[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-nothing-is-taboo":3,"chapter-nothing-is-taboo-nothing-is-taboo-chapter-359":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},2310744,4514,"Chapter 359: Born to Be Ox and Horse (Combined Three Parts)","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-359",359,"\u003Cp>Xu Yuan silently filled Senior Shen’s pipe with tobacco and handed him the pipe bowl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Senior Shen lit it and drew a deep breath—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was hard to pull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That boy Xu Yuan really is honest—he packed too much tobacco in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Senior Shen didn’t mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every household in River Worker Alley were once leaders of the uprising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who rose above hundreds of thousands must have been extraordinary individuals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That rebellion might be recorded in history with only a dozen or so characters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The local reports to the court were equally dismissive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet in reality, its scale was immense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The families in River Worker Alley endured hardship together; the Xu family had long agreed with all others: one child per lineage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, if a family had two sons, only one stayed in River Worker Alley; the others could leave to forge their own paths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But every household shared an unspoken rule: the child who remained must be the one with the highest talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After generations, though fewer people lived in the alley, their talent and skill had only grown higher!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the outside world, mid-to-low-tier Alchemists were rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the alley, they were not uncommon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside, when ascending to the Fifth Tier, one implants the “True Seed” into the Inner Elixir, achieving initial fusion at roughly half a percent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This depends not only on the Alchemist’s innate talent, but also on the compatibility between the True Seed and the Alchemist, and the quality of the True Seed itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The higher the initial fusion, the greater the success.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For an Alchemist, this means saving considerable time at the Fifth Tier level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, it opens up a broader future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In River Worker Alley, the average initial fusion rate is two percent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Wang Shen was young, it was two and a half percent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t underestimate Xu Yuan’s half-percent improvement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elders of the alley had long agreed: Wang Shen’s level was already the absolute limit of a genius Alchemist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any achievement beyond that limit is greatness!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why Senior Shen was so moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when mocked by Wang Shen, he didn’t care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the tobacco was packed too tightly and hard to draw, he didn’t blame Xu Yuan—he saw it as the boy’s filial devotion, giving him something real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All because… Senior Shen faintly felt he had made the wisest decision in River Worker Alley’s history!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His “old-man-arrogance” decision to let Xu Yuan join family affairs had once filled him with unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now… Xu Yuan might truly solve the problem left by our ancestors!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Senior Shen finished his pipe, Lin Wanmo had already prepared the meal and brought it out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan saw it was all his favorite dishes, and couldn’t help smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone shared another meal together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the meal, Xu Yuan quietly asked Uncle Mao: “Does my Aunt Wang have some special ability?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uncle Mao’s face turned guilty at the mention of “Aunt Wang”; he stuffed his mouth full of rice and mumbled, “What? I don’t know. Why ask me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan rolled his eyes. “The Great Fortune she gave me is unusual—I want to find a chance to ask her about its origins.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uncle Mao stayed silent and ate even harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his usually honest, dull eyes darted nervously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan said: “When the time comes, Uncle, come with me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t go…” Uncle Mao mumbled through his rice; the “no” was barely audible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the meal, Senior Shen finished the half-pipe of tobacco, then walked off with his hands behind his back, delighted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He specifically reminded Xu Yuan: “Before you leave, come see me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got it.” Xu Yuan never bowed to elders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What elders give, one never refuses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dark, Xu Yuan washed the dishes and returned to find his stepmother locked in her room again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan knocked: “Lin Wanmo.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His stepmother opened the door; Xu Yuan handed her the fabric he’d saved: “Handle it as you wish. Keep whatever you need.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Wanmo glanced at the fabric, her eyes flickered, then she took it all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan was about to gently urge her, but she waved her hand and slammed the door shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan sighed, shook his head, and went to sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Great Fortune was outside in the courtyard, flipping bricks along the drainage ditch, hunting for insects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he flipped, he overturned a stone slab.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below, a gurgle rose like a bubble surfacing—out crawled a demon with a rat’s head and a snake’s body!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Great Fortune froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demon was paralyzed with fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I finally slipped into the courtyard—and what did I run into?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Great Fortune didn’t like eating this thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And since seeing countless giant rats outside the Witch Cook’s “Cooked Aroma,” Great Fortune now felt sick at anything resembling a rat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It spat a glob of saliva at it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demon visibly fell ill—and died instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its corpse tumbled back into the ditch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Xu Yuan’s window, a spark of flame flew out, landed on the corpse, and in an instant, burned it to ash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan scolded Great Fortune: “Don’t spit randomly ever again!