He fell off a cliff but unexpectedly gained a cultivation inheritance.

On the way back to the Huashan Hotel, Ye Qingxue's expression was grave, her mind replaying the various anomalies she had observed at the scene. The valley without any signs of a fall, the denser spiritual energy, the residual energy with strange fluctuations, and the nearby entrance to the Huashan Immortal Sword Sect's secret realm—all the clues pointed to Zhang Bufan's disappearance being closely related to the cultivation world. She knew that with her Qi Refining stage cultivation, it was impossible for her to rashly contact a major sect like the Immortal Sword Sect; her only hope was to seek help from her family.

As soon as she stepped into her temporary room, Ye Qingxue took out an antique-looking black telephone from her backpack. This was no ordinary communication device, but a magical communication artifact crafted from the bones and tendons of demonic beasts and spirit stones. Its signal could penetrate the shields of worldly signals and reach the core area of ​​the family; only core members of the Ye family could possess it. With a slight flick of her fingertips and a gentle press of spiritual energy, she placed the telephone on the groove on its side, and the artifact instantly emitted a faint blue light.

The moment the call connected, a dignified and deep voice came from the receiver, tinged with impatience: "Qingxue? Why aren't you in Pengcheng? What are you doing at Mount Hua? The family has important matters to attend to recently. Don't use the communication artifact casually." It was Ye Qingxue's father, Ye Zhentian, the current head of the Ye family.

"Father, I have an urgent matter that I need your help with." Ye Qingxue's tone was urgent yet respectful. She quickly recounted Zhang Bufan's fall from the cliff and disappearance, the lack of any signs of a fall at the scene, and the unusual spiritual energy nearby, which seemed to be related to the Huashan Immortal Sword Sect. "I suspect that Zhang Bufan was taken away by cultivators from the Immortal Sword Sect, or that he accidentally entered their secret realm. I wish to visit the Immortal Sword Sect in person to find out his whereabouts. I beg your help, Father."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the receiver, followed by Ye Zhentian's rebuking voice: "Nonsense! You and Zhang Bufan are already divorced. What does his life or death have to do with my Ye family? He's just an ordinary mortal. Is he worth taking such a great risk for? What kind of existence is the Huashan Immortal Sword Sect? It's a first-rate sect with a Nascent Soul ancestor presiding over it. How could a mere Qi Refining junior like you casually visit it? Stop this absurd idea immediately and return to Pengcheng!"

"Father, I can't go back." Ye Qingxue's tone was firm, showing no sign of backing down. "I can't rest easy until I confirm Zhang Bufan's safety. Even though we're divorced, he was someone I lived with for five years. I can't just stand by and watch his life hang in the balance. Besides, there are many suspicious points in this matter. Zhang Bufan's disappearance may not be as simple as it seems on the surface."

"You..." Ye Zhentian was exasperated by his daughter's stubbornness, but he also knew her temperament; once she made up her mind, she would never give up easily. "Do you know the consequences of visiting the Immortal Sword Sect without permission? With your Qi Refining stage cultivation, you can't even see their outer sect manager. If you're not careful, you'll anger the sect, and not only will you be in danger, but the entire Ye family will be implicated!"

"I know the stakes involved, but I must go." Ye Qingxue took a deep breath, her tone resolute. "If Father is unwilling to help, then I will go to the Immortal Sword Sect alone tomorrow. Even if I cannot meet with the higher-ups, I must find out if they have seen Zhang Bufan."

Silence fell again on the other end of the line. Ye Zhentian was clearly weighing the pros and cons. He knew his daughter; she was a woman of her word. Letting her go alone would only increase the risks. Moreover, although the Ye family had a Golden Core ancestor, their strength was vastly inferior to that of the Immortal Sword Sect. If his daughter were to encounter an accident on Immortal Sword Sect territory, the Ye family wouldn't even have the right to seek redress. After a long silence, Ye Zhentian's voice finally rang out again, tinged with helplessness: "Fine, fine, you're really driving me crazy. I'll come with you tomorrow; it's better than you acting recklessly on your own. Remember, once we reach the Immortal Sword Sect, follow my instructions completely. Don't act or speak rashly."

Ye Qingxue was overjoyed and quickly replied, "Thank you, Father! I will certainly keep to my duty and never cause any trouble."

After hanging up the call, Ye Qingxue's tense nerves finally relaxed a little. Having her father, a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, accompany her not only increased the chances of meeting the higher-ups of the Immortal Sword Sect but also ensured her own safety. She walked to the window, looked at the dark mountains outside, and silently prayed, "Zhang Bufan, you must be safe and sound."

The next day, just as dawn was breaking and the first hint of light appeared in the east, a tall figure appeared at the entrance of the Huashan Hotel. The man, dressed in a blue Taoist robe, had a middle-aged face and deep-set eyes; it was Ye Zhentian, who had rushed there overnight. He hadn't used any means of transportation, clearly employing sword-riding techniques to conceal himself under the cover of darkness—while cultivators in the cultivation world could use magic to travel, they mostly chose to do so at night or in secluded places to avoid causing panic among ordinary people.

