[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-nothing-is-taboo":3,"chapter-nothing-is-taboo-nothing-is-taboo-chapter-357":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},2310742,4514,"Chapter 357: One Inch of Tendon (Combined Three Parts)","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-357",357,"\u003Cp>The black dagger, swirling sands, and the strange insects trapping the two mountain runners all lost control the instant the bodies fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the Three-Headed Ghost was taken by the Six-Eyed Minge .\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dagger had seemingly been waiting for this day all along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It mercilessly bit off the official’s arm, then rose into the air, swayed slightly, and prepared to vanish into the void…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it hadn’t anticipated that Xu my lord had already prepared for this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three hairpins killed the official, and immediately the skin-dan surrounded it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dagger flashed away from the skin-dan, then hovered between reality and illusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It flickered in and out around Xu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It appeared arrogant and overbearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan sneered: “You had a chance to run, yet you didn’t—clearly you’re brainless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Six-Eyed Minge  flew over; one yin soldier poked its head out, sucked at the official’s corpse—and drew out his soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, someone with the official’s status wouldn’t carry anything like the “Qian Si Method.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, Xu Yuan now knew every weakness of these strange things on the official’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dagger possesses the ability to traverse voidspace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in truth, its fifth-tier level could never truly move freely—it was restricted to a five-zhang range.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant it could teleport no farther than five zhang away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dagger still hadn’t realized this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t its fault—it was merely a long, black, bony spike in form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killing was its most basic instinct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It really didn’t have a brain at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The skin-dan descended from above, swelling like a skin until it expanded to ten zhang, then engulfed the dagger completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dagger realized it couldn’t escape anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It teleported—and the skin-dan moved with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Xu Yuan spat fire into it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dagger suffered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After burning for a while, its entire black exterior turned white.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, it was only fifth-tier; sixth-tier internal fire could burn it painfully, but truly refining it was not easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan never intended to refine it this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The skin-dan couldn’t resist its own internal fire; Xu Yuan had to rely entirely on the exquisite fire-control techniques of the Five Cauldrons Cooking Method to burn the dagger without burning his own skin-dan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the skin-dan, the sand monsters and strange insects had already scattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking advantage of the dagger’s distraction of Xu my lord, they fled without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Da Fu chased after them for a while, devouring over a dozen strange insects, but these insects scattered in different directions—Da Fu couldn’t catch them all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now only the dagger remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Xu Yuan calmly release the Tiger-Head Guillotine and retract the skin-dan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dagger suddenly realized—it was free again!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came a sharp “ Ca ” sound, and it was crushed beneath the blade…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu my lord’s timing was perfect—the skin-dan and the Tiger-Head Guillotine connected seamlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dagger now had no master; it was a wild evil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tiger-Head Guillotine was meant to cut such things down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan pulled the blade down hard—and the dagger cracked into two pieces!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was, without doubt, the easiest evil Xu Yuan had ever cut down with the Tiger-Head Guillotine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brainless things are easy to deal with,” Xu Yuan said, shaking his head as if boasting to the dagger: See? I have a brain; you don’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Xu Yuan examined the remains and found a fine material left behind: a bone bead embedded in the dagger’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan placed it in a Xingguo pouch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to look at the official’s corpse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The yin soldier had consumed his soul; Xu Yuan now knew the official’s name: Qi Yue, fourth son of the current head of the Qi family of Nandu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He currently held a minor fifth-rank post in Zhengzhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he was deeply entangled in something huge—he possessed a “piao yin” issued by Master Ruan Tian!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This piao yin did not belong to him; it belonged to a vast interest group including the Qi family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Yue was the one in this group tasked with doing the dirty work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though no one liked him much, he was indeed indispensable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan found the piao yin on Qi Yue’s person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a blood-red bone tablet bearing a unique symbol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This symbol directly corresponded to Master Ruan Tian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No other entity—not even the River Dragon King—could usurp this symbol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless one personally killed Master Ruan Tian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The piao yin was stored in a metal casket crafted by artisans—the same function as the Xingguo pouch: it completely isolated the terrifying corruption of the bone tablet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan carefully put it away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he dared not use it, it was still an immensely valuable item.