[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-nothing-is-taboo":3,"chapter-nothing-is-taboo-nothing-is-taboo-chapter-403":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},2310788,4514,"Chapter 403","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-403",403,"\u003Cp>Luo Gongqiao and Shen Chen had their own understanding; after waiting an extra day, they departed Wushan from different directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Gongqiao returned to Zhancheng Wharf, battered and alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By this point, information from all sides had converged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zhu Zhanlei squad, acting as bait, escaped Wushan yesterday and took refuge at Qihé Terrace Town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli, a member of the squad, became separated during the retreat and has not returned since.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In addition, the squad’s “Heminglu” was damaged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Fu family’s group, Fu Songyu and Fu Baizhou remain missing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three younger members of the Fu family have escaped Wushan and are now holed up in the Chicken Crowing Village outside the mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the Miao Yu squad withdrew from Wushan half a day late, met up with Zhu Zhanlei’s group at Qihé Terrace Town, and now await their superior’s next orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Gongqiao then ordered Miao Yu: hold position at Qihé Terrace Town, ready to support any Fourth-Flowers emerging from the mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three more days passed, and all four Fourth-Flowers returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two from the Fu family appeared severely wounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Shen Chen looked pale, clutching his chest and occasionally coughing up blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, everyone had done their utmost within Wushan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The evil forces were too powerful! We fought valiantly but were overwhelmed and forced into retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Chen immediately saw through it: the two Fu men looked battered on the surface, but their bones and sinews were untouched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Songyu and Fu Baizhou could see just as clearly that Shen Chen was faking it too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the powerful evil appeared, Fu Songyu and Fu Baizhou fled without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thing was beyond the capability of any Fourth-Flower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many Fourth-Flowers faced it, the outcome would be the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The return of the Fourth-Flowers did not surprise Xu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This battlefield was not at Tongguan Cliff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the Ancient Corpse Empress had grown suspicious of him; she would not expend further effort killing more Fourth-Flowers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Xu Yuan still waited to watch the show.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four Fourth-Flowers stormed Wushan—and fled back in disgrace?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That couldn’t stand. There had to be an explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But consider this: why, upon exiting the mountains, did Luo Gongqiao return straight to Zhancheng Wharf, covered in wounds?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And why, when the three Fourth-Flowers had all gathered at Qihé Terrace Town, did Luo Gongqiao issue a single order for them to return immediately—and did they obey without question, pressuring Zhu Zhanlei and Miao Yu to depart at once?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once back at Zhancheng Wharf’s River Administration Office, the group compiled their reports.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Songyu and Fu Baizhou erupted in fury: “This defeat is not our fault! The great evil within the mountains, Ruan Tianye, interfered! We fought in the open while He lurked in the shadows—how could we possibly prevail?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Fourth-Flowers all needed a face-saving “excuse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Luo Gongqiao glared: “Ruan Tianye? Do you have proof?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course! When we chased that villain, just as he was about to be caught, he pulled out a Ruan Tianye permit and summoned nearby evils to aid him!” Fu Songyu said, producing a shattered permit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thanks to those evils’ intervention, he escaped again—and eventually received backup from the great evil!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan’s original plan had been for Tian Jing to use the permit, witnessed by Zhu Zhanlei and others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Fu Songyu and Fu Baizhou arrived too quickly—the witnesses became them instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The testimony of two Fourth-Flowers carried far more weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that’s it!” Shen Chen sighed to the heavens: “No wonder since entering Wushan, I’ve felt as if heaven and earth had turned against me—it was Ruan Tianye’s doing! Everything in the mountains despises us!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan praised silently: look at these Fourth-Flowers—how convincingly they spun lies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One could immediately sense the gulf between their level and ours!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the cause of this defeat was swiftly settled: Ruan Tianye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet in the previous case—the Princess Consort’s murder—Ruan Tianye had never appeared; even the Princess Consort had held a Ruan Tianye permit and intended to question whether he was shielding the rogue who practiced the Dragon Transformation Art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, Ruan Tianye had become the mastermind behind everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether the logic held up didn’t matter—the four Fourth-Flowers all wanted this outcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You say the killer was the evil at Tongguan Cliff—who in the court even knows where Tongguan Cliff is?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Ruan Tianye? Everyone knows his name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, the Fourth-Flowers all knew: if the mastermind was labeled “Ruan Tianye,” the matter had nothing to do with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, what if the court or the Xiang Prince’s mansion demanded they continue investigating the Princess Consort’s murder?