I Am Your Natural Enemy

The Stone Beast led Wei Jing to the foot of the mountain and extended its paw as a gesture.

"Doctor Wei, feel free to go on your own; I won’t be going up."

"Thank you." Wei Jing didn’t insist, understanding that having the Stone Beast stand on his boss’s grave was indeed somewhat pushy.

Wei Jing ascended the barren and eerie mountain, where he saw dark green, grass-like plants growing on the summit.

Wei Jing took out his tools and carefully harvested, only taking the parts above the roots, without the roots, so that they could grow again in the future.

But it couldn’t be harvested too little, or the medicinal properties would change.

Some herbs seem to be cultivatable artificially, but those artificially cultivated indeed have much weaker medicinal properties.

According to current research, there’s a theory that the difference lies in the tiny component variations between wild and artificially cultivated herbs, born from wild plants’ secondary metabolites produced while resisting harsh environments.

While Wei Jing hadn’t studied other things as deeply, he knew for sure that the grave grass always existed here and had exceptionally good effects.

Only the grave grass here could grow in such barren, incredibly harsh conditions where no plants or animals could otherwise survive.

Under such circumstances, the grave grass that managed to thrive here had extremely vigorous life force, and the series of components produced while resisting the environment were exactly what he needed.

Yet this plant, while possessing extremely vigorous life force, seems to survive well elsewhere too. Wei Jing had tried transplanting it, which was easy, but it would become ordinary grass with no medicinal effect.

He only picked ten grave grass plants, wrapped them in cloth, then descended from the mountain.

As soon as he descended, the Stone Beast sitting nearby approached immediately.

"Doctor Wei, can I ask which immortal on which mountain was benevolent enough to step in?"

"Don’t ask me, I don’t know either, you just need to know that my visit this time is to establish some good karma for you."

"Alright, alright, is there anything else Doctor Wei needs? Why not rest while I go and pick for you."

The Stone Beast led Wei Jing along the main road, and as they walked, the barren, chilling grave mound behind them once again transformed into its originally lush state.

"No need, the most crucial thing is this grave grass, the rest are simple, I can handle them myself.

I came because you’ve kept a low profile, not causing trouble, not harming or injuring anyone, so I’m here to give you some advice.

Make sure not to take the wrong path, as times are changing fast, one wrong step could lead to eternal damnation."

"Thank you for your guidance, Doctor Wei."

As they were about to walk out of the avenue guarded by stone statues, Wei Jing paused.

"Has your master awakened?"

"Not yet, Doctor Wei, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask, I shall answer truthfully."

"Back in the day, Witchcraft Gu’s legacy didn’t seem to be completely wiped out, some things drifted to Nanyang.

Do you know what kind of things could have landed in Nanyang?

For example, something with a demonic aura that can corrupt one’s blood marrow."

"This... you’ve stumped me, how would I know? If I were to see those things, I’d want to gouge out my eyes and crush them, then dig out my brain to wash it, quickly rid myself of any trace, fearful of being contaminated."

"Times are different now, what are you afraid of, it’s not like before."

"This..." The Stone Beast looked around hesitantly for a long while, understanding the information Wei Jing brought and the grave grass he harvested, roughly grasped his intentions and the meaning of establishing good karma.

Since it’s about establishing good karma, it should be thorough.

"Doctor Wei, it’s really just you, if it were someone else, I truly wouldn’t know a thing.

I heard it, truly just heard it.

You probably know too, it was before my time.

Back then, some foolish folks were killed after defying heaven’s mandate.

Indeed, a few clever low-level apprentices escaped along the Silk Road to the Foreign Domain.

But most of them died along the way.

The few who barely survived were insignificant.

They couldn’t even stir the waters, not even a splash.

But they might have indeed carried some things out.

Back then those Hu Merchants would do anything for profit.

Offenders of great crimes might not dare carry, but not-so-important apprentices, those folks definitely dared.

Later, no news came from the west, suggesting they somehow ended up in Nanyang.

At least, as far as I know, the Witchcraft Gu folks back then were rather proud.

Even in death, they wouldn’t degrade themselves to associate with demons.

This isn’t a matter of good or bad, it’s purely because they outright dismissed demons.

What was the word again, hold on, I’ll recall, learned it a few years back.

Oh, remembered, the disdain chain.

In those folks’ eyes, demons were entities outside the disdain chain, not even worthy of it.

I reckon it’s mostly some false Witchcraft Gu legacy, at best something the latter ones obtained and tinkered with themselves.

If it managed to associate with demons, then it only belongs to the lineage that loved blood sacrifices."

The Stone Beast paused and looked at Wei Jing’s expression, then tentatively asked.

"Doctor Wei, this is about all I know; if you need anything, just say, we have some manpower here that might help."

"Don’t worry, I’m just here to treat illnesses for people, the other matters aren’t for me to interfere."

Though Wei Jing said this, the Stone Beast still extended a paw, plucked a Stone Eye, and handed it to Wei Jing.

"I’ll give this to Doctor Wei, hoping it might help, we guard this place, lacking any true skill, only have these eyes left.

Doctor Wei can give it to whoever might need it, just do as you say.

Establishing good karma, establishing good karma indeed."

Wei Jing was amused by the Stone Beast and accepted the Stone Eye.

"Alright, it seems you’ve learned quite a bit over the years guarding this place."

"This is following your advice too, Doctor Wei, learning and observing never hurts."