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That corpse, crawling with disease, fell into the ditch—tomorrow morning, everyone in Qihetai Town would be dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Great Fortune shook its head, eyes glazed over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It heard—or didn’t hear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had neatly flipped the ditch’s edge, but it only barely filled its belly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its appetite had become enormous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, it had eaten well in Ghost Witch Mountain a few days ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Great Fortune curled up under the eaves and soon fell asleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan slept too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At midnight, his stepmother rose, lit an incense stick for her Master, then sat silently before the spirit tablet for hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She thought deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day was New Year’s Eve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since eating the June Insect, months had passed—this was the first truly idle day Xu Yuan had known.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything followed tradition as always.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The small Shanhe County was filled with festive cheer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan rose early and invited Wang Shen and the others over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The small courtyard buzzed with laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Xu Yuan left the alley and arrived at another courtyard gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far off, he saw a brilliant, colorful rooster standing proudly atop the gate, fluffing its feathers and surveying the scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan chuckled: “Ah Hua!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cock-a-doodle-doo!” Ah Hua crowed twice, as if saying, I remember you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan knocked: “Grandma Ying, open up!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandma Ying, long unseen, shuffled out, squinting—her eyesight had clearly dimmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xu Yuan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grandma, come to my place for New Year’s—we’ll all celebrate together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need…” Grandma Ying refused, yet lifted her arm slightly, making it easy for Xu Yuan to support her—she was “forcing” him to invite her home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan glanced into the courtyard—it was piled high with things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandma Ying’s hoarding habit remained unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Useless or useful, she’d collected a mountain of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah Hua leapt down from the gate and followed Xu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had clearly forgotten Great Fortune the dog.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the courtyard, the two birds immediately glared at each other, flared their wings, and assumed a “fight to the death” stance!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandma Ying rushed to grab Ah Hua; Senior Shen seized Great Fortune by the neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan faintly felt he had just discovered something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as the two birds clashed, Xu Yuan calmly released his Muscle-Elixir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beast-tendon rope fell in the center of the courtyard, stretching sideways until it reached the courtyard walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a “boundary,” it split the courtyard in two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Taipo and Shen Daye didn’t understand what purpose this served.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, the beast-tendon rope suddenly wove itself rapidly into a large net, blocking the middle of the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ying Taipo and Shen Daye’s eyes lit up; they each released Ah Hua and Da Fu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two birds began shouting insults at each other across the net.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the net had fine mesh—and it wasn’t flat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was layered, tangled, and thick as a palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both birds had wings and tried to fly over the net.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when they flew higher, the net rose with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they landed, the net sank with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah Hua and Da Fu had no choice; after a while of shouting, they grew bored and fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Transforming the beast-tendon rope into this three-dimensional net was Xu Yuan’s inspiration, drawn from the “Net-Wu” state during his ascent to Fifth-Rank Dan Xiu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan speculated that the three “Wu” were the embodied manifestations of his three destiny patterns, on some fundamental level of cosmic origin or rule.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it didn’t seem that simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “Net-Wu” corresponded to “Eight-Direction Harmful Stars,” suggesting something more like the complex interconnections between things, events, and so on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan couldn’t yet fathom the intricate mysteries within, but he had gained something—he could now mimic that “net” using the beast-tendon rope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beast-tendon rope could once only coil and bind; now it had more, stronger uses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Ying Taipo and Shen Daye walked into the house together, smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On this New Year’s Day, Lin Wanmo had truly pulled out all the stops, preparing a lavish feast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan ate until his belly was round and full; Mao Sishu had a hearty appetite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan secretly thought: Should I tell Mao Sishu later, “My Aunt Wang is alone in Miaopocun, lonely and unaccompanied during the holidays…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would he instantly lose all appetite?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hehehe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan and Mao Sishu were the ones who ate the most at the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So there was plenty of food left, all given to Ah Hua and Da Fu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both of them loved eating insects, especially malevolent ones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ordinary household meals were beneath their notice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what Lin Wanmo prepared today, they devoured happily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The malevolent spirits inside and outside the city also showed respect today, staying hidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps because… since morning, children in the city had been setting off firecrackers now and then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By evening, firecrackers erupted throughout the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This traditional activity, said to drive away the Nian beast, suddenly regained real power in this age.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ordinary malevolent spirits did indeed fear the loud crack of firecrackers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it only worked to drive them away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For common folk, buying a string of firecrackers was a luxury reserved for New Year’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So while useful against malevolent spirits, this method was too costly for daily use.