[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-nothing-is-taboo":3,"chapter-nothing-is-taboo-nothing-is-taboo-chapter-78":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},2310463,4514,"Chapter 78: From the Ninth Rank","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-78",78,"\u003Cp>Xu Yuan found a clean, tidy room and lay down to rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This room was also one of the barracks, with a ready-made bed, but the conditions were much like those back in Qihé Terrace Town—hard wooden planks covered with a layer of dry straw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around the hour of Hai, a sudden, piercing scream shattered the silent night!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan identified the location as within Fu Jingyu’s area and stayed still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, chaos erupted outside; Xu Yuan pulled out his red-wood, brass ear scoop and listened, ready to lend support if Fu Jingyu couldn’t handle it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About the time of one incense stick’s burn, Fu Jingyu’s side hadn’t finished, but Xu Yuan heard something strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan rose, slipped out the door silently, and followed the sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A barracks room was wrapped in a bubble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of the heavy rain all day, the moon tonight was bright and clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bubble glowed faintly under the moonlight; even before he approached, Xu Yuan smelled a foul stench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan instinctively rubbed his nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alchemists’ sense of smell is sharper than ordinary people’s—and sometimes it’s a torment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan removed the ear scoop; whether from prolonged wear or something else, it clung stubbornly to his ear—he had to tug hard to pull it free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tucked away the ear scoop, opened his mouth, and spat out his sword pellet, giving it a light thrust—the bubble popped with a sharp crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the barracks, a monster was crouched on a bed, devouring a man; startled, it lifted its head, saw Xu Yuan through the window, and let out a low growl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan beckoned to it with a finger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monster shot through the window in a blur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword pellet hidden beneath the window rose upward, slicing open the monster’s entire abdomen; it tumbled to the ground, and Xu Yuan spat out “Abdominal Fire,” reducing the corpse to ash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a “Wang Liao.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A weak malevolent entity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it had one ability: it could spit out a “snot bubble,” trapping anyone inside in a dreamlike trance, oblivious to the outside world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan entered the barracks; twenty people slept inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One bed was empty—clearly the one the monster had transformed from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man on the neighboring bed had been half-eaten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The others still snored soundly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan arrived just in time; otherwise, everyone in this room would have been devoured one by one by the Wang Liao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the next room, then the one after that…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wang Liao had an enormous appetite and could feed without pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After consuming a hundred people, a human face would grow on its body, granting it a new “malevolent technique.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After consuming two hundred, a second face would grow, granting another “malevolent technique.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the history of the Imperial Ming, the Wang Liao with the most faces ever captured had thirty!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Human faces crowded densely along both sides of its body; its “malevolent techniques” came endlessly—three Fifth-Rank officials from the Purification Office had to be deployed to kill it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan sighed, burned the corpse, then turned to look at Fu Jingyu’s side—Fu Jingyu had already dealt with his malevolent entity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such transformations caused by malevolent corruption were never initially strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, Xu Yuan handled two malevolent entities; Fu Jingyu dealt with four.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At dawn, Xu Yuan checked the almanac: today’s prohibitions: moon-watching, night travel, woodcutting, marriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan’s expression changed: a night prohibiting night travel also prohibited moon-watching!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tonight was extremely inauspicious; relying solely on himself and Fu Jingyu was impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan found Fu Jingyu in the military fortress; seeing Xu Yuan’s expression, Fu Jingyu smiled: “Relax—the Purification Office’s reinforcements will arrive today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan felt uneasy instead: the more absolute the assurance, the more likely something will go wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two set off together to meet Ma Tianshou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the inn, only Song Lu was there; half her limbs had already grown over, and she felt too ugly to show herself, speaking through the door: “Master left for the Chen household early this morning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Lu likely didn’t want her childhood friend and senior brother to see her monstrous appearance—it had nothing to do with Xu Yuan, a poor boy from a small county.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Jingyu frowned: “Why did Master go to the Chen household?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To demand accountability.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Jingyu was even more confused; he grabbed Xu Yuan and hurried to Wangjing Ward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We all know Chen Liangxuan did it, but we have no proof. Master isn’t impulsive…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Jingyu worried all the way; when they reached the Chen household in Wangjing Ward, they saw white mourning cloth draped everywhere, the courtyard filled with wailing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Lao sat with Ma Tianshou at a morning snack stall at the alley entrance outside the main gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianshou’s face was grim; seeing Fu Jingyu and Xu Yuan, his expression eased slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master.” Fu Jingyu bowed; Ma Tianshou waved him off, glanced at the Chen household’s main gate, and gritted his teeth: “That old bastard—his scheme failed, and he killed himself out of fear!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan vaguely guessed it was his fourth uncle who did it, but he wouldn’t tell outsiders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianshou said: “I didn’t come today to arrest Chen Liangxuan—I came to make the Chen family pay silver first. Those thousands of refugees need food and shelter rebuilt—he won’t dare refuse!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan’s eyes flickered: “Old Lord, isn’t it harder to ask now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianshou glared: “Why would it be harder? Chen Liangxuan committed such atrocities—he thinks death lets him off? Dream on!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan immediately raised his thumb; he truly liked this old lord’s temperament.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Death extinguishes a lamp? What nonsense—this is a world of malevolence; death rarely brings peace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You commit such crimes, then die and call it quits?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And your descendants, your wife, your sister-in-law, keep enjoying the people’s blood and sweat in comfort?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s far too generous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Tianshou finished his breakfast in three bites, slapped his hands, wiped his mouth, and stood: “Let’s go pay our respects to our late Lord Chen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He added to Fu Jingyu and Xu Yuan: “You two stay behind—this is a task that invites enmity. You’re still young. Go to the south gate; the office’s reinforcements should arrive this morning. Jingyu, take Xiao Xu to meet them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four parted ways, but the Zhijiao South Office’s reinforcements didn’t arrive that morning; Xu Yuan and Fu Jingyu waited in vain at the south gate all day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At noon, the two returned to the inn for lunch; Ma Tianshou finally couldn’t hold back: “Xiao Xu, would you like to join our Purification Office? Your merits will be rewarded by the court; I can offer you the post of Jianxiao—rank from nine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last time he mentioned it, it was “Banshan Captain”—unranked. This time, it was “Jianxiao”—rank from nine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The offer grew higher each time; the old lord was desperate for talent, and Xu Yuan had proven himself worth it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuan hesitated; Ma Tianshou pressed further: “Though both are imperial duties, being ranked versus unranked… the difference is immense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The court’s civil and military officials’ ranks directly affect their cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Look at Chen Liangxuan—his innate talent wasn’t great; his limit should’ve been Seventh-Rank. But he once held a Fourth-Rank post, so at his peak, he was a Fifth-Rank Civil Wu Xiu!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man with superior talent would’ve reached at least Fourth-Rank.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after Chen Lao Ye was demoted and later retired to his hometown, the court’s “protection” vanished, and his level plummeted back to Seventh-Rank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seems like double moon tickets?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1263,"2026-06-20T12:07:23.516Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d4e28129a0b3a2f5ea4a9eff21994e564d61c70253fc095876a5830ce96261a7","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-79","nothing-is-taboo-chapter-77",413,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fnothing-is-taboo-cover.jpg"]