[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-nothing-is-taboo":3,"chapter-nothing-is-taboo-nothing-is-taboo-chapter-402":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},2310787,4514,"Chapter 402: Doll Puppet (Combined Three Parts)","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-402",402,"\u003Cp>Crackling—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lightning serpents writhed wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each bolt was as thick as an arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless fine sparks spread through the damp air in all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Songyu’s control over lightning far surpassed Fu Chongjiu’s; with the spreading sparks, he no longer needed Fu Hongyu’s instructions and could already see through the “Dragon Spitting Mist,” easily locating the black shadow’s position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black shadow was cunning, like a slippery eel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It deployed every trick imaginable and still carved out a path of escape from the pincer attack of Fu Songyu and Fu Bai Zhou!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This thing can no longer be called human!” Fu Songyu barked. “Besides the Dragon Transformation Art, it possesses other powers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, after this battle, they had not seen the black shadow’s true face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Bai Zhou grew increasingly furious: “Kill it quickly! Don’t let the night grow longer and bring more trouble!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No words were needed—they both understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Luo Gongqiao caught up and the four fourth-tier cultivators surrounded it,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>who knew whether Luo Gongqiao and the others might extract the Dragon Transformation Art from the black shadow after killing it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Fu family had no way to openly investigate Luo Gongqiao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it was best if the two of them killed it outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black shadow writhed in the night, its body strong and powerful like a giant python, often lunging a hundred zhang in a single bound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Songyu gathered a bolt of lightning, concealing it in his left palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His left hand had grown enormously thick, its surface covered in jagged dragon scales, the five fingertips sharpened into a dragon’s claw!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Songyu calculated the black shadow’s position, then suddenly thrust his left hand out from behind his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a thunder dragon reaching out its claw!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lightning crashed down—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this sure-hit strike suddenly veered mid-air, bypassing the black shadow’s body and striking a large tree ten zhang away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tree shattered instantly, exploding into a rain of burning embers scattered everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black shadow was also caught in the blast, flung over a dozen zhang, but suffered no serious injury—it dove into the earth and vanished again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Songyu’s eyes widened in shock: “This bastard is incredibly cunning! He’s cultivated lightning too, but held back until this critical moment to dodge my strike!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just now, at the crucial instant, the lightning had been diverted aside—done secretly by the black shadow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black shadow had cultivated lightning, but knew its mastery was far inferior to Fu Songyu’s, so it had concealed it all along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Hongyu pointed his dragon tail toward a spot on the ground; Fu Bai Zhou roared and charged forward with his great hammer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the black shadow had already erupted from another spot on the ground and plunged into the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chase it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli dared not follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just her—everyone, including Xu Yuan, stayed where they were, panting heavily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They glanced at each other, feeling awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of them dared—or wanted—to chase after and assist in the fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan suddenly spoke: “We stay here to support Master Luo Gongqiao!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei secretly gave a thumbs-up—only my brother Xu could come up with such a perfect excuse!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cowardice could be disguised as such a fitting justification.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now no one felt embarrassed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli quietly exhaled, feeling for the first time in her life a flicker of fondness toward Xu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli truly dared not pursue further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last time, she’d kept chasing and chasing—and ended up stumbling straight into the poisonous mist of the Bronze Coffin Cliff’s malevolence…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei suddenly remembered: “Where’s Long Ke? Help me find it—if it’s truly lost, Xu Miao will never let me off!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei vaguely recalled where he’d dropped it and hurried toward that direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan followed: “I’ll go with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dead crow landed silently, stiffly hopping on the ground until it spotted the piece of “meat” lying there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was about to peck it up when suddenly it noticed countless black, phantom threads coalescing from the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One even tried to burrow into its brain!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dead crow startled, leaping sideways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the threads chased after it, as if they’d singled it out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dead crow was terrified: What kind of malevolence is this?