Chapter 109: A Boon for Practitioners of the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique

“Evil-Repelling Sword Technique?!” Zuo Lengchan was momentarily stunned, then his face flushed with embarrassment.

How could he not know that everyone in the Songshan Sect practiced the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique, including the famed Thirteen Protectors? If it hadn’t been for Laodenuo delivering the “Heavenly Frost Fist” manual, Zuo Lengchan might have been tempted to strike himself down.

“This is the Female Drowning Spring. It can counteract the drawbacks of cultivating the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique. After drinking from this spring, if you follow it with cold water, you will become female; if you follow with hot water, you will become male. As a woman, one can wield the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique; as a man, one cannot,” Yang Xin explained. Then he called Mi Weiyi and Xiang Dan to demonstrate the spring’s power on the spot.

To ensure the success of Liu Zhengfeng’s clean break from the past and to maximize their fighting strength, Mi Weiyi and Xiang Dan had deliberately maintained their female forms. Both being children of the martial world, they appeared poised and natural, shedding their outer garments without fuss—though they prudently kept their underclothes. There was no doubt about their femininity, as the two mounds on their chests dazzled the eyes of all present.

The moment to witness a miracle had arrived! Knowing that the Female Drowning Spring was a blessing for practitioners of the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual, both drank the hot water right then and there, demonstrating the transformation from female to male.

After drinking the hot water, Mi Weiyi and Xiang Dan changed from two lovely maidens into two robust men…

“My ailment is cured! Hurrah!” The disciples of the Five Mountains Sword Sects—no, rather, the newly united Three Mountains Sect now called the Immortal Mountain Sect—all practicing the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual, rejoiced beyond measure, tears of joy streaming down their faces like patients secretly watching advertisements for traditional healers late at night.

“Can one truly switch between male and female forms? Is this the natural growth of all things, the transformation of heaven and humanity?” Zuo Lengchan was shocked in his heart, marveling, “The methods of the immortals are truly extraordinary. This perfectly resolves the flaws in practicing the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique.”

“Uncle Master, are there any drawbacks to drinking the Female Drowning Spring?” Zuo Lengchan, naturally suspicious, couldn’t believe anything could be perfect.

“The drawback,” Yang Xin said, “is that one’s potential is capped; one can never reach the innate level of martial arts cultivation for life!”

“Phew,” Zuo Lengchan exhaled deeply. Compared to the spring’s miraculous powers, such a drawback was negligible.

After all, how many heroes of the world, throughout the centuries, have truly reached innate martial prowess? This so-called drawback was hardly a drawback at all.

“There is one more drawback, which is not really a drawback,” Yang Xin suddenly added.

Zuo Lengchan and everyone else present felt their hearts leap into their throats, eyes fixed intently on Yang Xin.

“After drinking from the Female Drowning Spring, one can only change gender once per day. If you drank cold water and became female, to revert to male, you must wait twelve hours.”

Zuo Lengchan breathed out again, patting his chest and insisting that this minor flaw was no flaw at all.

“I’m not done yet. If, while in the female form, you become pregnant, you must remain female for the entire gestation period—ten months before and after the child's birth. Drinking hot water during this time will have no effect!” Yang Xin added quietly.

“Damn!”

The crowd’s jubilation abruptly stopped, a chilly wind seeming to blow past them.

Zuo Lengchan twitched at the corner of his mouth, awkwardly muttering, “That situation shouldn’t arise, right...?”

“Not necessarily~” Yang Xin grinned, his pearly white teeth shining brilliantly.

“I will restrain Songshan’s disciples and prevent such shameless conduct!” Zuo Lengchan gritted his teeth and vowed fiercely.

“I shall likewise restrain Hengshan’s disciples and resolutely prevent such disgraceful acts!” Mo Da and Liu Zhengfeng quickly joined in to express their determination.

Then both glanced at Yue Buqun, who sipped his tea leisurely, unfazed.

“No need to look at Old Yue. No one in Huashan practices the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique,” Yang Xin said coolly.

Zuo Lengchan frowned, recalling the martial skills Yue Buqun used during their recent duel—his techniques were clearly far superior to the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique.

“May I ask, Uncle Master, can the martial arts practiced by Senior Brother Yue be learned by disciples of the Songshan Hall of the Immortal Mountain Sect?” Zuo Lengchan suddenly inquired.

“It depends on the sect’s regulations. When one reaches a certain level, one may learn Heavenly Frost Fist, Cloud-Slicing Palm, Wind God Kick, the Three-Part Return Qi, and even ninja techniques. For details, ask Old Yue; as the sect leader, he sets the rules!” Yang Xin waved dismissively, indicating that any questions should be directed to Yue Buqun.

Only then did Yue Buqun breathe a sigh of relief. Yang Xin had distributed the Female Drowning Spring to Songshan and Hengshan and had imposed restrictions on Hengshan’s hall, which had made Yue Buqun uneasy. He feared Yang Xin favored the other two sects. Hearing that the specific rules were to be set by himself, he was finally at ease.

Because the room for maneuver was vast here, Yue Buqun believed that with his wisdom and means, he could secure the greatest resource advantage for Huashan, ensuring its long-lasting prosperity.

“Junior Disciple Zuo, I recall you secretly recruited a band of formidable underworld experts and brought them here,” Yang Xin stated matter-of-factly, exposing the hidden power Zuo Lengchan had concealed.

“Uncle Master’s insight is unparalleled; nothing escapes your keen eyes,” Zuo Lengchan admitted with a start.

Liu Zhengfeng immediately donned the restriction ring and opened a spatial portal to the Songshan Sect.

Zuo Lengchan stepped through, soon returning with the underworld experts he had recruited. They all practiced the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique, and after drinking the Female Drowning Spring, they wept with joy, eager to switch allegiances and cling to Yang Xin’s support.

“Junior Disciple Zuo, your idea to spread the Female Drowning Spring’s power throughout the martial world is clever! But the technique must not be passed around, and the treasure must not be easily obtained. Instead, these people will spread rumors in their own names, secretly informing all in the martial world—whether underworld or righteous, prestigious sects or the Sun Moon Holy Cult—that anyone wishing to overcome the flaws of the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual...”

“Must exchange any one of Shaolin’s Yi Jin Jing, Xi Sui Jing, or the Seventy-Two Ultimate Skills. Of course, if they can offer the Wudang Sect’s Taiji Boxing Manual or any peerless Wudang martial art in exchange, that is acceptable as well!”

“Hiss~” The crowd’s eyes widened, and they inhaled sharply. Yang Xin’s scheme could no longer be called a mere conspiracy—it was a masterstroke.

He was setting Shaolin, Wudang, and the Sun Moon Holy Cult all ablaze! Everyone knew that Wudang’s Taiji Boxing Manual was kept on Black Wood Cliff. Martial artists might hesitate to ascend Black Wood Cliff, but those in the Sun Moon Holy Cult who practiced the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique might dare to go. This would inevitably lead to internal strife once their powers surged.

Similarly, Shaolin and Wudang faced grim prospects—not internal turmoil, but external enemies would plague them endlessly.

At the same time, the Immortal Mountain Sect would face some troubles too. Some might take reckless risks, attempting outright theft and plunder. But such chances were slim. Even without Yang Xin guarding the Immortal Mountain Sect, the overwhelming forty-meter-long sword and saber energies wielded by Lin Pingzhi and Yue Lingshan together would dissuade many.

Yue Buqun, Zuo Lengchan, Mo Da, Liu Zhengfeng, and others could already foresee the coming chaos in the martial world—the bloody storms and violent upheavals that awaited.