Hua Qian Gu saw thousands of human tongues hanging by red threads from the ceiling. The tongues were in all conditions, all shapes, all sizes. She screamed and turned to run out but bumped into someone. This person wore a large, black cloak and a demonic mask covered his face.
"I'm not edible! I'm dirty and smelly, please don't eat me! I've walked many days without taking a bath."
Hua Qian Gu leaned sideways to sneak away, but he blocked her.
"You broke through the mystic trap, you've discovered Yi Xiu Ge's biggest secret, do you think you can leave easily?"
Hua Qian Gu wanted to cry, who would want to see a horrifying scene of human tongues hanging! She took two steps backward, using the pale sunlight on the walls, she looked down and saw the shadow of the person in front of her, thank goodness, thank goodness, not an evil spirit, not an evil spirit.
"I didn't mean it, I promise I won't say anything, I'm very forgetful, I'll forget everything as soon as I walk out of here! You must believe me!"
"Oh? I can believe you but based on what? Why should I believe you?"
"I, I, I promise! If I break my promise, I won't die peacefully!"
The person in front of her suddenly took out a knife and held it before her.
"Ah! Do you want to kill me to silence a witness?"
"Leave behind a drop of your blood."
"Huh? What?"
"Leave behind a drop of your blood."
"Just one drop, oh, that's easy." Hua Qian Gu gritted her teeth, made up her mind to prick her index finger, then squeezed out a drop of blood. It dropped into something shiny held by him.
"I can leave now, right?" On her head were human tongues, in front of her was a terrifying stranger, this was all too horrible.
"Didn't you come here to ask something? Well, you haven't asked anything but want to leave already?"
Hua Qian Gu was stunned: "You're Yi Xiu Jun?"
"Yes!" The reply was drawn out, sounding cynical. Ha Qian Gu never thought the legendary Yi Xiu Jun would look like this, but she was less scared than before.
"You like radishes?" Suddenly feeling curious, she could not help but asked.
The person coughed drily two times, Hua Qian Gu felt he was laughing behind his mask.
"This is what you want to ask me?"
"Ah no, no, there's something more important. I want to ask, I want to go up Mount Mao to study with a teacher, but I always got lost, is there a way up?"
Yi Xiu Jun thought for a moment.
"Do I need to pay for the answer? Do you want more blood? I have a lot!" Hua Qian Gu courageously rolled up her sleeves.
"This matter is simple, you don't have to pay with blood. You only need to tell me when and where you were born, the more details the better."
Hua Qian Gu frowned in bewilderment, could he be checking her origin? Letting him know should be all right so she decided to answer honestly.
Yi Xiu Jun nodded, then gave her a necklace with a pendant that was translucent like dew. Hua Qian Gu accepted the clear string that glistened like tears. A hint of blood appeared inside the pendant, which looked like a closed flower. Was this the drop of blood she just gave up?
"This……?"
"This is called Tian Shui Di, made out of phoenix tears. If you wear it, you can go up Mount Mao."
"Oh! Really? So simple? Thank you!"
"No need to thank me, this is as it should be. Nothing is free in this world, your payment to see me were the radishes. If you want to know the truth or news about something, you have to pay a price. You've paid me, I've given you an answer, isn't this fair?"
"Of course, does this mean I can ask whatever I want? Can you tell me if I can find a teacher who will accept me and how long I’ll live?"
"I'm not a fortune teller, your future is in your hands, I can’t know everything unlike what people have said about me. I only know what happened in every dynasty, as well as countless things buried by the dusts of time, but I still don't know what people will do."
"Oh…… but how can you know so much?"
"Do you see all the tongues hanging here?" Yi Xiu Jun pointed upward, Hua Qian Gu immediately bowed her head, afraid to look up.
"My hobby is to collect people's tongues."
Hua Qian Gu paled.
"All of these tongues, some were brought here by my predecessors, some were recently brought here by me. All of them, belonging to men, to women, to children, even emperors and also beggars…… Which type is your favorite?"
Hua Qian Gu bit her lips together and shook her head.
"Know what? There are thousands and thousands of creatures in this world, whether flying in the sky or running on the ground, there's not a single one without a tongue. Nevertheless, the most important reason for the tongue to exist is not to taste but to speak."
"Speak?"
