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

Within the Xuanqing Secret Realm, Zhang Bufan sat cross-legged before a wooden hut, his spiritual energy surging into his body like a tide. As he circulated the *Xuanqing Daodao Jue*, he refined all the pure spiritual energy from the low-grade spirit stone in his palm, his solidified magical power flowing smoothly through his expanded meridians. He was completely immersed in the rhythm of his cultivation. His daily practice, refining his spells, and studying cultivation knowledge allowed his cultivation to steadily rise, bringing him ever closer to the bottleneck of the sixth level of Qi Refining. Meanwhile, deep within the Huashan Secret Realm, the Immortal Sword Sect was enveloped in a festive yet solemn atmosphere—the sect's most important annual event—the opening of the Spirit Spring—had arrived.

The Huashan Secret Realm is not an ordinary mountain range secret realm. At its core lies a large, ancient spiritual vein, and at the very center of this vein is the Immortal Sword Sect's most important cultivation resource—the Spirit Spring. This spirit spring, though inconspicuous, with its opening only the size of a fist, hidden at the bottom of a three-meter-wide, one-meter-deep bluestone pool, continuously gushes forth water rich in pure spiritual energy. Unlike ordinary spiritual liquids, the spiritual energy of this spring water is extremely gentle, requiring no refining and can be directly absorbed by cultivators of all stages, transforming it into their own mana. Whether a novice just entering the Qi Refining stage or an elder who has reached the Foundation Establishment stage, drinking it saves a significant amount of time spent in arduous meditation, making it a true "shortcut water" on the path of cultivation.

What makes it even more coveted by cultivators is that the spiritual spring water not only directly replenishes mana, but is also an excellent raw material for refining high-grade spiritual tea and brewing spiritual wine. The patriarch and the supreme elders of the Immortal Sword Sect have been using the spiritual spring water to brew millennium-old spiritual tea for many years. This not only nourishes the meridians and stabilizes cultivation, but also calms the mind and helps in comprehending the Great Dao, having a subtle and wonderful effect on breaking through realms. However, this treasure has a fatal flaw—its production is extremely low and decreases year by year.

According to the sect's ancient records, over three thousand years ago, the spiritual spring's flow rate far exceeded that of today, filling the bluestone pool every month. While the spring water was still precious then, it was enough for core disciples to enjoy regularly. However, from some unknown time, the spring's flow began to decrease year by year, from one pool per month, to one pool per three months, then to one pool per six months, until now, a full year is required to accumulate only half a pool of water, totaling less than two thousand catties. Scarcity drives up value; the sharp decline in flow has caused the spiritual spring water's value to skyrocket, making it one of the Immortal Sword Sect's most crucial strategic resources.

To protect this vital resource, the location of the spiritual spring has long been designated a forbidden area of ​​the sect, surrounded by three layers of high-level defensive formations. These formations are manned in rotation by the sect's most accomplished Core Formation stage elders. The area is normally sealed off, and no one except the sect's patriarch and elders is allowed to approach. Only on the day the spiritual spring opens each year will the seal be temporarily lifted, allowing the sect leader to personally lead core members to extract the spring water and distribute it strictly.

At dawn that day, just as the sky was beginning to lighten, the core area of ​​the Immortal Sword Sect was already bustling with people. Disciples dressed in their blue sect robes stood in neat rows, their eyes fixed intently on the forbidden area, their faces filled with anticipation and reverence. For them, the opening of the Spirit Spring was not only a grand event for the sect, but also a moment to witness glory—those disciples who could obtain the Spirit Spring water as a reward were undoubtedly the future hope of the sect, beings they looked up to.

At the entrance to the forbidden area, Yue Shouren, the sect leader of the Immortal Sword Sect, stood in a purple brocade robe with a jade belt around his waist. His face was dignified, and he exuded the powerful aura of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. On either side of him stood the sect's elders and supreme elders. Among them, the white-haired old man at the very front had slightly closed eyes and a restrained aura. He appeared ordinary, but in reality, he was the Immortal Sword Sect's only Nascent Soul stage ancestor, with a lifespan of nearly two thousand years. He was the pillar of the sect.

"The auspicious time has arrived, break the seal!" Yue Shouren shouted in a deep voice, his voice carrying throughout the entire area through his magical power, instantly silencing all whispers. Two elders holding array flags stepped forward in response, their movements mysterious as they inserted the flags into the array eye at the entrance to the forbidden area, chanting incantations. As the incantation ended, the array flags shone brightly, and a transparent light curtain emerged from the entrance to the forbidden area, then slowly dissipated—the seal had been broken.

Yue Shouren stepped into the forbidden area first, followed closely by the elders and the Supreme Elder, while the core disciples waited outside. The forbidden area was not as gloomy as imagined; instead, the spiritual energy was so dense it was almost tangible. The path beneath their feet was paved with bluestone slabs, and ancient spiritual herbs grew on both sides, emitting a faint fragrance. After walking about a hundred steps along the path, a pool of bluestone appeared before them—the very location of the spiritual spring.