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Xu Yuan rummaged through the corpse, the body had already turned to rotting flesh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the strange entities bound within the corpse’s tattoos, the weaker ones died along with Qi Yue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stronger ones had quietly slipped into the ground during the chaos and escaped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Yuan still noticed one strange thing that hadn’t fled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had fully emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the scales protecting Qi Yue’s vital spots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Qi Yue’s memories, Xu Yuan learned this was a special kind of strange entity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was born in the sea, taking the form of thick, heavy scales.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not rare in itself, but difficult to capture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It attached and grew on the bodies of certain giant fish in the sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed to enhance the giant fish’s defensive capabilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had no direct offensive power, but was hardy, firmly rooted, and grew rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Giant fish entangled by it either grew so many of these strange scales they became too heavy to swim, sank to the seabed, and were crushed by water pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or the scales grew so densely they sealed the fish’s mouth, starving it to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who cultivate the “Wen Fa” all seek out this strange entity, bind it to themselves, as if wearing a layer of soft armor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This strange entity’s defense is extremely strong—comparable to a fifth-tier Wu Xiu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan thought for a moment, then pulled out the other items on the corpse and spat fire onto it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Burn it and see—though it might yield nothing, what if it did? No harm in trying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worst case, my lord’s sins gain one more: reduce Qi Yue to ashes…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My lord doesn’t care anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Yue carried over five thousand taels in silver notes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not too much, not too little—just enough for his daily expenses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan cursed inwardly: Nandu was decadent; these aristocratic heirs were extravagant, spending thousands daily!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he traded with strange entities, he didn’t carry much silver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides that, there were a few artisan items, of low quality, since Qi Yue preferred fighting with strange entities; these were merely auxiliary tools.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Qi Yue had no cultivation method—Xu Yuan felt a slight regret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu my lord was curious about the “Wen Fa.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Yue’s two subordinates had been searched and yielded a few hundred taels of silver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The items on the Dan Xiu were worthless to Xu Yuan—too low-grade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was one cultivation method: the “Thunder-Fire Tuning Method.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan skimmed through it and found several worthwhile aspects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It focused on crafting “strange pills.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Extracting various abilities of strange entities and refining them into external pills for personal use.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of its methods for “stripping” strange abilities were original and clever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wu Xiu had given Xu my lord a pleasant surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He carried a long spear assembled from parts—a sixth-tier artisan item.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also had a pair of arm guards—also sixth-tier!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan couldn’t help but smile: the Wu Xiu must have died in utter frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His entire skillset went unused—he just died of illness!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After examining all these items, Qi Yue’s corpse had been reduced to ash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From within emerged a shell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan smiled and put it away satisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The effect of the tortoise shell divination still lingers—this day is auspicious for this great one!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This material clearly came from that scaled evil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its defensive power must be considerable; later, give it to my stepmother—she can forge it into a fine artifact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After organizing all the gains, Xu Yuan finally moved to release the two mountain runners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two mountain runners stared hopefully at Master Xu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strange sticky fluid, as the odd insects fled, had begun to harden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both men’s breathing had grown labored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan checked them over and said, “Bear with it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan exhaled a thread of flame, burning away the sticky fluid layer by layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout this process, the two felt as if they were sealed in a clay jar and placed over a fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though they knew Master Xu was saving them, it still felt… like a cooking method!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn’t the Master just meet the Witch Cook? Could he have picked up a trick or two?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a full incense stick’s time, he finally rescued them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Xu’s control over flame was extraordinarily precise—not a single eyebrow was burned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But their entire skins glowed red, like two crabs steamed to perfection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment they regained mobility, they dove straight into the river beside them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plop!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plop!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiss—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two trails of white steam shot up from the river!