After the assistant brought over the large vat, he looked at Zhao Rong in astonishment. "Boss, why did you have me bring a vat over?"

The Vice President, who was standing nearby, scratched his head in confusion. "Forget a vat. Even if you brought over a king-sized bed, this guy still wouldn't spill his guts."

Zhao Rong sneered. "Haven't you ever heard the story 'Please, Sir, into the urn'?"

With that, Zhao Rong directed his assistant to fill the vat with water and then set a roaring blaze beneath it.

When the Ghost Catching Taoist Priest from Laoshan saw Zhao Rong heating the water, he said mockingly, "Young man, are you drawing a bath for me? As it happens, I haven't bathed in a week. Your big vat will be perfect."

Hearing this, Zhao Rong immediately ordered his assistant to throw the Taoist Priest into the vat.

The Taoist Priest, having been tossed into the vat, began scrubbing himself and sang enjoyably, "Scrub-a-dub-dub, scrub-a-dub-dub! I'm scrubbing and scrubbing away..."

Seeing the Taoist Priest's cheerful demeanor, Zhao Rong laughed.

You'll be crying soon enough...

He then ordered his assistant to fetch a bucket of gasoline and pour it under the vat. Instantly, the small fire erupted into a ferocious inferno.

Before long, the Ghost Catching Taoist Priest from Laoshan, still in the middle of his bathing song, could no longer stand the heat.

"Bro, are you crazy?" he said, anxious and restless. "You're not... you're not actually going to boil me, are you?"

Getting boiled alive... That's... These kids can't possibly be that cruel, can they?

However, what the Taoist Priest didn't expect was for Zhao Rong to order his assistant to bring over a bucket of wax remover. "Keep stoking the fire," Zhao Rong said. "Let's slowly boil the frog."

Hearing that Zhao Rong truly intended to boil him alive, the Taoist Priest immediately burst into tears. "Brother, let's talk this through! Whatever you want to ask, I'll confess everything!"

Zhao Rong laughed. "Didn't you say you wouldn't confess? Why the change of heart?"

The Ghost Catching Taoist Priest from Laoshan cried, "I knew you were ruthless, but I never imagined you were *this* ruthless! I'd rather confess than be boiled alive, so just ask!"

Hearing that the Taoist Priest was ready to talk, the Vice President stepped forward, slapped him twice across the face, and demanded, "Speak up, or we'll turn up the heat!"

As the water temperature continued to rise, the Taoist Priest grew more agitated. "Just let me out first! As soon as I'm out, I'll tell you everything!"

Hearing that the Taoist Priest was still trying to bargain, Zhao Rong ordered his assistant, "Pour that bucket of wax remover in."

Just as the assistant was about to move, the Taoist Priest wailed, "I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"

Then, the Ghost Catching Taoist Priest from Laoshan told them a story.

The Vice President's wife, Xiaoping, and a man named Zhao Bo were childhood sweethearts who had pledged to marry each other. However, as they grew up, Zhao Bo became an idle loafer with no proper job, so Xiaoping's family refused to let her marry him. Though Xiaoping loved Zhao Bo, she was a dutiful daughter who always listened to her family.

Thus, at her family's arrangement, Xiaoping began going on dates. That was how she met the businessman who would become the Vice President. At the time, he was not only from a wealthy family but also ran a large, successful business. He lived in a mansion and drove luxury cars. Naturally, Xiaoping ended up marrying him.

Although Xiaoping didn't particularly like him at first, their affection for each other grew over time, especially after the birth of their daughter.

But just as the Vice President and Xiaoping were enjoying their happy and loving family life, Zhao Bo reappeared. He still couldn't get over his childhood sweetheart, so he tracked her down to Wang Family Village. At that time, Wang Family Village was a place much like Huaxi Village—a prosperous town with its own factories and mines.

When Zhao Bo saw his beloved Xiaoping living in a villa, driving a luxury car, and enjoying a blissful life with the Vice President, he was consumed by jealousy. He began to plot how he could win her back. After much thought, he concluded that he had to destroy the entire Wang Family Village. Only if Wang Family Village was ruined would the Vice President, who did business there, also go bankrupt.

So, late one night, Zhao Bo snuck up to the reservoir. After knocking out the guard, he opened the floodgates, unleashing a torrent of water that submerged the entire village.

Just then, Zhao Rong interrupted the Taoist Priest. "What a fool. Wasn't he afraid that opening the floodgates would not only drown Wang Family Village but also his beloved Xiaoping?"

The Taoist Priest explained, "Zhao Bo wasn't that stupid. He chose the one day Xiaoping had taken their child to visit her parents."

With that, he continued the story.