In the bluestone pool, the crystal-clear spiritual spring water shimmered with a faint glow. The surface was calm and still, and tiny water droplets continuously oozed from the spring's source at the bottom, making a soft "drip-drip" sound. This was the spiritual spring water that had accumulated for a year, occupying only half the pool's volume, making it all the more precious. Yue Shouren walked to the edge of the pool and waved his hand to take out more than a dozen specially made jade bottles—these jade bottles were crafted from thousand-year-old warm jade, perfectly capable of locking in the spiritual energy of the spring water and preventing it from leaking away.

"Extract the spiritual spring water and distribute it according to regulations," Yue Shouren said again. Two elders stepped forward and carefully brought the jade bottles close to the water's surface. Using their magic to guide the water, the spiritual spring water slowly flowed into the jade bottles, quickly filling more than a dozen bottles. After the extraction was complete, Yue Shouren counted the water. A total of 2,080 catties of spiritual spring water had been extracted this time, 20 catties less than last year. He frowned slightly, then quickly regained his composure.

According to sect rules, the distribution of spiritual spring water follows a strict ratio. Half, or 1040 jin, is taken first and sealed in the sect's treasury. This portion of spiritual spring water will serve as the sect's strategic reserve, to be used in future exchanges with other sects for scarce cultivation resources such as elixirs, spiritual weapon materials, and high-level cultivation techniques. In the current environment of the Pangu World, where spiritual energy is increasingly scarce and cultivation resources are becoming increasingly limited, spiritual spring water, as a form of hard currency, is crucial for the Immortal Sword Sect to maintain its status and acquire necessary resources.

The remaining spiritual spring water was distributed more meticulously. Five hundred catties would be divided among the Ancestor and the four Supreme Elders. The Ancestor, as the strongest member of the sect, would receive three hundred catties, while the four Supreme Elders would each receive fifty catties. For them, the spiritual spring water was not only a treasure for nourishing their cultivation, but also a hope for extending their lifespan and reaching higher realms. Especially for the Ancestor, whose lifespan was already over two thousand years, with less than a thousand years left, the current cultivation environment no longer supported his continued advancement. The spiritual spring water would still play a role in maintaining his cultivation and extending his lifespan.

After allocating the shares to the Ancestor and the Supreme Elder, the remaining 500 jin of spiritual spring water will be used to reward elders and stewards who have made significant contributions to the sect, as well as a few exceptionally talented core disciples. Although this portion of spiritual spring water is small, it is enough to qualitatively improve the disciples' cultivation, and it is also an important means for the sect to motivate its disciples to strive for excellence. Every year at this time, which disciples will receive the spiritual spring water reward is the focus of attention throughout the sect.

"Elders, the list of those awarded for their contributions has been compiled by the sect's administration. Please take a look." An elder in charge of sect affairs stepped forward and handed over a jade slip. Yue Shouren took the jade slip, scanned it with his divine sense, and nodded: "Distribute according to the list." Then, he changed the subject, his gaze falling on the core disciples waiting outside the forbidden area, "As for the rewards for the genius disciples, this year one person will receive fifty catties of spirit spring water."

These words surprised not only the elders within the forbidden area but also caused an uproar among the core disciples outside. Fifty catties of spiritual spring water, equivalent to the share given to the Supreme Elder, was an astonishing reward. Even the most outstanding genius disciples had previously only received a maximum of twenty catties.

"Sect Master, isn't fifty catties too much? This year's spiritual spring water production has already decreased, and if it's distributed like this, I'm afraid the other disciples will have objections," an elder couldn't help but say.

Yue Shouren shook his head, his eyes resolute: "Not much. This person is the future hope of our sect. Let alone fifty catties, as long as it can help her grow up quickly, it would be worth it even if it meant giving up more spiritual spring water." He paused, then slowly uttered the name, "This person is my youngest daughter, Yue Ling'er."

Yue Ling'er! Upon hearing this name, no one objected anymore. In the Immortal Sword Sect, Yue Ling'er's name was equivalent to the phrase "a prodigy of heaven." She had just turned twenty this year and possessed a natural wood-attribute celestial spiritual root—in the Pangu World, celestial spiritual roots were the most outstanding cultivation aptitude, with an affinity for spiritual energy far exceeding that of other spiritual roots, resulting in an astonishingly fast cultivation speed.

What's even more remarkable is that Yue Ling'er cultivated mortal martial arts under her father's guidance from a young age, laying a solid foundation for her physical body. After turning eighteen, she officially began cultivating immortality, and in just two years, she broke through from the first level of Qi Refining to the tenth level. Such a cultivation speed is not only extremely rare in the history of the Immortal Sword Sect, but also among the top of the younger generation in the entire Pangu World. The sect's Nascent Soul ancestor personally calculated her destiny and predicted that she had the potential to reach the Nascent Soul stage, making her a cultivation prodigy that appears only once in a thousand years.