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan couldn’t help but chuckle, waiting on the riverbank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, he felt something and pulled out the folded note from his chest—it was Jiao’s message:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meet me at Guofeng Ridge tonight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan had planned to leave the mountains immediately, but now he’d have to stay one more night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He replied to Jiao with a single character: “Good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tucked the note back into his chest and looked up to see two heads emerging from the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But both heads were covered in a mass of writhing, octopus-like waterweeds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a common evil in mountain rivers—Water Ghost Grass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It often colluded with drowned ghosts and ghost infants in the river, working in tandem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When an ordinary person fell in, the grass would coil around their entire head, while drowned ghosts below gripped their feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how they struggled, they’d slowly sink to the riverbed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This thing loved to eat human scalps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More precisely, human hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the corpse sank, it simply peeled off the scalp and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rest it left to its partner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But these two mountain runners were an entirely different case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their heads floated up topped with Water Ghost Grass, each accompanied by a drowned ghost rising beside them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They killed them right in the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, with a casual tug, they ripped off the Water Ghost Grass and tore it apart in a few swift motions, tossing the pieces into the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two mountain runners climbed out themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They felt deeply moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In these cursed Wushan Mountains, we don’t claim to rule unchecked, but ordinary evils rarely give us pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet when we met Qi Yue and his outsiders, we were captured without much resistance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, we owed our lives to Master Xu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Guanzi still held a live fish and offered it to Da Fu with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Da Fu ate those strange insects—technically, he avenged them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the gesture earned Da Fu’s scornful look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t eat fish!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Guanzi rubbed his head. “You don’t eat fish?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s a pond in Gao Family Village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Gao Family Village hasn’t raised ducks or geese in many years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clean up. We’ll spend the night in the mountains. I’ll leave at dawn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two mountain runners picked up all the weapons scattered on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tonight, we definitely can’t go to the Divine Mother Shrine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The riverside hut wasn’t built in vain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After tidying up, the three entered the hut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan couldn’t tell which of the tree eyes was the true seed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d have to wait until he left the mountains to ask Wang Shen for help before advancing to Fifth Tier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When idle in the hut, he fed himself the herbs Da Fu had found.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boosted his own medicinal pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, Xu Yuan showed the herbs to the two mountain runners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither recognized them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Villagers dig herbs—that’s one of their traditional “mountain goods.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two mountain runners knew every herb that grew in Wushan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Yuan was certain these herbs could treat certain ailments of the Ju Crow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan told the two mountain runners to memorize the herb’s appearance—should they find it later, don’t sell it to others; keep it all for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bai Lao Yan and Gao Guanzi naturally obeyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Bai Lao Yan added, “I’ve lived in these mountains for decades—I’ve never seen this herb before. It’s probably extremely rare here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan’s mind stirred: Why would it be rare?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be that the Ju Crow knew this herb was its enemy, and secretly destroyed it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the evening, Qiu Ningtai’s four subordinates passed by the river, carrying a bamboo basket, heading toward Pig Squeal Rock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They didn’t notice the hut between the giant boulders by the river.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan’s trio naturally didn’t emerge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan had obtained the true seed—he had no desire to stir up trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battle between Qiu Ningtai and the Ju Crow was none of his business—he wouldn’t meddle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When those four returned, Xu Yuan suddenly remembered another question:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi Yue carried a permit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing said a new buyer had arrived on Guanghuo Street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was almost certainly Qi Yue—but what did he buy? Xu Yuan hadn’t found anything unusual on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ask Jiao tonight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dinner, night fell quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan put on his clay mask and told the two, “I’m going out. Wait here for me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had no intention of following.