[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-nothing-is-taboo":3,"chapter-nothing-is-taboo-nothing-is-taboo-chapter-72":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},2310457,4514,"Chapter 72: Caught","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-72",72,"\u003Cp>Xu Yuan’s face showed no sign of discouragement; instead, he sprinted toward a certain location at top speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then a long rope flew from his hand and plunged into the flesh carpet with a soft thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flesh carpet writhed wildly, trying to absorb the beast-tendon rope into itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it discovered that something always remained between the rope and itself, preventing true “contact.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tip of the beast-tendon rope was wrapped in a “skin dantian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The skin dantian could repel blades and swords, and also resist corrupting influences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beast-tendon rope plunged downward rapidly; Master Gao’s face lost its composure, tinged with confusion and a hint of panic as he shouted: “What are you doing?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan ignored it; the beast-tendon rope slithered like a spirit snake through the flesh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, Xu Yuan fixed his “Viewing Fate” gaze tightly on that patch of flesh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since standing outside the bloody mist, Xu Yuan had already observed it with “Viewing Fate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the strange had a “fate,” but this strange’s fate was peculiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vast anomaly had only a thin, slender thread of fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Xu Yuan stepped into the bloody mist and saw the flesh idol, he understood: that thin thread of fate was hidden deep within the flesh idol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, the key to resolving this anomaly lay in some object buried deep inside the flesh idol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan did not act directly; he tried to extract that object from the flesh idol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That would surely fail and expose his intentions prematurely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, after careful preparation, he had finally created an opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the flesh carpet, the flesh constantly writhed, shifting the clay statue to evade the rope’s grasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the speed of the flesh’s writhing was ultimately slow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of new tentacles sprouted across the flesh carpet, frenziedly biting at the tendon rope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan spat out his sword pellet and swiftly severed the tentacles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, the beast-tendon rope coiled around his right arm; in one hand he held a small knife, in the other a three-eyed pistol, both deployed with all his strength to block and protect the rope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beast-tendon rope slithered like a serpent, feinting and striking, tightly entangling the clay statue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan roared and pulled his arm upward with all his might.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flesh carpet clung desperately to the clay statue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both sides struggled against each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flesh carpet was massive and far stronger; its three-li expanse gripped the earth firmly. For Xu Yuan to pull out the statue, he would have to uproot the entire mass from the ground!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet on the beast-tendon rope, the skin dantian suddenly extended, enveloping the clay statue!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The statue instantly separated from the flesh carpet!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like a tug-of-war rope snapping—Xu Yuan was flung backward, carrying the beast-tendon rope and the statue, flying dozens of zhang before regaining his footing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan did not pause; the beast-tendon rope retracted, drawing the clay statue to his front.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened his mouth: huuu—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fire roared from his abdomen!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clay statue twisted in agony, turning from hard clay into a soft lump, constantly shifting to evade the flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flesh carpet curled and flattened, like a thick dough skin being mercilessly kneaded by invisible hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As time passed, decay began to appear on the flesh carpet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once it started, it became uncontrollable; vast patches of decay spread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dark red, writhing flesh turned black-gray, losing all vitality, then stiffened, dried, and finally shattered into charcoal-like fragments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Gao’s face remained on the flesh carpet, like a leaf adrift on a stormy sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was tossed up and slammed down; neither the storm nor the ocean cared for such a leaf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Master Gao’s face, not a trace of arrogance or mockery remained—only terror, fury, and disbelief: “How could this happen?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no explanation for this!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This boy is at most an eighth-rate…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More than half of the three-li flesh carpet had decayed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the things swallowed by the flesh carpet began to fall out—such as the harquebus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The range of the bloody mist shrank drastically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remaining corrupted flesh gathered into a single massive blood-serpent, lunging at Xu Yuan in midair, trying to reclaim the clay statue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The county yamen had long since become ruins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every strike from the Ten-Zhang Evil sent tremors through the entire ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Ming subjects held an innate reverence for the “county yamen”; no residents lived within twenty zhang of it, yet hundreds of houses farther away had already collapsed from the shaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless people would be homeless after this night!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianshou’s vision swam with golden stars; his arms were numb, sustained only by sheer willpower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His arms and legs, his clothes, had long since torn into ragged strips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every step Ma Tianshou took felt as if iron and lead had been poured into his legs—heavy and stiff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianshou felt he might collapse under the next strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rain had lessened; Ma Tianshou saw Master Ji standing atop a distant rooftop, sword on back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Ji did not come to help Ma Tianshou and end him quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He dared not, because the Ten-Zhang Evil was “indiscriminate”—if he approached, the Evil would strike him too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chen Liangxuan is truly a traitor to the nation!” Ma Tianshou seethed inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he unleashed the Ten-Zhang Evil to sacrifice tens of thousands of innocent townsfolk?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old magistrate summoned his last strength, raising the guillotine—before him, the Ten-Zhang Evil charged on horseback, its massive iron sword descending heavily from above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRASH!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianshou suddenly felt something was wrong: this strike’s power was much weaker…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Ma Tianshou saw the Ten-Zhang Evil suddenly withdraw its sword; its iron steed galloped, flames surging, racing toward the city’s outskirts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What happened?” The old magistrate paused in confusion, then suddenly realized: “Master Yan has succeeded!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now is the time to pursue and harass the Evil, preventing its easy escape!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianshou heaved the dog-head guillotine, summoning his last courage to chase—then stumbled, his back’s “strength” talisman exploding into fragments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dog-head guillotine crashed down, thudding heavily and pinning the poor old magistrate beneath it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cough, cough, cough…” Ma Tianshou coughed blood, sighing helplessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Jingyu hurried over and lifted the dog-head guillotine off his master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Ji stood atop the rooftop, his eyes flickering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a perfect chance—kill Ma Tianshou!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Jingyu moved the guillotine away but did not help his master up; instead, he stood beside the guillotine, gripping its handle with both hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he gazed calmly and resolutely at Master Ji.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Jingyu was not badly wounded; he still had the strength to lift the dog-head guillotine and fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Ji hesitated, leapt from the rooftop, and strode toward Fu Jingyu; Fu Jingyu raised both hands— Ca —the thick blade rose, its edge flashing brilliant white light, sweeping across Master Ji’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Ji’s eyes narrowed slightly; his pace slowed, finally stopping twenty zhang away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Jingyu stood calm and steady, like a thousand-zhang ancient abyss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Ji stared for a moment, then turned abruptly and strode after the Ten-Zhang Evil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianshou smiled, blood seeping from his lips: “He’s grown old, no longer the fierce warrior of his prime!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Jingyu released his grip, his body collapsing from exhaustion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guillotine fell; Fu Jingyu collapsed too—Ma Tianshou strained every last ounce of strength to pull his student back, or else Fu Jingyu’s torso would have been sliced in half by the blade!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Failing to slay the Evil, yet killing an official first… this would be a major scandal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Please vote for monthly tickets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1275,"2026-06-20T12:07:23.516Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","2e57b3258648a1bc14808ff3e27748b6e682e3321b2df46fca888587be902cfa","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-73","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-71",413,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fnothing-is-taboo-cover.jpg"]