[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-nothing-is-taboo":3,"chapter-nothing-is-taboo-nothing-is-taboo-chapter-6":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},2310391,4514,"Chapter 6: Belly Fire","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-6",6,"\u003Cp>Of course it's expensive!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You think one silver bean is enough to buy a Life Cultivator’s life?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is “coercive buying and selling”—the Law Art cannot be fulfilled, and due to the huge price discrepancy, it violently backlashed against the Law Cultivator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan precisely understood this, which is why he took the Law Cultivator’s life-money without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Alchemy Cultivator rushed forward without delay, spat twice into his palm: “Pfft! Pfft!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spittle splashed out sparks!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two balls of flame ignited swiftly on his palms; the Alchemy Cultivator swung both hands and slammed toward Xu Yuan!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Alchemy Cultivator refines pills using a “belly fire,” and can also spit out this [belly fire] to attack enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this Alchemy Cultivator is unrefined—his [belly fire] has not yet formed; he can only summon flame to cling to his palms and amplify his power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan leapt onto a nearby boulder; the Alchemy Cultivator chased after him and slammed both palms onto the rock, leaving two charred handprints!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Alchemy Cultivator’s “fire” naturally suppresses many evil spirits; something lurking unseen in the forest, upon seeing this fire, swiftly retreated with rustling sounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan looked down from above, suddenly pulled out the bamboo cage, and tossed it straight over the Alchemy Cultivator’s head: “There!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bamboo cage fell through the air; the Alchemy Cultivator looked up, saw a small bamboo trap meant for catching insects, sneered, and slapped it with his palm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flames roared on his palm, ready to engulf the tiny cage and burn it to ash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the cage suddenly opened—it was small, yet surprisingly elastic!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bamboo slats stretched, widening the gaps between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, these gaps were tiny to prevent insects from escaping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, to trap a person, wider gaps were no problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the small bamboo cage instantly expanded to the size of half a room; the Alchemy Cultivator, head tilted upward, slapped upward—seen from afar, it looked exactly as if he had voluntarily stepped into the cage!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhh—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cage descended, enclosing the Alchemy Cultivator inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Alchemy Cultivator paid no mind; he split his hands and unleashed flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bamboo slats were thin and delicate, easily snapped by hand; with fire, they would surely turn to ash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the result was utterly unlike what the Alchemy Cultivator expected—the bamboo slats, beneath his [belly fire], became as hard as steel, glowing red-hot yet refusing to ignite!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pushed his hands apart, yet the bamboo slats did not break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worse still, the cage contracted inward; the sharp tips of the bamboo slats pierced his body from impossible angles!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cage shrank tighter, and the bamboo slats drove deeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bamboo slats, seared red-hot by his own [belly fire], pierced his flesh, scorching his skin into sizzling smoke, releasing the stench of burning pig hair…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, each bamboo slat pierced not at random—it struck precisely at acupoints or severed specific meridians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This could not be coincidence!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Alchemy Cultivator froze in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two bamboo slats aimed at his eyes; four others crossed through his mouth—he could not speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wounded Law Cultivator stared wide-eyed: “Y-you… you’re a Craft Cultivator!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan was certainly not a Craft Cultivator—his stepmother was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When his stepmother drove Xu Yuan out of the house, she had to give him something for protection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This cage, let alone being unrefined, could not be damaged even by a seventh-rank Alchemy Cultivator’s [belly fire].\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even a seventh-rank Wu Xiu’s “copper skin, iron bones” would be pierced instantly by these bamboo slats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan walked toward the Law Cultivator, who shrank back in terror: “Y-you don’t come near!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, in both their “green lives,” the crimson omens nearly completely drowned out their original life-colors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan compared the Law Cultivator and the Alchemy Cultivator repeatedly, then pulled out the skin he had shed and stuffed the Alchemy Cultivator inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan was sixteen, still growing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Alchemy Cultivator was taller and somewhat fat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan had to use some “family techniques” to squeeze him in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This technique? He learned it before the New Year from his stepmother—her hometown had the custom of slaughtering pigs and stuffing sausages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, since his stepmother came into the family, Xu Yuan’s food and drink had greatly improved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Law Cultivator watched, chilled to the bone—not because of Xu Yuan’s “family technique,” for he had done similar things himself many times; in this era, it was nothing unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What terrified him was… that skin was clearly this boy’s own!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do people shed skin?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had never heard of any cultivation sect possessing such a method!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could this fellow have already become a malevolent spirit, lurking in Qihetai Town?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his appearance seemed too lifelike to be one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-what are you doing?” The Law Cultivator’s voice trembled; the magical backlash grew stronger, leaving him weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan glanced at him and pointed to the nearby boulder: “Stand under that, and I’ll tell you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Law Cultivator instinctively thought: Don’t go!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This boy is going to attack me!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he knew his current state meant escape was unlikely, anyone facing death will struggle desperately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Law Cultivator dashed without hesitation in the opposite direction—straight into the forest!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhh-shhh-shhh…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dense, strange sound erupted in the forest, followed by the Law Cultivator’s screams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Snake Vines had finally feasted!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, the Snake Vines had always wanted to eat Xu Yuan, but felt tricked—seeing a piece of meat, only to find it was a piece of ginger when they bit down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan didn’t repeat the mistake of the big man—he waited until the sounds ceased, then smeared his body with realgar powder and walked into the forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Snake Vines had grown utterly disgusted with this guy—always using this stuff against us!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet we had no way to stop it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We’re snakes—how could we not fear realgar?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Snake Vines hissed and retreated swiftly into the forest’s depths, then raised their heads among the trees and brush, hissing warnings at Xu Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan ignored them; after checking, he found only a white skeleton left in the forest, still stained with blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All flesh, organs, and viscera had been devoured by the Snake Vines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bag lay on the ground; Xu Yuan picked it up—it was full of money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One small gold ingot, about five taels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two ten-tael silver ingots, plus ten pieces of assorted silver scraps and silver beans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also dozens of copper coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All were the Law Cultivator’s “life-money.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan took it all without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time Xu Yuan stepped out of the forest, the skin and the Alchemy Cultivator inside had shrunk into a single plaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like the dog-skin plaster sold by Uncle Shen next door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Uncle Shen’s products were cheap and plentiful, packed thick with medicinal paste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This one contained only a thin layer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan suddenly realized the comparison was inappropriate—this was my own skin; how could it be a dog-skin plaster?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan stuck the plaster onto his navel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thin layer of paste visibly absorbed rapidly; soon, Xu Yuan felt a fire rise in his belly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Alchemy Cultivator’s [belly fire]!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, Xu Yuan was not only a Life Cultivator—he was also an Alchemy Cultivator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This shed skin was not waste; it had another use: “refinement.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he shed this skin, Xu Yuan already knew it had additional uses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But one skin could be used only once—each shed skin had different effects; what the next skin would do, Xu Yuan did not yet know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the time, Xu Yuan had sensed: this June insect was no ordinary Life Cultivator’s medicine ingredient!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had never before heard that a Life Cultivator could possess a life-pattern immune to evil corruption, nor that a Life Cultivator could shed skin…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1297,"2026-06-20T12:07:23.516Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","26edc88ed7a18f954428b03ca6756b4ec188c2de86ac1a00e538597ac625c8b8","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-7","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-5",413,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fnothing-is-taboo-cover.jpg"]