After flooding the village, Zhao Bo returned by boat, gloating at the destruction. When he saw that the whole of Wang Family Village was underwater, including the two-story villa where the Vice President lived, his heart swelled with a twisted mix of jealousy and satisfaction. He believed this was the only way to make Xiaoping give up on the Vice President. He thought she would then abandon her wealthy, happy life and return to his arms to roam the world with him.

However, Zhao Bo failed to account for one thing: man proposes, but God disposes. That evening, although Xiaoping had set out for her parents' house with her child, her car broke down along the way. Instead of continuing, she turned back.

So, when Zhao Bo opened the floodgates, he not only drowned everyone in Wang Family Village but also the woman he loved. To make matters worse, the Vice President had gone out that night to get the car fixed, and thus, by a stroke of luck, he escaped the disaster.

Seeing what had happened, Zhao Bo was utterly devastated. The person he wanted to kill had survived, while the person he never meant to harm had been killed by his own hand.

In his despair, Zhao Bo went to the Wang Family Village's communal cemetery to kill himself. But as he tried to take his own life, a bolt of lightning struck. Combined with the potent spiritual energy of the place, the suicide failed. Instead, he was transformed into a strange creature—a ghost by night and a man by day.

Meanwhile, after his wife's death, the Vice President founded the Ghost Hunting Academy to find her killer. He never imagined that the murderer was working alongside him every day—the very man he had promoted to be the second-in-command of the Ghost Hunting Academy.

After hearing the whole story, the Vice President finally understood. He beat his chest in anguish. "Xiaoping once told me she had a childhood friend from her hometown who was still in love with her... I never imagined she would fall victim to his treachery! And I certainly never imagined that Zhao Bo, the man who came to me to learn ghost hunting when I first founded the academy, was that same man!"

Suddenly, the Vice President tilted his head back and howled at the sky. "My wife, my daughter, I have avenged you! Now, go and be reincarnated. Don't linger in this mortal world any longer!"

Seeing the Vice President's pain and despair, Zhao Rong stepped forward to comfort him. "The truth is out now. Try to calm down. Don't be too sad. The dead can't be brought back, so you must accept reality."

The assistant stepped forward, gave the Vice President a hug, and comforted him. "Vice President, you have a long life ahead of you. Even though you've lost your wife and daughter, you must continue on. You have to live well."

While everyone was busy comforting the Vice President, the Ghost Catching Taoist Priest from Laoshan saw his chance and fled. As he ran, he glanced back at the group.

Just you wait. The day I, the Ghost Catching Taoist Priest from Laoshan, rise again, I'll be back to settle the score!

But before he could even finish the thought, a horde of fierce ghosts materialized in front of him, blocking his path. It was a group of student ghosts.

The leader, a fierce ghost in a school uniform, stared at him. "Ghost Catching Taoist Priest from Laoshan, do you remember us?"

Seeing the ghosts, the Taoist Priest froze.

Damn it, why am I so unlucky? These former students of the Ghost Hunting Academy died so long ago. Why have they suddenly returned today as fierce ghosts?

Although he recognized them, he pretended to be clueless. "Who are you? Why are you blocking my path? I may be a Ghost Catching Taoist Priest, but I've retired now. Please let me pass. Let's not interfere with each other. You go your way, and I'll go mine."

He hadn't even finished speaking before the ghosts pounced, tearing him to shreds. Having finally killed the Taoist Priest, the fierce ghosts felt their deep-seated hatred begin to subside.

One very young-looking ghost said, "Ghost Catching Taoist Priest from Laoshan, you were the one who welcomed me when I first came to the Ghost Hunting Academy. You even smiled at me. I never imagined you were a wolf in sheep's clothing who sent me on a suicide mission. Killing you today has avenged me and eased the resentment in my heart. Finally, I can be reincarnated."

A student ghost wearing glasses spoke through tears. "I came to the Ghost Hunting Academy to learn a skill so I could get a job, find a wife, have kids, and live a nice, normal life... But I never thought coming here would cost me my life. And at your hands, no less. Today, I tore you apart myself, and my hatred is finally sated."

A female ghost, both crying and laughing, said, "Ghost Catching Taoist Priest from Laoshan, you were a priest at the Ghost Hunting Academy, yet you coveted my beauty. You lured me into your office, where you not only... violated me, but also killed me. Today, I took an eye for an eye and killed you with my own hands. My grudge is finally settled."

With her vengeance complete, the female ghost departed to be reincarnated.

By then, Zhao Rong and his companions had noticed that the Taoist Priest was gone. When they saw that he had been torn to pieces by a group of fierce ghosts, they were all stunned.

The assistant looked at Zhao Rong and asked, "Boss, since those ghosts tore the Ghost Catching Taoist Priest from Laoshan to pieces, there must be a deep-seated hatred between the fierce ghosts of Wang Family Village and these four priests. So, what should we do with the remaining three? Should we throw them to the ghosts, or...?"

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com