[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-nothing-is-taboo":3,"chapter-nothing-is-taboo-nothing-is-taboo-chapter-343":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Nothing Is Taboo",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2310728,4514,"Chapter 343: Stop Trying","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-343",343,"\u003Cp>The Mr. Drifting’s tongue stretched even longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face was filled with embarrassment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, don’t tease me,” Mr. Drifting said with a bitter smile, shaking his head, then floated three feet into the air, clasped his fists, and bowed respectfully to Xu Yuan: “Thank you for saving me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan stopped joking: “How did you end up in its hands?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It has been plotting against me for more than just a day or two,” Mr. Drifting said, slowly recounting the feud between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The story begins with Wangxiang Village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Life in the mountain village was hard; they could only survive by trading mountain goods with passing merchants for daily necessities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Lao and Mr. Drifting had long sought a trustworthy person to serve as a link between the village and the outside world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Drifting often intervened to rescue people who entered from beyond the mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once, he ruined the mother spider’s plans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had already captured the man, but Mr. Drifting rescued him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the years, Mr. Drifting and Bai Lao secretly rescued and assessed more than a dozen people, but each one ultimately failed for various reasons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Xu Yuan truly helped Wangxiang Village and succeeded in this matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after that incident, the mother spider harbored a grudge against Mr. Drifting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Mr. Drifting himself was no weakling, and he and Wangxiang Village supported each other, so the mother spider could not defeat him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But today, the mother spider grew ferocious, her power surging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the female ghosts beneath Mr. Drifting was controlled by the mother spider today, causing him to slip up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mother spider had intended to swallow Mr. Drifting whole, but Xu Yuan happened to return to the mountains and saved his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The paper-made house burned completely, revealing Mr. Drifting’s crooked tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the tree was also in a pitiful state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been scorched by fire and struck by lightning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its surface was charred and withered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Drifting rehung himself from the tree, when suddenly—CRACK—the branch broke!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Drifting stood frozen for a long while, lost in sorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan apologized: “I didn’t notice just now…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Drifting waved his hand: “How could I blame my lord? Sigh—I’ve been bound here for decades; it’s time I left…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan said: “Come with me to Wangxiang Village first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Drifting waved again: “The village is full of the living; I… don’t belong there. My lord, go on ahead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He floated listlessly beneath the tree, which could no longer hold up—CRACK—it collapsed completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Drifting murmured softly: “Now I’ve truly become a wandering ghost.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan wanted to comfort him, but saw Mr. Drifting had already turned away, hands behind his back, drifting slowly into the deep mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan felt uneasy and followed, asking: “Where are you going, sir?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Drifting said nothing, then suddenly sped up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan hurried after him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Drifting turned back helplessly: “My lord, rest assured—I have a place to go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Absolutely true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Drifting bowed once more to Xu Yuan in farewell, and Xu Yuan stopped following.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Mr. Drifting’s crooked tree to Wangxiang Village was close; Xu Yuan arrived in half the time of an incense stick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang San’s father was just about to close the village gate; seeing a malevolent spirit sprinting toward them, he let out a cry and lit his pipe: “Who dares come to our village causing trouble?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan removed his clay mask and waved to Zhang San’s father: “Uncle Zhang, it’s me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang San’s father was overjoyed—he still remembered how Xu Yuan had once gifted him matches, which had greatly boosted his standing in the village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come in quickly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan entered the village and asked: “Is Bai Lao here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll take you to him,” Zhang San’s father said, locking the gate, smoking his pipe as he led Xu Yuan through the village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Halfway there, they met Bai Lao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Lao was dressed as always.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The feathers on his torn cloak, broken in previous battles, had all been replaced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After some time apart, the old mountain runner had even gained a little weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Xu,” Bai Lao stood firmly, hands folded before him, bowing respectfully to Xu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was the “bǎozhǎng” of Wangxiang Village—that was his official title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan’s rank was far higher than his.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang San’s father blinked beside him, confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old mountain runners had never cared about the title of “bǎozhǎng.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How many tax collectors sent by the court had died in the mountains?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this time, Xu Yuan made no show of official authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was Bai Lao so respectful?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Lao never respected the government—or had once despised it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the government only came to exploit them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You’ve already made survival in the mountains hard enough—why come cut another slice?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Qihetai Public Office truly helped Wangxiang Village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even other mountain villages had improved their lives, thanks to the office’s fair, regular purchases of mountain goods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mountain people are like this: your wealth and power beyond the mountains mean nothing to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if you truly give me benefits, then I’ll accept your rule.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan waved his hand: “We’ve shared hardship—no need for such formalities.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Lao said nothing, but had already resolved in his heart: from now on, this was how it must be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you return because of the dragon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan bid farewell to Zhang San’s father and followed Bai Lao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the way, he explained his purpose, mentioning only that the dragon had its reasons and had not fallen or betrayed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Lao’s strange eyes rolled slightly, and he asked doubtfully: “Pig Squeal Rock? I’ve heard no unusual signs there…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan was even more puzzled: Had the Miao people been mistaken?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Miao encountered a great evil in the mountains and used a trick like “Dragon Spits Mist,” they would be deceived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d think they saw something—but it wasn’t there at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since he was already in the mountains, he had to go see for himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tomorrow I’ll go to Pig Squeal Rock. You’ll guide me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course,” Bai Lao readily agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan also told Bai Lao how he had rescued Mr. Drifting on the way, accidentally burning his crooked tree, and added: “Mr. Drifting said he has a place to go—where could he go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Lao’s expression turned peculiar: “Tongguan Cliff.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan knew the place—a sheer cliff seven hundred zhang high, with a murky great river rushing below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The river was said to hold hundreds of drowned ghosts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the cliff were dozens of ancient bronze hanging coffins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each coffin held an ancient corpse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said these ancient corpses opened their coffins every seven days to exhale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The combined miasma from dozens of corpses created a thick, bluish-black mist covering a ten-li radius.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anything that wandered into it unknowingly would turn into a corpse within five steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was one of the most dangerous places nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one had gone there in many years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Lao continued: “The female corpse in the highest bronze coffin was moved there by Mr. Drifting seven or eight years ago.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That old ghost refused to go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he’s homeless—he can only become a son-in-law living with her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After saying this, Bai Lao couldn’t help himself—he let out a strange, cackling laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan stood stunned for a long moment—I was feeling guilty for nothing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’ve actually helped Mr. Drifting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though he’s been dead for years, that scholar’s stubbornness still clings to him—he needs someone to push him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s already dead—why keep trying so hard?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1267,"2026-06-20T12:07:24.624Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d3a3eb9f44baa7c42413ec196b18430048f6b47effc1390766dbd4313e0f3052","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-344","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-342",413,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fnothing-is-taboo-cover.jpg"]