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if it was Ruan Tianye, first, the court might not dare launch a campaign; second, even if they did, it would be a matter for the Upper Three-Flowers—they would not be the main force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the outcome was even smoother than Xu Yuan had expected!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Gongqiao drafted the official report; Shen Chen, Fu Songyu, and Fu Baizhou signed it together, sealing the half-permit as evidence and sending it to the court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After reviewing this grand operation, they discovered only Gao Wanli had died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a single Captain from the Shanhe Bureau had been lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gao Wanli, a mere nobody, meant nothing to the Fourth-Flowers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan submitted a report to the Southern Office: “Gao Wanli temporarily missing in Wushan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianshou saw the report and understood at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Missing—not confirmed dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then they’d have to search for her first. Though anyone missing for days in Wushan was essentially dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since they had to search first, the deputy position of Zhancheng’s River Administration couldn’t be filled hastily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan was tired of having a deputy who could obstruct him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianshou naturally obliged his trusted subordinate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several days later, Bai Lao personally delivered something to River Works Alley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mao Sishu had made the trip himself, bringing it to Zhancheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan opened it and confirmed: it was the “Dragon Sickness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t help but smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without delay, he fed it directly to Pi Long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After swallowing the Dragon Sickness, Pi Long discovered an unexpected bonus: a Dragon Soul was inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Hongyu never imagined that after escaping from the puppet dragon, he would end up voluntarily feeding himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When alive, Fu Hongyu had cultivated the Dragon Transformation Art to the Fifth Flow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the Dragon Souls in the Fu family were the result of their own cultivation mishaps—not killed by outsiders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who else would dare kill a Fu? Only Xu Yuan could be counted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Hongyu’s Dragon Soul was a great boon to Pi Long, carrying vast experience in cultivating the Dragon Transformation Art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And some of the Fu family’s secrets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In value, this single Dragon Soul matched the Dragon Sickness itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One scheme, double gains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dragon Transformation Fu family: famed for their hospitality—eating you and taking your things!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Hongyu’s level was Fifth Flow. For a normal cultivator of the Dragon Transformation Art, consuming his Dragon Soul would require extreme caution against corruption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The greatest danger in every advancement is one’s own corruption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Daoist methods explain this corruption in terms everyone understands: inner demons arise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether from the Seven Great Sects or countless fringe paths, advancement always means upgrading and transforming one’s life form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment of advancement is the instant this transformation reaches a new state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a world teeming with anomalies, this carries immense risk of corruption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the higher the level, the greater the risk of corruption during advancement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s said that only one or two in ten Fourth-Flowers succeed in ascending to Third Flow!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most Fourth-Flowers lack confidence, so they dare not advance. Being a Fourth-Flower is already above others—why risk it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Specifically for the Dragon Transformation Art, corruption risks stem from two sources.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First: consuming high-level nourishment overwhelms one’s strength and understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>High-level nourishment contains immense power; if it’s a Dragon Soul, it carries countless thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After ingestion and refinement, if either body or soul cannot contain it, one immediately corrupts into an anomaly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, cultivating the Dragon Transformation Art is perilous at every step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Refuse high-level nourishment, and progress slows to a crawl—eventually becoming the nourishment of younger generations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Consume it, fail to contain it, and you become an anomaly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After being captured, Fu Hongyu did not surrender.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Pi Long consumed him, he sensed the creature was only Sixth Flow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he began to stir up trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m certainly doomed—but neither will you escape unscathed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in death, I, Fu Hongyu, will drag you into corruption!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Dragon Soul exploded, countless thoughts spreading outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You, a mere Sixth Flow, dare consume this prince!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His soul must have undergone a strange transformation, then infected his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet unexpectedly, these countless thoughts were soon suppressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The opponent appeared utterly at ease!