I Am Your Natural Enemy

Wen Yan’s gaze was nearly fixated on that avoidance plaque. The Fourth Great-uncle Master took one look and knew Wen Yan had some thoughts.

”I don’t know which ancestor wrote this plaque; it’s been here a long time. If you want it, just take it. We can replace it with another one later.”

”Uh, are there many of these things?” Wen Yan was a bit shocked.

”The important thing isn’t the plaque; it’s the words on it.”

”Can I ask, how did these words initially come about?”

The Fourth Great-uncle Master gave Wen Yan a peculiar look. Wen Yan always managed to ask some strange questions.

This avoidance plaque has been hanging here for a long time, and no one really cares about when those eight words first appeared.

As for hanging a plaque or pasting a piece of paper, the effect is the same.

There are actually quite a few similar plaques in Fuyu Mountain. Some disciples, after their daily scripture lessons, if they still wish to practice, can easily find one.

Every year, new avoidance plaques are written within the sect. The avoidance plaque hanging here was also taken from the storage by some unknown disciple during the annual cleanup and replaced the one previously hung here.

Now that Wen Yan asked about it, the Fourth Great-uncle Master found it odd. How come he’d never wondered where those eight words came from?

It seemed that everything was just as it naturally should be.

When he thought about it, the Fourth Great-uncle Master suddenly realized he was looking for this kind of feeling.

To find the reason from the natural so-it-should-be.

”It’s been around for a long time, so long that even I don’t remember when. I’ll check if there are any records about this later.”

”Alright, so can I take this plaque?”

”Sure, it’s not worth anything.”

Wen Yan glanced at the fellow disciples still chanting scriptures and moved closer to the Fourth Great-uncle Master, lowering his voice to whisper.

”Fourth Great-uncle Master, you say this thing hanging here makes it so that the chanting and the precious calls aren’t heard by the gods.

So, if I carry this avoidance plaque, does it mean that anywhere I show it, it’s like hitting a mute button?

All the ways that require inviting the ancestors, calling the gods, can’t be used?”

The Fourth Great-uncle Master slightly leaned back, scrutinizing Wen Yan with a hint of disbelief.

”What are you thinking?”

”Is it not possible?”

”Of course not! The avoidance plaque only works where you study scriptures. You aren’t thinking that just like a master reciting a precious decree to make a phone call, you can hang up someone’s call, are you?”

”Not hang up, but at least block the signal before they call.”

”What do you think a dharma altar is for?”

”Huh?”

”You can think of the dharma altar as a communication device and a signal amplifier. A high altar is a direct connection that cannot be concealed or blocked.

Besides, not all Taoists open altars and perform rituals that require reciting precious decrees to the gods.

Some don’t even need to set up a formal altar or just use a small altar carried with them.

Opening an altar is merely for maximizing power.

Even if the avoidance plaque were useful, against a weaker Taoist, if you can see him, he’s not your match.

If you encounter a stronger Taoist, if you can’t even see them, then the avoidance plaque is useless.

Don’t think about such things.”

After saying this, the Fourth Great-uncle Master casually took out another avoidance plaque from a nearby drawer, hung it beside, and then handed the one that had been hanging there to Wen Yan.

Wen Yan looked at the newly hung one; this time there wasn’t a hint.

”Fourth Great-uncle Master, I still feel this avoidance plaque is useful. It’s not simple; it must have been personally written by some ancestor.”

”Then it’s yours; take it with you.”

Wen Yan sighed and put the plaque away.

Even though what the Fourth Great-uncle Master said was true, meeting some particularly strong Taoist, this avoidance plaque might not be very effective.

Serious Taoists opening altars for rituals rarely do it up close; Wudang is... quite unique in this aspect.

Generally, remote spells are more mainstream. Like the Old Celestial Master, using a grand altar to perform a spell, the range can even extend beyond the commandery; indeed, there are very few like him.

But for a Daoist Master capable of imparting teachings, casting spells from a thousand meters away, or even a few miles away, is not a difficult thing.

This can maximize power; surprise encounters aren’t impossible, just with more limitations.

And because these are considered shortcomings, if something happens in the Scorching Sun Department, inviting help and pre-arranging things in advance is very suitable, aligning with each party’s strengths.

Coupled with martial artists, that covers intelligence, logistics, policy, protection, main C, professional support, and so on, each has its field of expertise.

Suddenly seeing such a thing that can obviously limit a Taoist’s spells made Wen Yan a bit nervous, but seeing the Fourth Great-uncle Master not nervous at all, he couldn’t quite say who wrote this avoidance plaque.

This was awkward; Fuyu Mountain’s tradition is that every generation of ancestors, those with high seniority, would write this.

Wen Yan could only temporarily give up on this issue and turn to more pressing matters.

”I have something else to ask, Fourth Great-uncle Master, it’s about the witch...”

Upon hearing this, the Fourth Great-uncle Master stood up, signaling Wen Yan to follow him.

While talking about the avoidance plaque, the Fourth Great-uncle Master did not avoid others, yet now he wanted to discuss outside.

Outside, under a tree, after finding a stone table and benches to sit down, the Fourth Great-uncle Master asked.

”A witch? How come it involves a witch again?”