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan also prepared food and visited four other households in the alley, inviting Uncle Chen, Aunt Zhou, and others to share the New Year’s Eve meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before joining the Purification Office, he had come once before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, he thought he wouldn’t make it back for the holiday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that he was back, he might as well have another meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan spoke his heart to the elders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He asked them, if they got the chance, to help persuade his stepmother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aunt Zhou said nothing; Uncle Chen agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the first day of the New Year, Xu Yuan left home and returned to Zhan City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan’s holiday lasted only New Year’s Eve and the first day of the New Year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to report for duty on the second day, so he had to return early today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Shen wasn’t in a hurry to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people from San Niang’s group were staying with her in Shanhe County.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His stepmother hadn’t finished processing the fine fabrics Xu Yuan brought back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the crafted items were done, Wang Shen could carry them to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after Xu Yuan left, the former County Captain—now the County Magistrate—arrived in plain clothes, accompanied by four servants carrying gifts, to pay his respects to Master Xu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He missed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The County Magistrate, filled with regret, exchanged a few brief words with Lin Wanmo, insisted on leaving the gifts, and departed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the Chen family had been prosecuted by the Purification Office, Xu Yuan had become the highest-ranking official currently serving outside the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former County Captain’s promotion to Magistrate had been sheer luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no powerful patrons and desperately wanted to cling to a strong leg.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan traveled alone, with a horse but no character-tickets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he rode all morning and still hadn’t reached Zhan City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have literary cultivators under me—I’ll make sure they produce more character-tickets.” Xu Yuan silently decided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Writing character-tickets was a form of cultivation for literary cultivators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So I’m not exploiting my subordinates—I’m pushing them to improve!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s pure paternal devotion!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Wanmo had packed Xu Yuan some dried rations; he loosened the reins, let the horse trot a while, passed between two earthen mounds, circled a grove of camphor trees, and ahead, not far along the road, lay a small village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smoke curled gently upward; roosters crowed and dogs barked in the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few water buffaloes wandered through the fields, stepping leisurely over the ridges, turning their ears to the sky and letting out long, low moos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the village entrance stood a humble tea stall—no building, just a thatched shelter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A long bamboo pole outside the entrance held up a triangular cloth banner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On it was written a large “Tea” character.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the road, many such tea stalls offered rest and meals to travelers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ordinary travelers paid three cash for a bowl of hot tea, then tore their own bread or cakes into pieces and soaked them in it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could rest awhile too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If a caravan passed, the stall could also serve simple freshly prepared food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prices were far cheaper than in the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan spurred his horse and soon arrived at the tea stall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He assumed the stall wouldn’t be open on New Year’s Day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But from afar, he saw a middle-aged woman in faded, washed-out coarse cloth, her waist tied with an apron, already stepping out to wave: “Sir, rest a while—we have fresh noodles, pickled vegetables, and cured meat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had large, round, jet-black, glistening eyes, gazing at Xu Yuan with eager hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan dismounted, but only said: “One bowl of tea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman was disappointed; seeing a rider, she’d thought he was wealthy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just tea? Nothing else?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan waved his hand: “One bowl of tea is enough. Also, feed my horse—add extra beans.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, sir, come inside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan entered the tea stall; it was empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was clear the woman was diligent—the tables, chairs, and benches were spotlessly clean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The floor had been swept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A row of stoves at the back held kettles; most of the water had boiled, steaming white vapor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside them stood four large water jars, all filled to the brim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan sighed: Even my Ming officials work hard—on New Year’s, even caravans rest, yet I must ride on, alone on this road.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman poured a bowl of hot tea and brought it to Xu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guest, please enjoy. I’ll prepare fodder for your horse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was the only one in the stall, yet remarkably capable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She carried a bundle of hay to the horse trough and used a cleaver to chop it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chik, chik, chik…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each cut was fine and even.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the woman glanced secretly at Xu Yuan; seeing he wasn’t looking, she quietly slipped her little finger beneath the cleaver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chik!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A segment of her little finger fell into the hay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman showed no sign of pain, and no blood flowed from the wound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After cutting the fodder, the woman brought over a large bucket of roasted soybeans and poured in half a bucket at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan heard the sound and laughed: “Shopkeeper, you’re too honest—you’ll lose money this way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After mixing the fodder, the woman led the horse over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the horse ate, she gently stroked its neck and said softly: “These big beasts work hard—they deserve better food.