Chapter 045: Do Not Recklessly Sample the Treacherous Soil of the Mountains

What on earth is this monstrous thing? How could this be a master—it’s nothing short of a fiend!

Yang Tianshu stared at Wu Liangjin in terror. The moment Wu removed his mask, a blood-red tongue, long as a satin ribbon, unfurled from his mouth. The tongue was nearly as wide at the top as the bottom, though the lower half was tinged with black, and it dangled all the way down to his abdomen.

Wu Liangjin, in that instant, looked like a hanged ghost—strange and horrifying beyond words.

Yang Tianshu was so startled that he instinctively tried to flee by pushing open the door. Earlier, when the driver mentioned “Wu the Big Tongue,” Yang had assumed it meant Wu was simply a bit tongue-tied or spoke indistinctly, hence the nickname. But now, he realized Wu Liangjin truly lived up to his name—he was the Big Tongue, in the most literal sense.

“Hey, hey… Don’t go, kid! Don’t be afraid. Your friend Chen Feng has seen me too. I just look a bit scary, but I don’t eat people—what’s there to fear?”

Though Wu Liangjin tried to smile as he spoke, the effect only made him more grotesque and frightening.

Yang Tianshu’s mind was blank with terror. Only one thought remained: run.

But just as he was about to step out, Wu Liangjin seized him by the leg. In the next instant, that long tongue wrapped around Yang Tianshu’s waist and pulled him in.

Yang Tianshu had no chance to resist; he was drawn straight into Wu’s arms. Now, he trembled uncontrollably, and his mind began conjuring dreadful visions of being devoured alive.

Yet, Wu Liangjin did not, in fact, stuff him into his mouth with his tongue. Instead, he drew the tongue back and said with a smile, “Child, as I told you, my profession is called a Taster of Mountains. My tongue wasn’t always like this, nor am I any kind of monster. It’s only because I’ve practiced this trade for so many years that my tongue gradually grew longer until it became what you see now. It’s not my fault!”

Still shaken, Yang Tianshu curled up on the seat like a frightened rabbit, inching away as he muttered, “What… what is a Taster of Mountains? I’ve never heard of such a thing. What exactly do you do? Why did you become like this?”

Wu Liangjin tried to appear as friendly as possible, his tone gentle, but Yang Tianshu remained wary, swallowing hard as he studied the man.

Wu Liangjin kept his smile and continued, “Don’t be afraid, really—it’s common that you’ve never heard of my profession.

But I assure you, I’m no villain. In fact, I’m the only one who can help you grow taller.

Since my grandfather’s day, our family has been famous in these parts as Tasters of Mountains. As the name suggests, we tell the quality of a mountain—its slope, environment, earth veins, and the flow of its geomancy—all by tasting the soil.

In the old days, my grandfather often teamed up with those tomb raiders, seeking out treasures. You should know, our family’s ancestral skill was even more effective than what you see on television. If you wanted to find a prime burial spot, we could do it with ease!”

“Uh... But if you’re a Taster of Mountains, what does that have to do with growing taller?” Yang Tianshu was even more uneasy as Wu Liangjin’s story took a mystical turn.

“Don’t interrupt, let me finish. Later on, as the authorities tightened control, the profession became less viable. My grandfather was eventually caught and died in prison because of tomb raiding.

So, when it came to my father’s time, he stopped all that and became a geomancer, helping people find auspicious sites for burial. It wasn’t as lucrative, but we amassed a decent sum. Eventually, my father passed the art down to me. I traveled the country, helping people choose burial spots and geomantic sites.

At first, I made some money and life was good. But, alas, I fell for a deceitful woman. In less than a year, she swindled away all my savings and family inheritance, and I was forced to return home, holed up in this old house.”

Wu Liangjin’s expression grew somber as he spoke.

While he blamed the woman for his loss, Yang Tianshu found the rickshaw driver’s version more credible. After all, Wu’s face bore the stubbornness and resentment of a gambler, which wasn’t hidden even as he reminisced. Wu Liangjin picked up a chicken bone from the table, poked at his teeth, and went on:

“Back home, I started tasting the nearby mountains, hoping to find a lucrative tomb and revive the family trade.

‘Tasting fresh,’ as we call it, means sampling the soil to assess the mountain’s age, quality, and formation. But during one such tasting, I came upon an interesting mountain—the one right behind my house, Old Nest Mountain, also known as Gashi Mountain.

It’s a fascinating place. My first taste didn’t reveal anything unusual, except that the soil and terrain were ideal for mushrooms, but unsuitable for burials or the formation of favorable dragon veins.

So, I was disappointed and soon left the mountain. After all, my goal was to find a valuable tomb, not to pick mushrooms. That was beneath me.

So, I gave up on that mountain and went to others. Out of habit, I kept a lump of that sweet-tasting soil from Old Nest Mountain in my mouth as I walked home, savoring it until it dissolved.

What I didn’t expect was that the next morning, as I got up to drink water, my mouth felt swollen and uncomfortable, as if stuffed with cotton.

I licked my lips and realized, to my shock, that my tongue could now reach up to my upper lip.

Rushing to a mirror, I was astonished to find my tongue had grown noticeably longer, long enough to touch my nose.

Honestly, I was scared at first, thinking I’d been stung by some poisonous insect.

But after calming down, I recalled something from my family history: the so-called ‘Miraculous Growth Mountain.’

These mountains, though unremarkable in appearance, possess a unique ‘mountain eye’ that, when approached, causes parts of the body in contact to grow longer.

If you find the mountain eye and bury a living person nearby, their whole body will grow taller in less than a week.

I was thrilled by this discovery and hurried back to Old Nest Mountain. After much searching, I found the mountain eye.

To confirm my theory, I sampled another handful of soil. Sure enough, the next day my tongue grew even longer—the effect was even more pronounced.

With the mountain eye found, an idea struck me: since this miraculous mountain could help people grow, and so many kids these days are short and bullied for it, why not help them and make their lives better? Why not?”

Hearing this, Yang Tianshu’s eyes widened. The story sounded ludicrous, but it was the only explanation for how his friend Chen Feng had grown so tall in such a short time.

“So... you used this miraculous mountain to help Chen Feng grow taller?” he asked in disbelief.

“That’s right. I buried him in the mountain eye, and in just three days, he shot up. In fact, he’s not the only one—I’ve helped many others grow taller.

Look at my tongue. Since the mountain eye keeps changing locations, I have to taste the soil every time I bury someone, and my tongue has grown longer and longer because of it. By now, I’ve helped over a dozen kids. You, my boy, have come to the right person!” Wu Liangjin said with a broad smile.

Yang Tianshu was both amazed and delighted. Never had he imagined he would encounter such a bizarre person and story. Grabbing Wu Liangjin’s hand, he asked eagerly, “Master, can you bury me in the mountain too?”

Wu Liangjin flashed a mysterious grin, rubbing his fingers together. “Of course. But you must understand, tasting the mountain damages my body. I’ll need suitable compensation.”

“Absolutely! Whatever it takes, I’ll pay it!” Yang Tianshu promised fervently.

(End of chapter)