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Hongyu still retained a sliver of will, staring in utter bewilderment as all his unleashed thoughts were slowly absorbed under the opponent’s control: This shouldn’t be…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, even that final sliver of will was dissolved and absorbed as pure soul energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From then on, Fu Hongyu left not a single trace behind in this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pi Long was merely sixth-rank in the Dragon Transformation Art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Yuan himself was genuinely fifth-rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suppressing a fifth-rank dragon soul was effortless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention his innate Destiny of “Nothing Is Forbidden,” which naturally suppressed strange transformations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After refining this dragon soul, Xu Yuan silently sensed: “Just a little more—Dragon Transformation Art can ascend to fifth-rank.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Xu Yuan shifted his intent, and Pi Long proceeded to refine the “Dragon Sickness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dragonfire rose within Pi Long’s belly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, this artifact had to be burned down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet unexpectedly, though this artifact was sixth-rank, its craftsmanship was exceptionally high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sixth-rank dragonfire burned for a long while, yet the artifact showed no sign of melting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan switched to his own internal fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifth-rank internal fire surged forth, and the artifact could no longer hold out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, it was burned to ash, separating out its various component materials, finally yielding a mass of flesh from some evil dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan now understood: the artisan who forged the “Dragon Sickness” was highly skilled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was capable of crafting a fifth-rank artifact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But fifth-rank artifacts were too heavy—if the user’s level was insufficient, they couldn’t control them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he deliberately used a clever structure to forge it as sixth-rank, greatly reducing its weight without diminishing its power too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is clearly an elder’s favoritism toward his descendants, deliberately lowering the artifact’s rank.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, his internal fire continued burning, refining and absorbing the evil dragon’s flesh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within the flesh were wrapped several shattered scales, bones, and horns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the refining and absorption progressed, Pi Long’s body, buried deep beneath the river’s silt, began extensive growth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood blisters sprouted across every scale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a long string of eerie blood grapes!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And each blister grew rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then all the blisters burst at once, giving birth to hearts, kidneys, livers, and other organs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each organ’s surface bristled with tentacles and fangs!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each organ pulsed with vibrant life!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bringing even more growth…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After refining only three-tenths of the evil dragon’s flesh, Xu Yuan felt Pi Long was about to ascend to fifth-rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This ascent involved the second aspect of the Dragon Transformation Art’s transformation risk:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cognitive Barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To become a dragon, one must, at the deepest level of the mind, truly believe oneself to be a “dragon,” not a human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounds hardly difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, you’re practicing the Dragon Transformation Art—you clearly want to become a dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the deepest layers of one’s subconscious cognition cannot be overturned merely by will.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The instinctive self-perception of being human is innate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It often surfaces unconsciously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, during the ascent to fifth-rank, part of the body transforms into dragon form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either the eyes become strange vertical pupils, or the hands turn into dragon claws, or the legs fuse into a dragon tail, or the entire body is covered in dragon scales.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If a dragon tail forms, every movement—walking, sitting, lying down—must be guided by dragon consciousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, when walking, your first instinct must be: move the tail, glide like a dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if your first instinct is: step forward with your legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That is a cognitive conflict.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it could trigger a transformation directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every practitioner of the Dragon Transformation Art finds crossing this “Cognitive Barrier” immensely difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one were of the Fu family, they had generations of accumulated experience:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon ascending to fifth-rank, one would immediately enter seclusion at home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire body would be bound to a specially crafted bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing needed to be done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Food and drink were fed by others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over months, even years, the practitioner would slowly adapt to handling all matters with a “dragon’s” mindset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Yuan discovered that Pi Long ascended to fifth-rank without any obstacle, and would never suffer a “Cognitive Barrier.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Pi Long was already in dragon form!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real difficulty now was that, during the ingestion of the evil dragon’s flesh, his body had already undergone a degree of transformation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan halted his internal fire, ceasing the refinement of the remaining evil dragon flesh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would refine the rest only after Pi Long suppressed its own transformation—and even then, the remainder could be refined in several stages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan exhaled a long sigh of relief: once Dragon Transformation Art reached fifth-rank, he could return home to help by the Mid-Autumn Festival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Estimating roughly, refining all the remaining evil dragon flesh won’t be enough to push Dragon Transformation Art to fourth-rank.