liu Yu, I loved you. It was Shen Daiying who forced me to harm you. Please don’t kill me. After you died, I took care of your parents—I gave them money for medicine and for food. Please, don’t kill me.”

Liu Yu frowned coldly. “You expect me to believe you’re so kindhearted?”

“It’s true! Why would I lie at a time like this? If you don’t believe me, I’ll call them right now,” Jiang Jianhao pleaded, reaching for his phone. But as his hand slid into his pocket, his eyes suddenly turned fierce. He pulled out a stack of yellow talisman paper and hurled it at Liu Yu.

With a bang, the talismans exploded, releasing a cloud of white mist. As Liu Yu came into contact with it, her form began to dissolve into thick liquid. She screamed, “Ah... What is this? What is this...?”

Jiang Jianhao shrieked with manic glee, “That’s a protective charm given to me by a master! Hah! When I learned you’d become a ghost, I spent over a million to hire a Taoist priest. He not only sealed the hotel but taught me a few tricks as well. That ghost and these talismans are all his handiwork. I used the ghost to help Shen Daiying dominate the entertainment world. But never mind—even when you’re dead, Zhou Jiajia is next! Hahaha...”

Zhang Xiaofan immediately rushed to Liu Yu’s side, dragging her back. But her ghostly form was now terribly weak.

“Boy, now that you’ve lost Liu Yu’s help, prepare to die!” Jiang Jianhao advanced, his face twisted in a cruel grin.

Zhang Xiaofan’s gaze was cold. “If that’s what you think, then you’re far too arrogant.”

Suddenly, flames burst forth from Zhang Xiaofan’s arm. Though his fire constitution couldn’t truly harm ghosts, the flames could still cause them discomfort. Against humans, however, the fire was genuinely dangerous.

Sure enough, when Jiang Jianhao saw the flames dancing on Zhang Xiaofan’s arm, his eyes widened in terror. He pointed and stammered, “You—are you a man or a ghost?”

“A man!” Zhang Xiaofan answered, then charged him. The flames engulfed Jiang Jianhao, who screamed and bolted toward the riverbank, only to collapse before he could reach the water.

A cold wind swept by, extinguishing the fire—Liu Yu’s doing.

For now, Zhang Xiaofan’s flames still couldn’t do any real harm to ghosts.

“Liu Yu, you’re hurt so badly—are you alright?” Zhang Xiaofan asked with concern.

“I’ll be fine. Just need to feed on some blood,” Liu Yu replied.

She fixed her eyes on the feeble, half-dead Jiang Jianhao, her expression fierce. “I told you, I’d rip out your heart and eat it.”

With a wet, sickening sound, her claws pierced his chest and tore out his heart. Liu Yu began to chew, and as the heart disappeared into her mouth, her previously damaged form slowly began to recover.

Zhang Xiaofan let out a long sigh and waited quietly nearby.

At last, Liu Yu’s vengeance was fulfilled. The matter of the ghost-infested hotel was now resolved, and it was time to focus on his own tasks.

Zhang Xiaofan took out the small box—inside was the third-level ghost he’d just captured. Now, he only needed two more to complete his mission. The road ahead was still long.

After her revenge, Liu Yu tossed the corpse into the river. Zhang Xiaofan then left the scene. As he emerged, his phone rang—it was Zhou Jiajia, inviting him to dinner to express her gratitude.

With bodyguards escorting them, they arrived at Zhou Jiajia’s own house—a rather grand villa, though it felt cold and empty from disuse.

The housekeeper quickly prepared a meal. As they ate, Zhou Jiajia handed Zhang Xiaofan a bank card containing two million as a token of thanks.

At first, Zhang Xiaofan hesitated, intending to refuse, but deep down he was tempted. He’d never seen so much money in his life. With only a token resistance, he slipped the card into his pocket.

“Xiaofan, why not stay here for a few days? I’ll show you around. What do you say?” Zhou Jiajia offered.

To be honest, Zhang Xiaofan was tempted, but time was short. He resisted the urge and refused decisively. “I can’t. I still have things to do. By the way, have you heard of any haunted places nearby?”

He still needed to capture two more third-level ghosts, and with Liu Yu at his side, he had no reason not to make use of her strength. After all, his own abilities were still lacking when it came to dealing with specters. He could buy powerful talismans from the mall, but why not save resources when possible?