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Completely forgetting it was itself a malevolence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It flapped its wings and soared high—the threads were slower, and it finally shook them off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking down, the dead crow saw more and more of those black, phantom threads on the ground, each thread slipping into the piece of “meat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And even more threads drifted in continuously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This process lasted a full incense stick’s time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the piece of “meat” stirred, quickly transforming into a small, dark, grotesque dragon!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dead crow looked at it and felt it was dangerous; it squawked and flew away, deeply frightened—how could it explain to the Great King that it had failed its mission?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The puppet dragon had been hovering high above, guiding Fu Songyu and Fu Bai Zhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, Fu Songyu felt the golden thread in his hand twitch…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then he could no longer sense Fu Hongyu’s presence at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Songyu cursed inwardly, looked up—and saw the golden thread descending from the sky, its end only hanging a small fragment of the puppet dragon’s tail!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Bai Zhou also noticed the anomaly: “What happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Songyu’s face darkened: “Fu Hongyu ran away!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This technique was imperfect, so this flaw had surfaced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Songyu retracted the golden thread and said: “Forget him for now. Even if he escapes, in this cursed Wushan, he’ll end up as a malevolence anyway.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He continued chasing the black shadow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Bai Zhou shook his head repeatedly: “Why bother? Better to die in our own hands than be devoured by malevolences.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The puppet dragon struggled, flew to Long Ke’s side, and collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could no longer hold on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had severed its own tail—though it escaped, its injuries were grave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It landed beside Long Ke, who had already been transformed by “Nian Sheng” into a grotesque little black dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little black dragon immediately rushed over, bit down on the severed tail, and Fu Hongyu’s remaining dragon soul poured entirely into Long Ke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Hongyu briefly assessed his condition—his heart grew heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His dragon soul had continuously leaked “Nian Sheng” along the way, and the “tail-severing escape” had cost him two or three tenths of his essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a soul, this was an injury nearly impossible to recover from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At least I escaped. This Long Ke came from a jiao—perfect for my dragon soul to inhabit. I’ll find a way later…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Hongyu glanced around, then moved swiftly on all four claws, skimming the ground as he fled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew that if caught by his own kin, he’d never have another chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d be chained like a dog until his dragon soul was utterly worn away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He slipped into the dense forest—then suddenly stepped on something, and in an instant, he was completely enveloped, plunged into darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He panicked, struggling and tearing wildly—but whatever wrapped him was unlike anything he’d ever encountered; no matter how hard he tore, it remained unbroken, only deforming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s going on…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, something moved on a nearby tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When still, it was invisible; only now, in motion, did its human form appear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Guanzi crept down, his robes resembling Bai Lao’s feathered cloak, perfectly camouflaging him in the mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Guanzi picked up the puppet dragon, darted deep into the woods, and crouched down in hiding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei wandered around for a while, puzzled: “I clearly dropped it right here—how can’t I find it…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan suddenly spotted something and pointed: “What’s that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two cautiously approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the ground lay a puppet dragon with its tail severed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fu family?!” Zhu Zhanlei suddenly understood: “That’s too much! You want Long Ke? Go ask Xu Miao for it! Why trick me?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do you think the Zhu family is easy to bully?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone had seen Fu Songyu release the puppet dragon earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei stepped forward to retrieve it—it was evidence. After the mission, he’d argue his case with the Fu family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Xu, you’ve got to testify for me…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Da Fu suddenly burst out from behind Xu Yuan, lunged ahead of Zhu Zhanlei, and pecked fiercely at the puppet dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei cried in panic: “Great Fortune Lord, that’s evidence—you can’t eat it…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Great Fortune didn’t eat it; instead, he pecked at the puppet dragon several more times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan grabbed Zhu Zhanlei: “Don’t go over yet—something’s wrong!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The puppet dragon suddenly began to writhe!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Great Fortune kept pecking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the severed tail of the puppet dragon, a grotesque venomous insect crawled out!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The insect extended six tendrils, each five feet long, each bearing a sinister, malevolent infant ghost!