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With only half a year left—can Dragon Transformation Art advance further?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bold ambition stirred in Xu Yuan’s heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fourth-rank would undoubtedly grant far greater control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the River Office, these days were quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the four fourth-rank officers had gathered in force to assault Ghost Witch Mountain and returned in defeat, everyone fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even An Chengyuan, who secretly rejoiced, dared not utter a single mocking word in any setting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The greatest loss was Xu Miao’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had lost the precious artifact “Dragon Sickness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Miao mentioned it pitifully on several occasions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, she was feigning sorrow, hoping the court would compensate her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Luo Gongqiao gave no response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, they had failed—the court’s stance remained unclear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luo Gongqiao dared not make any promises to Xu Miao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei was delighted these days: “You bitch, you tricked me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now look—tried to steal a chicken and lost your rice, hehehe!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xu Ge, come on, tonight’s at Bai Yue Pavilion—I’m treating.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Yuan dared not go; Zhu Zhanmei was still in Zhaicheng, and Xu Yuan felt certain that if he set foot in Bai Yue Pavilion, she’d catch him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was practically a supernatural force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, Zhu Zhanlei had been sneaking around the Purification Office these days, so Xu Yuan kept a tight watch on Da Fu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Absolutely no letting it go out with Zhu Zhanlei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without realizing it, three more days had passed, and Xu Yuan had secretly consumed all of the evil dragon's flesh and blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pi Long’s Dragon Transformation Art stabilized at fifth-rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it still fell far short of Xu Yuan’s ambition for fourth-rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan calculated in his mind: “The ordinary dragon-afflicted evils in the river—no matter how much I feed them, they won’t improve further.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I continue feeding fifth-rank material like the evil dragon’s flesh, I’d need at least eight more pieces.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it were fourth-rank… maybe just one piece would suffice!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But where could he find a fourth-rank? Even if he found one, a dragon-afflicted fourth-rank evil would be stronger than ordinary fourth-rank—he couldn’t defeat it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan couldn’t think of any good solution for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, after Pi Long consumed Fu Hongyu’s dragon soul, it had developed a new strange art:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Shi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Derived from Nian Sheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the fifth-rank, he could now condense three Sheng Shi, each capable of turning any being of sixth-rank or lower into his \"dragon offspring.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This strange art offered little combat enhancement, but its utility was immense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So for these past few days, Xu Yuan had been watching the River Office, searching for someone suitable to turn into his dragon offspring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the River Office, there was now a true mole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But all four fourth-rank officials were still present; Xu Yuan dared not act rashly—what if he was discovered… the consequences would be unimaginable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Xu Yuan had already identified one candidate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The “Water Horse Deputy” of the Zhan City Canal Office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a ninth-rank official; if all officials of the Zhan City Canal Office were ranked, this minor clerk would place seventh or eighth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was an extremely lucrative post.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was responsible for maintaining order along the entire canal dock street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, this Water Horse Deputy, Zhang Tong, could find a way to shut down any shop he disliked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan had never heard of him before, but recently, Yuan Sheng Hao had been constantly harassed by Zhang Tong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Tong commanded a unit of fifty “Water Horse Servants,” all personally recruited by him, not officially part of the Canal Office’s roster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several of them came daily to Yuan Sheng Hao to extort money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Shu had tried various methods, but none worked, so he secretly reported it to the Proprietor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Their appetite keeps growing. A few days ago, five hundred cash would suffice; now they demand two taels of silver.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Shu reported cautiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unable to resolve such a “minor annoyance,” he felt ashamed to report it to the Proprietor, believing it reflected his own incompetence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You need not concern yourself with this. Give them whatever they ask for these next few days.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Shu bowed and replied: “Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yang Shu returned to the shop, he hadn’t reached the door when he heard a loud, arrogant voice berating his clerks: “This front is so messy, so dirty—how is Yuan Sheng Hao managing this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No opening today! Clean the front area!