[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-nothing-is-taboo":3,"chapter-nothing-is-taboo-nothing-is-taboo-chapter-63":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},2310448,4514,"Chapter 63: Mr. Gao","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-63",63,"\u003Cp>Someone like Mr. Gao can only be used once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lives alone in a small courtyard in northern Cheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He is not under Master Qiao’s command—he comes from the Northern Capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Chen Liangxuan explained the situation, Mr. Gao extended two fingers and said, “Two things. First, since we’ve moved, we must send word to the Northern Capital—their follow-up arrangements must begin immediately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The message has already been sent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second, today’s weather is perfect—but to perform the ritual, I need five human lives.” He emphasized: “They must be Ming subjects!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Chen agreed without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The servants of the Chen household treaded carefully for two full days, yet still could not escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Chen returned from an outing, entered the gate, and found some flimsy excuse to fly into a rage—he had five servants beaten to death in succession!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The front courtyard reeked of blood, and even heavy rain could not wash it away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a few elderly stewards inside the household suspected something, but dared not speak out: all those beaten to death were Ming subjects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiaozhi Province has been conquered for over a century; the local natives have been fully sinicized—they speak Chinese and use Chinese characters—but Ming subjects and local natives still differ greatly in treatment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially for a retired Ming official like our master, who in the past clearly favored local natives when punishing servants—those punished were always locals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time… why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A carriage rolled into River Works Alley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carriages in Jiaozhi are mostly woven bamboo bodies with thin wooden roofs, lacquered in dark paint—light, cool, and waterproof.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now the season is late autumn, and in recent years, Jiaozhi’s autumn and winter have grown increasingly cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Lao sat inside the carriage, outside which a fine rain moistened the vehicle’s surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thin chill seeped in; Yan Lao pulled his padded Daoist robe tighter, muttering to himself: old man, can’t take the cold anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last night, Yan Lao and Ma Tianshou discussed and analyzed the case—the broad outline had emerged:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mastermind appears to be Chen Liangxuan; the executor is Qiao Zia’ang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiao Zia’ang is a pawn long planted in Qihetai Town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, no matter what methods or hidden artisan weapons he possessed, a mere ninth-rank literary cultivator could never have monopolized Qihetai Town’s interests for so long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because behind him stood Master Chen, and the power Master Chen represented, ready to handle any trouble Qiao Zia’ang encountered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, evidence to implicate Chen Liangxuan is insufficient, so we must return to the true “epicenter” of the case—Qihetai Town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More precisely: Ghost Witch Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This morning, Ma Tianshou ordered Fu Jingyu to prepare for departure, and sent Yan Lao to invite Xu Yuan to the county yamen “for further discussion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the young man wants to bargain, give him some benefits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, Ma Tianshou trusts Xu Yuan—and the unfathomable strength behind him in River Works Alley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, to reach Ghost Witch Mountain, Xu Yuan is indeed needed as a guide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then it started raining, so they couldn’t set out—they had to wait and see if the rain would stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Lao volunteered: “I’ll go fetch Xu Yuan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rain is light; traveling within the city should be safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianshou agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Lao arrived at the alley and knocked on the courtyard gate; Xu Yuan opened it, holding an umbrella.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Lao saw at once—it was the same umbrella Xu Yuan held when he killed the two seventh-rank cultivators yesterday!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an artisan weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So cautious?” Yan Lao teased. Xu Yuan invited him in: “On a day like this, why have you come, Elder?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t come in,” Yan Lao said. “Lock the gate, get in the carriage—I’m taking you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan shook his head under the umbrella: “I’m not going. Today is inauspicious to leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One stood inside the gate, one outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Lao clarified further: “The old lord summoned you specifically. You can voice your thoughts to him now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan understood perfectly, but still shook his head: “Elder Yan, I’m not leaving today. Qiao Zia’ang’s accomplices will strike again today!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Lao said, “I’ll protect you—what’s to fear? Once we reach the yamen, the old lord is there—no need to worry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan gazed at him quietly: Yesterday, it was you who escorted me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Lao’s face flushed; he coughed twice and said, “Fine then—I’ll come in for some tea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Lao left the carriage and walked toward the courtyard; Xu Yuan held the umbrella for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Lao leaned into the shelter, reaching to grip the umbrella handle together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His aged, spotted hand, mere moments before touching the handle, suddenly transformed into a dozen fleshy tendrils—half wrapped tightly around Xu Yuan’s umbrella-holding hand, the other half lashing swiftly toward his chest!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan was caught off guard; his right hand and the umbrella were bound fast by seven or eight fleshy tendrils. Thick yin energy surged from them, instantly staining his arm a dark, bluish-black.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seven or eight tendrils aimed at his chest pierced through his clothes and touched his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Yuan’s face showed no panic—only the same polite, welcoming smile. “Try mine,” he said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Xu Yuan’s left hand, a flexible, supple “tendril” whipped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swish!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan’s tendril swiftly coiled around “Yan Lao.” The beast-sinew rope tightened—“Yan Lao’s” skin split open, revealing dark red flesh beneath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Xing Guolong severed the beast-sinew rope, Xu Yuan reclaimed and re-refined it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flesh monster beneath the “Yan Lao” skin frantically drove its tendrils forward—but found them blocked by something supple at Xu Yuan’s chest, unable to penetrate an inch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tendrils binding Xu Yuan’s arm felt the same—something seemed to lie between them and his skin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That morning, Xu Yuan had sensed something amiss, so he returned to refine the beast-hide he’d consumed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The range of the hide-dan had expanded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it could be split into parts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the instant “Yan Lao” struck, half the hide-dan became a glove, the other half shielded his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the sinew-dan trapped the flesh monster, Xu Yuan opened his mouth: Huh—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His belly-fire blasted forth, striking the flesh monster’s face at less than three feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The skin instantly turned to ash—it was a painting, depicting Yan Lao’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A literary cultivator’s ink-and-brush technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flesh monster writhed in roaring flames, rapidly melting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pretending to be a familiar to ambush a life cultivator is not impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, a life cultivator cannot keep “Seeing Life” active forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Xu Yuan, seeing the rain, sensed trouble—and grew extra cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he opened the gate, he used “Seeing Life” for one glance—sure enough, it wasn’t Elder Yan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flesh monster was already half-burned; the carriage driver outside spun the vehicle, aiming the rear at the courtyard gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Splash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The light body of the carriage was ripped off—a black, hollow tube pointed at Xu Yuan!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As thick as a baby’s fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The carriage’s shaft was, in truth, a disguised shoulder gun!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And unquestionably, a “New Artisan” creation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A shoulder gun normally requires one man to carry it and another to fire—but mounted on a carriage, it was perfect!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A burst of flame erupted from the barrel; the report was deafening, as if a bolt of heaven’s thunder had struck the alley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1214,"2026-06-20T12:07:23.516Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","5a03b41759326a3eaa1952dfdb89c95d0c8515c09788ecd0dbfb14d65f31de43","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-64","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-62",413,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fnothing-is-taboo-cover.jpg"]