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its two sharp fangs opened and closed continuously, dripping venom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Great Fortune swallowed it without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The venomous insect had no power to resist before Great Fortune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it startled Zhu Zhanlei!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had just been about to pick up the puppet dragon without any guard—if that insect had bitten him… the consequences would be unthinkable!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by the insect’s posture, its venom didn’t just harm the body—it poisoned the soul too!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soul injuries are the hardest to heal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei’s knees buckled; he nearly knelt before Great Fortune.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll buy you three thousand hens—I’ll make your harem three thousand strong!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei extended the highest courtesy of the aristocratic playboy circle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Great Fortune stared blankly with hollow, lifeless eyes, not understanding a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan released the sinew rope again, tested the puppet dragon several times, confirmed it was safe, then rolled it up and handed it to Zhu Zhanlei: “Keep it safe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his heart, Xu Yuan also muttered: Thank heaven I didn’t put my hopes in the Corpse Sparrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also released the Pi Dan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as Fu Hongyu shed the puppet dragon, a terrifying venomous insect slithered in—there are too many evil spirits in Ghost Witch Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tian Jing volunteered to have the Corpse Sparrow carry away the Long Ke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Corpse Sparrow is small; if it succeeds, no one will notice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan didn’t object.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he couldn’t help feeling… the Corpse Sparrows have never been reliable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the brawl between the Fu family and Tian Jing, everyone had overlooked Gao Guanzi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan secretly found Gao Guanzi, gave him the Pi Dan, and instructed him to search for the Long Ke too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Guanzi arrived a step too late—Fu Hongyu had already seized the Long Ke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Guanzi didn’t act rashly; he feared he couldn’t match Fu Hongyu, so he set a trap using Xu’s Pi Dan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Setting snares and traps—those are the mountain folk’s specialty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei, sullenly clutching the puppet dragon, returned with Xu Yuan to their original spot; Gao Wanli and the others were still waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei was about to curse the Fu family when suddenly, far ahead, a thunderous boom rang out, followed by a terrifying aura sweeping over them like a storm!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone present felt every hair on their body stand on end!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli turned ashen, screaming inwardly: It’s that evil spirit again!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She lost all control, forgot her excuse of “waiting here for Lord Luo,” and turned to flee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground’s trembling only now began to ripple endlessly toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell?!” Zhu Zhanlei shouted, then his legs seemed to have minds of their own—he followed Gao Wanli in retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan shoved him hard: “Stop playing the nobleman—run!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group fled in panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three Captains of the Shanhe Bureau turned ashen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever Fu Songyu and Fu Baizhou had encountered, they couldn’t possibly withstand it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Farther away, over ten li distant, Luo Gongqiao and Shen Chen were rapidly advancing toward Fu Songyu and Fu Baizhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To ensure the killer of the Princess Consort was lured in, they could reach the battlefield immediately and surround and kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when the massive disturbance erupted, both Fourth-Rank cultivators froze in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Gongqiao and Shen Chen exchanged a glance; Luo Gongqiao ordered the others: “The evil spirit is too powerful—withdraw from Ghost Witch Mountain at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I and Brother Shen will go to assist Fu Songyu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, my lord.” The three men bowed, then turned and retreated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two Fourth-Rank lords sprinted forward four or five li, confirmed the others couldn’t see them, then split off in opposite directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They circled around, avoiding the dreadful evil spirit, fleeing at top speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Assistance for Fu Songyu? Good luck to you two, Fu family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That murderous aura was beyond anything a Fourth-Rank could handle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We serve the court—we’ve done our duty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No need to die for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before their subordinates, the two lords still had to put on a show.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the darkness, Gao Wanli fled in disarray, panicked and directionless, Zhixiangtaoming , and unknowingly lost sight of Zhu Zhanlei and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli didn’t care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was a Sixth-Rank Artisan Xiu—she could protect herself in Ghost Witch Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Last time I escaped—I’ll escape alive this time too!