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They now had a very clear understanding of Master Xu’s strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Master Xu couldn’t handle an evil, their presence would be useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They might even become his burden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan crawled out of the hut and walked slowly to Guofeng Ridge alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He waited an hour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several evils passed by nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, none were strong—three even tried to invite this “kindred spirit” to join them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan bared his teeth and drove them all off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiao’s massive body slithered through the mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All lesser evils fled in terror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Jiao came with Tian Jing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiao spoke immediately: “I’ve learned the whereabouts of Ghost Beard Wood. The buyer on the street is also searching for it—and one of his men can track its trail…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan cut in bluntly: “I’ve already found it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh…” Jiao didn’t know what to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finally digging up news about Guixumu, I rushed here like presenting a treasure to Master Xu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But someone else got there first and found Guixumu directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan waved his hand and asked again: “What did Qi Yue want to buy on Guanghuo Street?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiao’s eyes darted—he hadn’t mentioned the buyer’s name just now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, this Qi Yue must already be in the Master’s hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiao didn’t ask further and answered honestly: “He wants to buy an inch of that one’s tendon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan blinked: “What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You heard right—he wants… an inch of that one’s tendon.” Jiao repeated, then lowered his voice: “Qi Yue came with a mission; he wouldn’t act without purpose. That means… that one’s state of existence is likely bodily.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan was deeply startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long moment, he said: “If someone is scheming against Him, how could that one allow Qi Yue—or anyone—to walk out of Guanghuo Street?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiao smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The price offered was extremely high—it did not dishonor that one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiao sighed regretfully: “We thought when Qi Yue arrived, every household could profit—we heard from the great evils on Guanghuo Street that Qi Yue’s backers were obscenely rich.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On previous visits, everyone made a fortune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time, his goal was clear: he wanted only that one thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the price was high, that one would never sell it. So he left Guanghuo Street and went searching for Guixumu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan frowned: “What use is this inch of tendon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I knew you’d be interested, so I looked into it ahead of time,” Jiao said. “It’s incredibly precious, but its uses are extremely narrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The great evils on Guanghuo Street know of two uses: one, for a Wu Xiu to ascend to the top tier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second… is the completion of the Dragon Transformation Art!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan fell silent for a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dragon Transformation Art!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is someone in the Southern Capital about to complete it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must be top-tier level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But among the people, there’s always a saying: True Dragon, Son of Heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One True Dragon in the Southern Capital, one Son of Heaven in the Northern Capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Can they coexist?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan exhaled a heavy, troubled breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiao observed his expression and comforted him: “Master, don’t worry. In this world, evils of that one’s caliber are as rare as phoenix feathers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And only those with a physical body possess an inch of tendon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That makes the number even smaller.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that one refuses to sell, the others certainly won’t either.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan nodded—it made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were merely a top-tier Wu Xiu, it might be manageable. But if it were true completion of the Dragon Transformation Art, the hidden danger was far too great.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan suddenly thought of another question: If completion of the Dragon Transformation Art requires an inch of tendon, why not seek the River Dragon King?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The River Dragon King’s level is higher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the Dragon Transformation Art was passed down by Him…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be that the seeker only seeks top-tier Wu Xiu status, not full Dragon Transformation Art completion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or—does the River Dragon King not wish for a “True Dragon” to appear?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least not now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan shook his head—these matters were still too distant from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qi Yue failed this time; he won’t give up. Someone else may come to Guiwu Mountain later. Keep watch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We will.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m leaving the mountain tomorrow. If you need any goods, have Bai Lao notify me anytime.