[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-nothing-is-taboo":3,"chapter-nothing-is-taboo-nothing-is-taboo-chapter-41":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},2310426,4514,"Chapter 41: The Ghost Hanging Behind","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-41",41,"\u003Cp>The entire study was divided into two sections by a screen painted with a lady, and the half facing the door held a square table, a side table, and a luohan bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The side table leaned against the west wall, bearing an incense burner and a pair of vases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan fixed his gaze on the pair of vases.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About a foot tall, with slender necks and rounded bellies, they were only large enough to hold one or two plum blossoms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sinew rope released from his hand thinned to the width of a hair, slipped through the door crack, lightly touched one vase—and the vase swayed slightly, showing no anomaly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan turned to the other vase; as soon as he touched it, a sinister emerald glow erupted within!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan flicked his wrist swiftly—the sinew rope coiled into a knot and thudded shut the vase’s mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thing inside was about to surge out and unleash its fury—but was slammed back by a strange object, neither soft nor hard, yet both soft and hard, seemingly soft yet actually rigid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stuck halfway out, the thing writhed in agony, furious, its evil light blazing like fire; the vase shook violently on the side table, clinking sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan tossed all remaining sinew rope inside—the rope hissed and tightly bound the vase to the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how much the thing inside struggled, it made no sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan exhaled the fire from his dantian, melting the copper lock on the door, then gently pushed it open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vase was likely a treasure of a Spirit Cultivator, containing a yin soldier, now sealed shut by Xu Yuan’s swift action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After entering, Xu Yuan conducted a quick inspection—this study held only this one trap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did he dare to search thoroughly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He soon found an iron box hidden in a compartment of the bookshelf; inside was gunpowder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Further searching revealed a special set of brushes and ink—cultivator tools of a Literary Cultivator; Master Qiao had not taken them to Qihetown, perhaps because they were inconvenient to carry, or perhaps Qihetown had its own set.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elsewhere, in an ancient book, he found four calligraphy slips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two bore the character “Seal,” each targeting a Law Cultivator and a Spirit Cultivator respectively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One bore the character “Arrow,” covered densely with hundreds of “arrow” characters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last was a tiny slip, no bigger than a palm, easy to conceal, inscribed in bold, ancient Daoist script with four baffling characters: Dragon Essence, Tiger Vigor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan stared at this slip for a long while, deeply puzzled: Why had Master Qiao written this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What use could it serve?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He bundled everything—including the vase—together and slipped out the way he came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time he left Wangjing Alley, it was late; Xu Yuan hurried back to Jinzhuang Building, where he had left his original clothes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He retrieved them and changed out of the ones he wore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Returning in this outfit, his stepmother would surely pinch his ear and scold him for wasting money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Jinzhuang Building clerk’s expression turned sour; when Xu Yuan emerged dressed in his old clothes, the clerk said bluntly: “Sir, once you’ve worn our garments, we do not accept returns or exchanges.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man bought a fresh set of fine clothes, returned within an hour, and carried a heavy bundle!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did he do? Need I say?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan waved his hand: “No return.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good, the clerk’s face instantly brightened; he bowed warmly to see Xu Yuan out, then added: “Sir, fifty steps left from here is a pawnshop. If you have anything inconvenient to sell...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan stepped out and walked straight ahead without looking back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time Xu Yuan returned via the East Gate; Mao Sishu had just come back, his back bent under a load of carpentry tools; he had opened his shop door and was organizing his wares.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle Mao.” Xu Yuan greeted warmly; Mao Sishu saw him, and the worry etched in his wrinkles dissolved into rare, genuine joy: “You’re back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Uncle, how’s business lately?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mao Sishu suddenly frowned: “Don’t move.” He fixed his gaze on Xu Yuan, then with a palm-sized hand, precisely pulled a chisel and hammer from a tattered satchel at his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He swung and struck sharply at the empty space behind Xu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan felt dazed, as if a shrill ghostly wail had echoed behind his ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cold wind swept behind him—something fled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan turned—nothing was visible; cold sweat broke out on his back: Careless!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When had it been watching him? When had it hung behind him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Ghost Witch Mountain he was constantly alert; after returning to the city, feeling safe, he’d grown lax.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mao Sishu put away his tools: “A greedy ghost. These things are hardest to detect. You... showed off wealth?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan thought—it must have been at Jinzhuang Building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he was about to answer, Mao Sishu waved him off: “Forget it, I won’t ask. Go home quickly—your stepmother’s probably waiting impatiently.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was Mao Sishu’s nature: if you asked him for help, he’d act without hesitation; but if you didn’t explain why, he’d never pry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Uncle.” Xu Yuan bade him farewell and stepped into the alley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan’s courtyard had been carved out of an old stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stage stood three stories tall, with a small square in front; this courtyard had once been part of that square, and Xu Yuan’s grandfather had partitioned off this small patch and built two rooms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had lived there ever since.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just got back and you’re off again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scent of food and his stepmother’s complaints drifted from inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wash your hands and eat!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dinner: four dishes, one soup, red bean rice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For two people, this meal was lavish—clearly to celebrate Xu Yuan’s return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the table, indeed, was a dish of winter bamboo shoots stir-fried with cured pork.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan sat down happily and began eating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His stepmother chewed her chopsticks, wanting to warn him to pause cultivation of the Alchemy Path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she reconsidered—she had no solution yet; telling him would only worry him pointlessly, so she held her tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, she took out The Five Cauldrons Cooking and handed it to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wang Shen gave this to you. Study it diligently, don’t slack off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan knew this cultivation method; holding it felt unusually heavy: “Wang Shen gave me this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His stepmother drew a breath, solemn: “Remember this debt. When she passes, you will wear mourning for her and bury her properly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan nodded seriously: “Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His stepmother paused, then added: “Your gunpowder inner elixir... seems problematic. For now, stick to external elixirs in Alchemy. Focus your main efforts on Life Cultivation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan nodded in agreement; his inner elixir was powerful, but he hadn’t told her all the details.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His inner elixir constantly depleted—its danger level would gradually decrease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Requesting monthly votes!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1160,"2026-06-20T12:07:23.516Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","333114c644ec401d2cd5512415f92bf2a6ee37ce7657f3df13b02cce9ff53a2f","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-42","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-40",413,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fnothing-is-taboo-cover.jpg"]