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan said no more; he would give the shopkeeper extra copper coins later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan ordered only one bowl of tea, firmly believing his stepmother’s dried rations were tastier than anything these roadside inns could serve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He ate his dried rations slowly, then downed the large bowl of tea in a few gulps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Dan Xiu had weaker physiques than Wu Xiu, their appetites were nearly equal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seventh-rate Dan Xiu were almost all fat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because they couldn’t advance further, yet their appetites remained enormous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without realizing it, they grew fat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The horse finished eating; Xu Yuan called out: “Shopkeeper, settle the bill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman began calculating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One bowl of tea is three copper coins, feeding the horse is one, plus ten for the soybeans—that makes…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She clearly wasn’t good at arithmetic; even this simple addition required her to count on her fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet it was strange—she had five fingers on one hand, yet used only two, as if the other three didn’t exist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With only four fingers usable across both hands, it was clearly insufficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more she counted, the more confused she became; confusion made her anxious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several times, her eyes kept darting to her feet—as if she were about to add her toe fingers too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan suddenly smiled: “I have a set of counting rods—want me to lend them to you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman beamed: “Yes, quick, lend them! I’ll waive one copper coin for the guest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan tossed the five-grade artisan tool—his counting rods—onto the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the woman reached for them, the rods suddenly shot up with a “whoosh,” spinning rapidly around her before each one plunged down and pierced her body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Moo—” The woman cried out in pain—but the sound was a cow’s bellow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once pinned by the five-grade artisan tool, she could no longer move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frantic, she shouted to the horse nearby: “Come help me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The horse snorted loudly, ignoring her completely, not even glancing her way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman frowned in confusion: “You ate it… you should’ve awakened by now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan raised his hand; a hair-thin rope coiled around her severed fingertip and lifted it up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean this? It didn’t eat it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman’s round eyes turned fierce.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face changed slightly—still human-looking, but now clearly three or four parts cow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did you figure it out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan was speechless: “People who work hard do wear aprons—but yours is tied at the back! Why? To hide your cow’s tail?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One counting rod sliced through; the apron’s strings parted, and the apron slipped down—revealing a coiled cow’s tail behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman’s face flushed crimson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan didn’t know what to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking back to how she’d just counted the bill… she really wasn’t smart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan pointed farther off, to the several cows still grazing along the field ridge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They leisurely nibbled wild grass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet not a single cow touched the young rice shoots in the field.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even during the New Year, no one would just leave cows in the field like this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cows are vital assets to farmers—they must be carefully guarded and tended.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman shouted: “That’s just to make us work harder! Not because they care about us!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She glared at the cows on the ridge, exasperated: “You stubborn fools! Still acting like before—dare not eat a single shoot!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The shoots are tender and delicious—far better than wild grass!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan traced a line on the table—no dust stirred: “Aren’t you the same? You think cows and horses work hard, yet you’ve become a strange creature yourself—and still work just as hard…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan’s finger pointed one by one at the stove and the water vat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had never noticed this before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could never rest—any task she saw, she immediately did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hadn’t realized that this tea stall, under her care, was far cleaner and neater than when the original owner ran it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She deeply hated her former master, who whipped her daily until she was exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet these past days, no one was behind her with a whip… yet she still did just as much work!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could this be?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman felt the world had collapsed…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan had sensed something odd about the village from afar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed lively—but lacked human presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he reached the tea stall and saw the woman, he immediately knew something was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are the villagers?” Xu Yuan asked coldly. “Did you eat them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No!” the woman cried out. “How could I eat them? They never tried to eat me. I put nose rings on them and tied them in the cowshed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now they farm and feed us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After all, I only know how to plow—farming is still your people’s strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman’s expression was one of “obviously”—even her eyes held a faint sneer, as if to say: Do I really have to explain such a simple thing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan was annoyed—was he being intellectually looked down upon by this stupid cow?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Xu quietly manipulated the counting rods, twisting them twice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Moo—” The woman screamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, the cows on the ridge finally sensed something was wrong. They huddled together, hesitated, then slowly trotted over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You turned them all into strange creatures?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman looked troubled: “I gave them pieces of my flesh too. But for some reason, though they changed a little, they can’t transform into humans like I did.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan snorted and cursed: “Idiot! Because you fed them too little flesh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beast-tendon rope still coiled around the severed fingertip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The amount was enough to trigger transformation in livestock—but only to a limited degree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This woman herself was far less “crazy” than ordinary malevolent spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her flesh contained insufficient yin energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This raised a question in Xu Yuan’s mind: What caused her transformation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t seem like a normal beast transformation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did you become like this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman scowled, rolling her round eyes upward as if she hadn’t heard Master Xu’s question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You called me stupid—I won’t talk to you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan: ???\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",3619,"2026-06-20T12:07:24.624Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","dc73f0ad70a5ac0f5a98ae62b54d5e1c7fff7394ec4676cbea0ba71a0e11c887","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-360","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-358",413,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fnothing-is-taboo-cover.jpg"]