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll inspect again tomorrow!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seal the door shut…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several clerks hurried to block them with their bodies: “Your Excellencies, the front is quite clean—no trash at all…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them, a fat Water Horse Servant with a full beard, sneered and tossed a handful of peanut shells onto the ground: “Who said there’s no trash?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You—” the clerks were furious, some on the verge of losing control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Shu rushed forward and waved his hand at the clerks: “Go back inside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clerks retreated; Yang Shu smiled broadly: “Your Excellencies, please come in for tea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Water Horse Servants entered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After some negotiation, Yang Shu handed over five taels of silver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They took the money and said: “Today, you cannot open. I’ve already announced it on the street—I must save face.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, we’ll do exactly as Your Excellencies say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After seeing off these pests, the clerks boarded up the doors, muttering angrily: “Master, our Proprietor is the Canal Office’s Chief Magistrate—how can we let them bully us like this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Shu smiled mysteriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Water Horse Servants returned to the Canal Office and handed all the silver they collected that day to Zhang Tong in a side courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Tong glanced at it and said: “Each of you take fifty cash.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Your Excellency!” They took the money with grinning faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rest belonged to Zhang Tong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How much did Yuan Sheng Hao pay today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A full five taels, hehe.” The fat, bearded Water Horse Servant beamed with self-congratulatory flattery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Tong was surprised: “You just asked and they gave it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They gave it—didn’t dare make a sound. Your Excellency, I think Xu Yuan understands the situation—he knows that on our turf, even a tiger must lie down, even a dragon must coil.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Tong nodded: “Alright, go now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dismissing his men, Zhang Tong locked all the silver on the table into a cabinet, then rose to visit the Hejian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hejian had been released alongside Gao Wanli.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Excellency, Yuan Sheng Hao is still enduring it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still enduring it? Hmph!” The Hejian sneered. “Demand twenty taels tomorrow! How much can that shop earn in a day? If they endure again, demand a hundred taels the day after!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, I will see this matter through.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the Hejian had been released, his official cap was likely in jeopardy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few days ago, he had cultivated ties with An Chengyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He noticed that Master An held strong dislike for Xu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He intended to seize Xu Yuan’s shop and hand it over to Master An first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In exchange for Master An’s protection, to preserve his own position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An Chengyuan disliked Xu Yuan and never believed Xu Yuan posed any threat to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His rank was roughly equal to Ma Tianshou’s; naturally, he paid no heed to Xu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan waited another day—finally, the imperial decree arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It reprimanded Luo Gongqiao and others, and imposed a three-month salary deduction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, they had lost the battle, but no substantive demotion or punishment was issued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then they were all recalled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Zhanlei, Xu Miao, and the River Camp naturally withdrew as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the case of Ruan Tianye secretly sheltering criminals and assassinating the Crown Princess, the imperial edict made no mention of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evidently, opinions in the court were divided, and further debate would be needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hejian personally saw off An Chengyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The imperial edict made no mention of the Hejian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, Master An had exerted influence behind the scenes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At their farewell, the Hejian quietly presented a generous gift and subtly promised that Xu Yuan’s shop would be transferred to Master An’s steward’s name within no more than a month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Water Horse Servants extorted another twenty taels from Yuan Sheng Hao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Sheng Hao remained closed that day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearby neighbors shook their heads silently: “This shop will change hands.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the mid-afternoon, when the office was idle, Zhang Tong left early, boarded a boat, and crossed the river into Zhan City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then headed straight to Xieliu Alley’s “Jade Pavilion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pavilion’s “Leng Fei” entertained him with wine and merriment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at midnight, Zhang Tong suddenly rose from bed, ignoring all pleas, insisting on returning home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He owned a house in the city, where his wife and children lived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the next morning, Zhang Tong was found dead beside a well two streets away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",3726,"2026-06-20T12:07:25.031Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","32aa54656ed0af48af6d8377e618e86a54d0d01468f8c22baf4428f79e3638b7","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-404","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-402",413,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fnothing-is-taboo-cover.jpg"]