"Whatever you want to know, tongues will tell you. The more tongues you collect, the more you’ll know. For so long, how can Yi Xiu Ge know everything and has the largest, most secretive intelligence network? It's because we gather tongues from everywhere."
"These tongues can speak?" Hua Qian Gu trembled.
"Of course, these tongues can also sing, come here, I'll tell this tongue to sing for you."
Hua Qian Gu saw the tongue starting to move, she stepped back in alarm.
"No need, no need!"
"These tongues are very obedient, sometimes they need to be watered, sometimes they need to soak up sunlight." Yi Xiu Jun looked at the variety of tongues, his voice softened as if speaking lovingly about his children.
Hua Qian Gu swallowed nervously.
"When you ask, they will know?"
""If it's something they've seen or experienced, they will know. If they don't, they will discuss among themselves to find the best answer."
Hua Qian Gu could not imagine thousands upon thousands of tongues talking to each other, this was too horrific.
"Where did you find so many tongues?"
"Some were cut off from dead people, some belonged to people who came to Yi Xiu Ge to ask something and this was the payment. When they’re about to die, someone from Yi Xiu Ge will appear before they take the last breath to cut off the tongue."
"But won’t that hurt a lot? Why not wait until after people die?"
"There's a difference between the tongues of people who are alive and people who are dead. Tongues from dead people, you can only ask one question, they will answer one time and wilt. Tongues from people still alive, as long as you diligently water them, they can answer many things. Of course, only one question can be asked each time, after the tongues have said everything they know, they’ll die. Look at those tongues up there, some are still fresh from just being cut, the dark ones are used often, they’ll die soon."
"This, this……" Hua Qian Gu did not know if she wanted to say this sounded awful or amazing.
"Do you know why everyone in the world is afraid of Yi Xiu Ge?"
"Wh……Why?"
"Because they're afraid Yi Xiu Ge have cut off the tongues of people close to them or people who died knowing their secrets. This is why for a long time in the royal palace and sects, not wanting Yi Xiu Ge to know their secrets, they cut off the tongues before burying the dead or put nails in them so the tongues can’t divulge any secrets."
"But you can capture a person who’s still alive and knows the secrets and cut that person's tongue off."
"The problem is whether you can find out the truth whenever you want, tongues from people still alive have a will of their own, harder to deal with compared to tongues from dead people. This is why a contract will be drawn up, people need to agree to give their tongues to Yi Xiu Ge before dying."
"How horrifying…… Thank goodness……" If not, Yi Xiu Ge would probably cut off everyone's tongues.
"Be a good girl, stick out your tongue." Yi Xiu Jun suddenly said softly, but his voice can cause another person to break out in a cold sweat.
"Why?" Hua Qian Gu stuck out her tongue but quickly retracted it because she was afraid it could be cut off.
"Oh, very good color, do you want to enter into a contract with Yi Xiu Ge? Whatever you want to know, I can answer you!"
"Never!" Hua Qian Gu refused immediately.
"Perhaps one day, you'll beg me."
"Never! Who wants her tongue cut off! Everyone has secrets, and they should. You're not a deity, you shouldn't know everything or you can interfere with fate."
"Haha kid, you're cute, but your tongue is cuter."
Hua Qian Gu covered her mouth, not letting him see it anymore.
"But……" Yi Xiu Jun suddenly leaned down and looked at the girl half his height, he smiled darkly, whispering softly into her ear: "If my tongue touches someone else's, that person’s tongue is under my control in the time an incense stick burns off."
Hua Qian Gu felt goosebumps all over her body and took two steps back: "Why would I let your tongue touch mine? Can I leave now? I need to go up Mount Mao to find a teacher."
"Of course, you're welcome to return!" Yi Xiu Jun said cynically, making a "please" gesture.
Hua Qian Gu did not dare to look back at the room with human tongues hanging everywhere, quickly hurrying out, she took two steps before returning.
"This is embarrassing, but how can I leave?"
"Always turn left if you see a corner, that's the way out."
"Oh, thank you."
"All right, this reluctant thanks is your payment to me for asking how you can leave."
Hua Qian Gu was speechless, what a calculative person.
Yi Xiu Jun stood in front of a railing, watching the small figure disappeared. He took out a radish and bit into it, how sweet!
The hand holding the radish was slender and white like jade.