It's important to understand that in the current Pangu World, spiritual energy is increasingly scarce, and cultivation resources are extremely limited. The number of cultivators capable of advancing to the Golden Core realm is dwindling, let alone the Nascent Soul realm. Most of the current Nascent Soul cultivators are ancient monsters who achieved success a thousand years ago. In the past millennium, not a single new Nascent Soul cultivator has been born in the entire Pangu World. It's not that there aren't high-quality cultivation talents, but rather that the insufficient spiritual energy and scarce cultivation resources make it difficult to support cultivators breaking through the insurmountable barrier of the Nascent Soul realm.

A Golden Core cultivator's lifespan can reach one to two thousand years, but once they break through to the Nascent Soul realm, their body undergoes a qualitative transformation, and their lifespan skyrockets to three to five thousand years. A Nascent Soul ancestor is enough to guarantee the prosperity of a sect for over three thousand years, making them a true strategic asset. The Immortal Sword Sect's ancestor is now over two thousand years old, with less than a thousand years of lifespan remaining. If no new Nascent Soul cultivator is born, after the ancestor passes away, the Immortal Sword Sect will lose its strongest fighting force, making it difficult to defend the Huashan Secret Realm, this rare cultivation treasure, and it might even be swallowed up by other forces.

Therefore, Yue Ling'er's appearance undoubtedly brought hope for the continued prosperity of the Immortal Sword Sect. With her aptitude and cultivation speed, as long as she doesn't perish prematurely, advancing to the Golden Core Realm is a certainty. Furthermore, as a top sect in the Huashan region, the Immortal Sword Sect possesses formidable power and abundant resources. With concentrated resources dedicated to nurturing her, the possibility of Yue Ling'er breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm is extremely high. Once she successfully advances to the Nascent Soul Realm, the Immortal Sword Sect can continue its glory and solidify its position in the cultivation world.

This is precisely why, even with the further reduction in the production of spiritual spring water, the sect still unhesitatingly rewarded Yue Ling'er with fifty catties of spiritual spring water. For the Immortal Sword Sect, this fifty catties of spiritual spring water was not a waste, but rather the most worthwhile investment. With this fifty catties of spiritual spring water, Yue Ling'er would most likely be able to break through to the Qi Refining Perfection stage in a short period of time, and even attempt to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, paving the way for her future cultivation path.

"Pass on my order: summon Yue Ling'er to collect the spiritual spring water," Yue Shouren said in a deep voice. A disciple immediately responded and withdrew to search for Yue Ling'er in the area where the core disciples lived.

At this moment, Yue Ling'er was meditating in her cultivation room. She wore a light green dress, her skin was as white as snow, and her appearance was exquisite. Her clear eyes were closed, and a faint wood-attribute spiritual energy surrounded her. Although she only had the cultivation level of the tenth level of Qi Refining, her aura was exceptionally calm, far surpassing that of disciples of the same level. Sensing the movement outside the door, she slowly opened her eyes, a flash of spiritual light appearing in them.

"Junior Sister Ling'er, the Sect Master has ordered you to go to the forbidden area to collect the reward of the Spirit Spring Water," the disciple outside the door said respectfully.

Yue Ling'er nodded slightly, stood up, straightened her clothes, and stepped out of the cultivation room. She naturally knew that today was the day the Spirit Spring opened, and guessed that she might receive a reward, but she did not expect such a generous share. Following the disciples to the outside of the forbidden area, she saw her father and the elders waiting, and immediately stepped forward and bowed: "Daughter greets Father and all the elders."

"Ling'er, come here." Yue Shouren's tone softened considerably as he waved and handed over a jade bottle containing fifty catties of spiritual spring water. "This time, the sect is rewarding you with fifty catties of spiritual spring water as a reward for the opening of the spiritual spring. I hope you will make good use of it and improve your cultivation as soon as possible, so as not to disappoint the sect's expectations."

Yue Ling'er took the jade bottle. It felt warm and smooth to the touch, and she could clearly feel the pure spiritual energy contained within. She was startled, and then she bowed solemnly and said, "Thank you, Father, thank you, Elders! Ling'er will live up to the sect's expectations, cultivate diligently, and serve the sect as soon as possible!" Her voice was clear and melodious, filled with firm belief.

The core disciples around Yue Ling'er looked at the jade bottle in her hand with envy and awe, but not a trace of jealousy. They all knew that Yue Ling'er's talent and hard work deserved such a reward, and they were even more aware that she carried the future of the sect on her shoulders. Having such a talented senior sister to guide them was also an inspiration to them.

The distribution of the spiritual spring water was quickly completed, the seal on the forbidden area was reopened, and the tranquility of the past was restored. Yue Shouren looked at the small amount of spiritual spring water remaining in his hand and sighed inwardly: "The production of spiritual spring water is decreasing year by year. If this continues, let alone cultivating disciples, I'm afraid even the lifespan of the ancestor will be difficult to maintain."