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Staying with Zhu Zhanlei and the others might only drag her down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Zhu Zhanlei was a waste, and those three Shanhe Captains weren’t skilled either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, her foot caught on something, and she fell hard to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, a red rope snaked around her neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A voice laughed happily: “Caught it! Caught it! Bodhisattva, have mercy—decades without children, and now we’ve caught a little one!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another woman’s voice chimed in, delighted: “It’s a plump little girl—perfect!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli tugged at the red rope around her neck, but found her body stiffening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She pulled harder—and a series of cracking sounds echoed from her arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before her stood a pair of clay dolls, their faces painted in garish colors, mouths stretched wide to their ears in grins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were an old couple, lovingly clinging together, heads touching, shoulders pressed side by side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man held a red rope in his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The red rope tightened around Gao Wanli’s neck; her body slowly turned into a clay statue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, the old couple slowly transformed into living beings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Gao Wanli moved any more, her clay body would shatter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli stopped moving, but wasn’t panicked—she produced a hand cannon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The barrel was carved with a sinister demonic face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she hesitated—the cannon vanished; using this Artisan device would generate too much recoil, possibly snapping her arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, a fishing rod appeared; a thin line flew out, the hook aiming for the old couple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it caught, she could draw back the “vitality” she’d sent through the red rope, redirecting it through the fishing line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as the hook neared its target, something slashed through the darkness—the line snapped!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli cursed inwardly, then immediately retracted the rod and pulled out a pure gold wine flask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tipped the flask—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What poured out wasn’t wine, but a bolt of lightning!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just the Dragon Transformation Scripture that could control lightning—Gao Wanli knew Westerners had long studied thunder and electricity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many new Artisan devices could unleash lightning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But suddenly, a fine rain fell upon her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lightning crackled—and scattered wildly through the rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It struck the old couple—but also hit her!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli saw cracks forming on her body; she gritted her teeth and retracted the flask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few more bolts, and the old couple might shatter—but she wouldn’t survive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clay fears water.” Gao Wanli thought of this, and pulled out a small box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tossed it to the ground—the box opened, and its internal mechanisms unfolded with a rushing sound, transforming into a waterwheel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The waterwheel spun, drawing forth a great river, surging toward the old couple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But suddenly, a flame fell from the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It swiftly evaporated the entire river!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli ground her teeth: “Xu Yuan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first two incidents could’ve been evil spirits—but this fire was clearly internal fire from a Dan Xiu!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And to burn a great river so quickly—it was a high-level Dan Xiu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who else but Xu Yuan?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first time the fish line was cut, it was Xu Yuan’s sword pellet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the second damp rain—what was it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli could not guess; it must be some hidden trick of that thief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She demanded an answer, but darkness remained utterly silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, an elderly couple vaguely sensed something yet still smiled happily, saying, “After decades of vegetarianism and chanting sutras, our sincere devotion has finally moved the Bodhisattva—she not only blessed us with a chubby baby but also sent her celestial dragon to guard and protect us…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although they spoke thus, their smiles grew even more sinister and cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli gritted her teeth and kept driving the waterwheel; the river water gushed forth, but the flames grew fiercer still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a shadow whipped out from the darkness and slapped against the waterwheel with a sharp crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three-zhang-tall waterwheel shattered outright!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli’s heart jolted; though the shadow moved at blinding speed, she clearly saw—it was a tail, somewhat like a crocodile’s, yet also resembling… a dragon’s tail!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not Xu Yuan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli was utterly horrified: “Then what evil is this?! Today… we’re surely doomed…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her hairpin suddenly stirred—a centipede crawled out!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half flesh, half machinery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was her life-saving artifact, carrying a heavy portion of her life force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The centipede crawled onto the red thread and gnawed fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it bit through this thread, she could sever her connection to the old couple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the darkness, a flash of lightning suddenly pierced through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssshhhh—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The centipede blazed with light; its fleshy parts burned to char.