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiao nodded: “Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The folding note was already filled with one page—it has limited capacity and is only for emergencies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After discussing these matters, Xu Yuan returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiao and Tian Jing returned together to Guanghuo Street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing still put on a show before Master Xu, but now that they were alone, he revealed some of his evil nature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiao watched, pained, and sighed softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing didn’t care: “Don’t worry about me. This form is actually fine now. Before, those fellows on Guanghuo Street were suspicious of me—but now they won’t be…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they spoke, the man and the dragon suddenly stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both looked up toward the left slope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tangle of roots suddenly burst from the soil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then it flailed wildly, like a headless fly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It crashed into a large tree, yanked it out without hesitation, stripped off its roots, and grafted the trunk onto itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But whenever it attached a tree trunk, the wood soon withered completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guixu had pulled out seven large trees—none suited it…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On nights like this, the mountain’s yin energy was thick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guixu grew frantic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing’s eyes gleamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve been worrying about how hard it is to move in this form!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This treasure is meant for me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiao was about to stop him—but Tian Jing had already lunged forward like a beast, all limbs flailing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He leapt into the air, planting his legs firmly into Guixu’s roots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guixu trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—whether Guixu’s roots merged into Tian Jing’s legs, or Tian Jing’s flesh enveloped Guixu—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They fused smoothly and perfectly!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing’s eyes flashed layer upon layer of purple-black light; his body hair grew wild and tangled like roots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seemed to lose control, on the verge of becoming a full evil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then his hair stopped growing, slowly retracting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes gradually cleared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He controlled Guixu, swiftly descending the slope, and smiled at Jiao: “Almost lost control.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiao couldn’t smile—he wore a grim face and shook his head in sorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan still didn’t know of this change—if he did, he’d likely feel conflicted: was this Tian Jing’s stroke of fortune… or his doom?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning, Xu Yuan woke and flipped through the almanac.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today’s prohibitions: visiting friends, sword dancing, chanting, shouting in the mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a good day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dan Xiu, Wu Xiu, and Wen Xiu would all be affected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan was eager to return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We leave today!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he saw Qiu Ningtai and his men heading toward Pig Squeal Rock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His men pleaded: “Master, why go yourself? We’ll fetch the thing for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Ningtai shook his head: “I’m telling you not to come. There’s only one piece of blood cake. Even if I can’t cure this illness, at least I’ll save my own life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you all come and catch the sickness, how will we split one piece?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His men said: “Hua Lingzi is an evil too—how can we trust her? What if the blood cake doesn’t cure Ju Ya’s illness? Master, don’t go—leave it to us…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They spoke as they walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan nodded inwardly—Qiu Ningtai treated his men well, which explained their loyalty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once they were gone, Xu Yuan stepped out of the hut: “Let’s go quickly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We must hurry—don’t run into Qiu Ningtai on his way back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My medicine cured Ju Ya’s illness yesterday—but it may not work today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ju Ya’s condition clearly worsens daily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coming to Guiwu Mountain to seek the True Seed was long planned, yet every matter has delayed us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan felt a bad omen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he avoided any related troubles whenever possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two mountain runners hurried after him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Xu had stepped onto Fire Wheels!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two mountain runners had to summon their full strength to catch up with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several hours later, the three returned to Gao Family Village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Guanzi warmly invited Master Xu to rest inside the village, but Xu Yuan refused without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The same thing happened when they passed through Wang Xiang Village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, Xu Yuan emerged from Ghost Witch Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Qiu Ningtai’s group reached Pig Scream Rock, his subordinates, seeing their earnest pleas were useless, exchanged glances and then knelt together, clutching his legs tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then one man rushed down at the risk of his life, placing the small beast covered in pustules into a bamboo basket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unsurprisingly, he fell ill too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Ningtai angrily drove away the others and treated the sick man himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Ningtai had methods to isolate illness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He and several other subordinates remained healthy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But by evening, he had failed to cure the afflicted man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, he could only feed the man blood cake—this meant he had lost to the Ju Crow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After eating the blood cake, the subordinate indeed recovered greatly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at night, all of them suddenly broke out in red sores and suffered unrelenting fevers!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same moment, all vegetation along their route back from Pig Scream Rock to camp withered and died simultaneously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",3824,"2026-06-20T12:07:24.624Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","93adab33b95d33936639e885840bd46f726305b108299d2117058eb4f72d2aaf","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-358","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-356",413,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fnothing-is-taboo-cover.jpg"]