[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-nothing-is-taboo":3,"chapter-nothing-is-taboo-nothing-is-taboo-chapter-351":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},2310736,4514,"Chapter 351: Stir the Grass to Startle the Snake","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-351",351,"\u003Cp>The \"Fraud Ghost\" had a habit of muttering to itself incessantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially when it was alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It spoke in \"ghost speech,\" which to ordinary people sounded like a long string of strange noises, making their body hairs instinctively prickle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they understood none of its meaning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet all Runshan men could understand it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Fraud Ghost had been muttering to itself at length, and that was how Gao Guanzi had overheard it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan asked Gao Guanzi: \"How does it communicate with the Ghost Willow?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Guanzi shook his head: \"I didn't hear anything. This thing may be a chatterbox, but it's also extremely cunning—everything related to the Ghost Willow, it only mutters inwardly, never speaks aloud.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan rubbed his chin and let out a cold snort: If you won't speak up voluntarily, then I'll force you to reveal yourself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan whispered his plan to the two Runshan men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he left alone, circled around, put on the Mud Mask, and stealthily approached the grove where the Fraud Ghost lurked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu my lord chose an ideal position—he had scouted it long ago—where he could clearly see the Fraud Ghost, while remaining unseen himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Gao Guanzi and Bai Laoyan estimated the time was right, they began their performance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Guanzi pulled out the spiderweb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been secretly given to him by Xu my lord just now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Laoyan spread his feathered cloak like an owl and darted back and forth with blazing speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how agile or swift he was, one flick of Gao Guanzi’s hand sent the spiderweb flying—and caught Bai Laoyan every time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a helpless butterfly, no matter how it flew, it could not escape the butterfly net.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two Runshan men performed with great vigor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After two or three rounds, Bai Laoyan inwardly groaned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was no longer pretending.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was now truly fleeing with all his might.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Deng Linyue’s spiderweb was his natural enemy—no matter how he ran, he was instantly smothered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Excellent artifact!\" Bai Laoyan panted, unable to suppress a silent admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Guanzi had noticed this too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from those peculiar ears, Gao Guanzi and Bai Laoyan were evenly matched in combat skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, Bai Laoyan had a slight edge in speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Bai Laoyan couldn’t escape, neither could Gao Guanzi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Linyue offered no resistance—he died in Xu my lord’s hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Deng Linyue’s artifact was irresistible to both of them…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Laoyan, breathless from exhaustion, finally waved his hand: \"Enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I go on, my old back won’t hold up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking back, when I first met Xu my lord, he had to disguise himself as a merchant to sneak into my village for refuge…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Laoyan sighed deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Guanzi continued the act, holding the spiderweb high and laughing boisterously, his voice booming like thunder: \"Wonderful artifact! With this in hand, catching the Ghost Willow is nine out of ten!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lines had been rehearsed—Bai Laoyan followed: \"Exactly! If it dares show up, it won’t escape our grasp!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two Runshan men skillfully chose an upwind position to deliver these lines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Fraud Ghost downwind heard every word clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The earlier \"martial performance\" had been seen just as clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their skill, of course, paled next to \"Xiao Lou Fang,\" but for them, it was their utmost effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then they both slipped into the newly built shelter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Will this plan of the my lord work?\" Gao Guanzi asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Laoyan didn’t answer—he was unsure himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Xu Yuan’s plan, this \"Stir the Grass to Startle the Snake\" tactic could yield only a few outcomes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ideal scenario: the Fraud Ghost, startled, rushes to inform the Ghost Willow—Xu Yuan follows the Fraud Ghost and successfully locates the Ghost Willow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once he sees it, the Ghost Willow won’t escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wang Ming\" locks onto it, while the Pi Dan and Jin Dan move together—the effect surpasses the spiderweb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The worst outcome: the Fraud Ghost and the Ghost Willow share a communication method like a \"folded note.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Fraud Ghost need not meet the Ghost Willow—it can relay everything directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ghost Willow will never return here again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What difference does that make from now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another possibility: the Fraud Ghost and the Ghost Willow have no means of communication, and the Fraud Ghost doesn’t even know where the Ghost Willow is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It merely waits here—when the Ghost Willow arrives, it first meets the Fraud Ghost, who warns it: Danger—run!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ghost Willow flees immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as long as the Ghost Willow appears, Xu Yuan will recognize it—it still won’t escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So after the two Runshan men revealed the spiderweb, Xu Yuan fixed his gaze unblinkingly on the Fraud Ghost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it showed any unusual movement, it might be transmitting a message to the Ghost Willow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Fraud Ghost remained utterly still for a long time!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its usual muttering had vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This thing was terrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, it began whispering uncontrollably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice was rapid and shrill, venting its panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the nearest trees, twisted tree knots began to form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Already infected—it was about to warp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan couldn’t understand its ghost speech, but he felt its panic clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spiderweb could catch the Ghost Willow—and it would catch this thing just as easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After muttering for a while, the Fraud Ghost suddenly fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed to have made a decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a while longer, it quietly pulled its roots from the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It tightened its branches and leaves, striving to make no sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It left the grove—and even carefully filled in the hole it had left behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It covered it with fallen leaves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan, watching nearby, was stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this age, he’d seen plenty of sneaky things—but a giant tree acting sneaky? It was absurd…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Fraud Ghost tiptoed away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several li away, it slipped into a mountain ravine, completely out of sight of the two Runshan men—then it relaxed, collapsing onto the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The muttering ghost speech resumed, unceasingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded like complaints.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, it grew much more relaxed, crossed two ridges, and slipped through a mountain stream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan followed behind all the way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then suddenly, the Fraud Ghost vanished into a dense forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It plunged its roots into the soil, disguising itself as one among many trees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan halted immediately, frowning inwardly: Had it spotted me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I’ve been extremely careful—no slip-ups at all…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan hesitated—should he charge out and force the Fraud Ghost to lead him to the Ghost Willow?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after thinking it over, he decided to stay calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, he heard a sound coming from outside the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan strained his ears—and his heart jolted: It was the man who had spoken with Qiu Ningtai!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Qiu Ningtai carries the scent of the Ghost Willow,\" one of his subordinates declared with certainty: \"It’s faint—perhaps prolonged contact, or indirect exposure.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmph! That proves Qiu Ningtai is a hypocrite—he sneaked into Ghost Witch Mountain for the Ghost Willow too!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My lord, the Ghost Willow must be hiding nearby. But for some reason, its scent is disturbed—I can’t narrow the range further…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three men had reached the vicinity of the Fraud Ghost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A branch of the Fraud Ghost lashed out horizontally at the three…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1211,"2026-06-20T12:07:24.624Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","6b052b4f56a0062380675302c6d141bb464080ff8992648ab7e0f9ef10db2c42","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-352","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-350",413,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fnothing-is-taboo-cover.jpg"]