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This centipede was exquisitely crafted, able to hide within her hairpin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could save her life at critical moments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Gao Wanli dared not use it lightly—because its delicacy meant it was not sturdy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that she’d used this final trick, she was utterly spent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli’s heart filled with despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clay figurines of the old couple had bound her with red thread; otherwise, she’d have had more tools to use, and wouldn’t be reduced to this, slowly dragged to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She felt her body growing stiffer by the moment; even the smell of damp earth filled her nostrils.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tried to turn her neck, to find the other evil in the darkness—but she could no longer move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old couple beamed: “Good child, come home with Mama and Papa…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their flesh had swelled full; they stepped forward to take Gao Wanli—when suddenly, a dark shadow burst from the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tail whipped—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli’s body shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her final moment, Gao Wanli saw the thing—it truly was a dragon!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not quite a dragon; it resembled one, yet also had aspects of a crocodile, of a jiao…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her soul drifted upward, blank and lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across the sky of Ghost Witch Mountain, something passed—invisible, formless, yet ferociously swift, like a hawk snatching a mouse—it tore her soul apart, ripped it to shreds, and swallowed it whole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old couple flew into a rage, but the Pí Lóng paid them no mind, swishing its tail and walking away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After much hesitation, the old couple finally said: “Enough. Give the Bodhisattva face—let His celestial dragon go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Píǒu Lóng was ruined; Xu Yuan no longer feared his own Pí Lóng being exposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he released it to follow Gao Wanli in secret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On this journey to Ghost Witch Mountain, Xu Yuan’s primary goal was “Dragon Sickness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if he were greedy, he could still summon the Corpse Empress to act—four fourth-tier cultivators could be killed, and they’d surely carry many fine treasures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were also the three “Harmonious Waterwheels.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Yuan suppressed his greed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could not let the situation escalate further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the “Harmonious Waterwheels” were of special importance to the River Inspectorate; acquiring them would surely invite disaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dragon Sickness was already in hand—don’t stir up more trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Gao Wanli suddenly vanished, Xu Yuan figured there might still be “unexpected gains.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This woman was like a toad crawling up your leg—it doesn’t bite, but it’s disgusting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Might as well eliminate her now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Xu Yuan had been with Zhu Zhanlei the entire time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether Zhu Zhanlei or the three Hejian Captains, all knew that to survive, they must cling tightly to Xu Yuan’s leg.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They followed Xu Yuan closely the whole way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This proved Xu Yuan never went to kill Gao Wanli.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, you vanished alone in Ghost Witch Mountain—of course you were devoured by some evil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dawn, Xu Yuan finally confirmed their current location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one dared rest; they dragged their exhausted bodies, heading straight for the mountain’s edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By mid-afternoon, they finally emerged from Ghost Witch Mountain and returned to Qihé Terrace Town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei wiped sweat from his brow, breathless: “We’re finally out… Alive, damn, it’s wonderful!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei no longer cared for appearances; too exhausted to take another step, he plopped down on a rock by the roadside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After resting awhile, he took out the “Harmonious Waterwheel”: “Contact Fu Songyu—see if they’re… still alive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Harmonious Waterwheel vibrated for a long while—no response from Fu Songyu’s end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei was about to put it away, when suddenly the Harmonious Waterwheel trembled again, emitting a cold snort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Harmonious Waterwheel cracked with a sharp snap—deep fissures appeared!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wisp of black smoke rose from it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?!” Zhu Zhanlei stared, dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Yuan recognized the snort—it was the Corpse Empress’s voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan’s heart stirred: “One Harmonious Waterwheel has fallen into the Corpse Empress’s hands…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",3595,"2026-06-20T12:07:25.031Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","0de87ae46bd83d5c73eb3fa36321f37c9a089f8db34fd5d3de600ca67000a149","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-403","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-401",413,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fnothing-is-taboo-cover.jpg"]