Chu Hao was delighted. He hadn't expected to trigger a quest, albeit only an A-rank one—but better than nothing. After all, Brother Hao had a kind heart, and kindness was surely rewarded.

Chu Hao walked over and asked, "Who took your father away?"

Yang Xiao'ou cried. The little female ghost looked even more human-like as she wept, her sadness evident. She said, "Dad was captured by a group of Evil Ghosts and taken to the mountain. Big brother, can you help Xiao'ou?"

Chu Hao turned and said, "Follow me."

Yang Xiao'ou agreed meekly, rising to follow behind Chu Hao up the mountain.

Following behind, Yang Xiao'ou asked weakly, "Big brother, can you really save Xiao'ou's dad?"

"Nonsense, just follow me," Chu Hao replied coolly.

Yang Xiao'ou stopped. Chu Hao, seeing her stop, turned around, puzzled. "Why did you stop?"

Yang Xiao'ou cried again. Her pallid face made her tears even more pitiable, her big eyes brimming with water as she said, "SOB SOB... Big brother, are you going to capture Xiao'ou to become a Ghost Servant? Xiao'ou is still small, her ghost is very weak, and she can't withstand the torment of big brother's Yang Qi."

Chu Hao's face was the picture of speechlessness. He frowned and said, "What's going on in that little head of yours? Why would I capture you to be a Ghost Slave?"

Yang Xiao'ou retreated in fear. "Xiao'ou saw it with her own eyes! People capturing pretty female ghosts to become Ghost Slaves, supposedly to get them pregnant with Ghost Fetuses."

There were actually such things happening.

Chu Hao's expression turned ugly in an instant.

Not all ghosts are Evil Ghosts. Some are unable to reincarnate, retaining the rationality of their former human lives. They don't harm others, merely struggling to survive.

And yet, some people exploited these ghosts to breed Ghost Fetuses, torturing them so!

Chu Hao said, "Are you serious?"

Seeing Chu Hao's grim expression, as if he were on the verge of exploding, Yang Xiao'ou sobbed. "Yes, it's true. Xiao'ou saw it with her own eyes. Living people capture beautiful female ghosts not only to bear Ghost Fetuses but also for their pleasure, to satisfy their desires."

Chu Hao was furious.

A terrifying murderous aura erupted from him. Yang Xiao'ou trembled all over with fear. She could feel the overwhelmingly dominant Yang Qi emanating from Chu Hao; what ordinary ghost could possibly withstand it?

These beasts. They could actually do such morally depraved things.

Times had changed. Ghosts no longer hid in the shadows; anyone who was a Yin-Yang Person could see them.

The ghosts had no sense of safety, and nobody cared about them.

Chu Hao understood clearly that these ghosts still had the chance to reincarnate. In truth, the only difference between people and ghosts was death; everyone eventually dies.

"Let's go. Rescue your father first," Chu Hao said icily.

Yang Xiao'ou was afraid of Chu Hao, but she followed him nonetheless.

The night was deep and quiet. There wasn't a living soul on the mountain, not even the sound of insects—only an eerie silence.

Finally, several dark figures appeared ahead and immediately surrounded Chu Hao and Yang Xiao'ou.

"One ghost, one living person," one of the Fierce Ghosts said in a dark, grim voice from the shadows.

Chu Hao replied coldly, "This Taoist Master gives you one minute to hand over her father."

From the darkness, another Fierce Ghost sneered, "Living person, what nonsense are you spouting? Who do you think you are? It's good you've come; we brothers still haven't absorbed enough Yang Qi."

Fierce Ghosts could only prolong their existence by absorbing Yang Qi.

Yang Xiao'ou was terrified, hiding behind Chu Hao, shaking all over.

Just then, a Fierce Ghost with a face covered in blood stepped forward. Upon seeing Chu Hao, it roared angrily, "Brothers, it's this guy! He stole my Netherworld Fruit!"

The group of ghosts was startled. They had just been about to set off to find Chu Hao when the fellow actually came to them! They said angrily, "Living person, hand over the Netherworld Fruit!"

What a coincidence, Chu Hao thought. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Chu Hao waved his hand and declared, "I've said it before, this entire mountain is mine."

The leader of the group of ghosts said, "You're pretty arrogant for a living person. Do you know who we are?"

Chu Hao retorted, "Who are you? Just a bunch of Evil Ghosts, aren't you?"

The group of ghosts snickered. "We're from the Evil Ghost Gang! Mess with us, and your whole family will suffer! Ever heard of a Ghost New Year Greeting?"

Damn! In this era, even ghosts formed gangs and cliques. That was pretty badass.

Chu Hao said indifferently, "And do you know who I am?"

The group of Evil Ghosts sneered. "Even if you were the Heavenly King himself, you'd still have to obediently hand over the Netherworld Fruit today! Besides, you're not leaving either. Stay here and help us brothers replenish our Ghost Qi."

Chu Hao said, "HEH, the King of Show-offs has never been afraid of anyone. I am Chu Hao. Anyone who disagrees, come and fight."

"Who is Chu Hao?" a ghost whispered in the shadows, the others murmuring amongst themselves.

"HOLY CRAP! You don't even know Chu Hao? He's a Fourteen Star Yin Yang Master, the nemesis of us ghosts!"

"OH CRAP, it's actually him!"

"Ding… Host has successfully shown off, gaining 5,000 Pretentiousness Points."

Chu Hao stood with his hands behind his back, looking indifferently at the Ghost Shadows. After a few ghosts whispered among themselves, one finally stepped out from the darkness. It was a male ghost appearing to be in his thirties, who said in terror, "Master Chu, we... we'll hand over the person! Please, spare our lives!"

The ghosts were almost scared witless. Upon learning their opponent was Chu Hao, they didn't have the slightest intention to resist.

Yang Xiao'ou's father was brought out. He wasn't a ghost; he was actually a living person.

Yang Xiao'ou's father's complexion was terrible, a result of having his Yang Qi drained. If Chu Hao had arrived any later, he would surely have died. If the draining of Yang Qi led to instability, he wouldn't even have a chance for reincarnation and might have completely disintegrated, dying a miserable death.

Yang Xiao'ou tightly embraced her father, crying her heart out. "Dad, SOB SOB…"

The man, who looked to be thirty-seven or thirty-eight, upon seeing Yang Xiao'ou, said weakly, "Xiao'ou, my daughter."

System prompt: "Task completed, received 1,000,000 Experience Points."

System prompt: "Task completed, received 50,000 Merit Points."

System prompt: "Task completed, received one Diamond Treasure Chest."

Chu Hao withdrew his gaze and asked coldly, "Why did you capture a living person?"

The leading Fierce Ghost knelt on the ground in terror. "Heavenly Master, we... we just wanted to live a little longer. Since the revival of the Human World, passages to the Underworld have rarely appeared. To survive in the Human World, we need enough Yang Qi. Heavenly Master, we have our difficulties. Please, spare us this time!"

At this moment, Chu Hao felt a complicated mix of emotions.

This was a chaotic era. Humans and ghosts, originally one and the same, now had to kill each other. All born from the same root, why be so impatient to fry each other to destruction?

Chu Hao asked, "Have you seen any living people capturing ghosts, especially female ghosts?"

A ghost replied, "Heavenly Master, I have."

So it really was true.

"Get lost," Chu Hao said.

"Thank you, Heavenly Master." The group of Fierce Ghosts then tumbled and scrambled away, disappearing into the darkness.

At three in the morning, Chu Hao lit some firewood. The firelight illuminated Yang Xiao'ou's father's face, which now looked somewhat improved. Chu Hao had already drawn talismans to help him recover his Yang Qi.