Ye Qingxue was already waiting at the hotel entrance. Upon seeing her father, she quickly stepped forward to greet him, saying, "Father."

Ye Zhentian nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings. Seeing nothing amiss, he said in a deep voice, "There's no time to lose, let's set off now. The Immortal Sword Sect's external contact point is in a valley a dozen kilometers away. I'll take you there." With that, he flicked his finger, and a pale blue spiritual energy enveloped Ye Qingxue. Then, with a swift movement, he carried her into the air, rapidly traveling along the mountain path. Their speed far surpassed that of ordinary transportation; the trees and flowers along the way rushed past, leaving only a faint whistling sound. Ye Qingxue only felt the wind rushing past her ears, yet her body remained as steady as a mountain. This was the strength of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, far beyond what she, a Qi Refining cultivator, could match.

A minute later, the father and daughter arrived at the valley. Although still within the Huashan Scenic Area, it was exceptionally remote and rarely visited by tourists. The valley was lush with vegetation and babbling brooks. A modern-style house sat in the center of the valley, looking no different from any other mountain guesthouse. Several shelves were placed at the entrance, displaying bottled water, instant noodles, potato chips, and other mundane snacks and drinks, showing absolutely no trace of any spiritual practice.

"This is the outside contact point of the Immortal Sword Sect?" Ye Qingxue was somewhat surprised. She had thought it would be a solemn and majestic mountain gate or cave dwelling, but she did not expect it to be such an inconspicuous house.

"The sects in the cultivation world have always been discreet and secretive in their actions," Ye Zhentian explained. "This place serves as both the guard post for the entrance to the secret realm and a contact point for receiving visiting cultivators. Disguising it as a secular house helps avoid attracting the attention of ordinary people and also filters out irrelevant individuals—ordinary tourists will only see this place as a regular convenience store, and only cultivators who know the inside story will come to make contact."

As they spoke, the two arrived at the door of the house. Ye Zhentian stepped forward and gently knocked on the door, his tone respectful yet composed: "Ye Zhentian of the Ye family, along with my daughter Ye Qingxue, have come to pay our respects to Senior Yue Shouren, the Sect Master of the Immortal Sword Sect. Please announce our arrival."

The door creaked open, revealing a middle-aged man and woman standing in the doorway. They appeared to be in their forties, dressed in simple cloth, with ordinary faces, like typical farmers in the mountains. However, a hint of seriousness flashed in Ye Zhentian and Ye Qingxue's eyes—although the two had concealed most of their aura, they could clearly sense that the couple possessed profound spiritual power; they were actually two cultivators in the early stages of Foundation Establishment! Clearly, these two had disguised themselves, deliberately concealing their true identities and cultivation levels.

The middle-aged man sized Ye Zhentian up and down, sensing the mid-Foundation Establishment aura emanating from him. Upon hearing the words "Ye family," his expression turned slightly serious. Although the Ye family of the South was a hidden cultivation family in the secular world, far less powerful than the Immortal Sword Sect, they still had a Golden Core ancestor, making them a respectable force in the cultivation world and not to be treated lightly. He cupped his hands and said, "So it is the head of the Ye family who has arrived. My apologies for my rudeness. Please wait a moment, I will inform the sect immediately."

The middle-aged man turned and went inside, leaving the middle-aged woman to greet them outside. Ye Zhentian and his daughter stood quietly at the door, not moving around unnecessarily—on the territory of the Immortal Sword Sect, keeping to their proper place was the best course of action.

A moment later, the middle-aged man strode out, his face showing a hint of politeness: "Patriarch Ye, the sect has replied, inviting you both to enter the secret realm for a detailed discussion." He then exchanged a glance with the middle-aged woman beside him, and each of them took out a cyan token from their robes. The tokens were lustrous, engraved with intricate sword-shaped patterns, and emitted faint fluctuations of spiritual energy.

The two combined their tokens, suspending them in mid-air. They then simultaneously began chanting an obscure and difficult-to-understand incantation. As the incantation ended, two pale blue beams of light shot out from the tokens, converging and striking precisely the inner wall of the house. A strange scene unfolded—the previously solid wall suddenly rippled like water, and then, a circular passage with a diameter of over two meters slowly emerged from the center of the ripples. The interior of the passage was not the interior of the house, but a space shrouded in mist, with the vague outlines of mountains visible. The concentration of spiritual energy was several times higher than outside, clearly the entrance to the Immortal Sword Sect's secret realm.

"Patriarch Ye, please come in." The middle-aged man gestured for him to enter.

Ye Zhentian thanked them, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, fellow Daoists." He then led Ye Qingxue into the circular passage. The moment they stepped in, the surrounding scenery instantly changed. The houses disappeared, replaced by a mountainside platform shrouded in mist. The rich spiritual energy in the air refreshed their minds.