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

Time in the Mysterious Realm always slips away quietly in tranquility and fulfillment. The milky white halo falls eternally, enveloping the peach grove, lake, and wooden houses in a gentle light and shadow. The noise of the outside world cannot be heard, only the rustling of peach leaves in the wind, the babbling of the stream, and the subtle sounds of silver fish darting in the lake, which constitute the unique rhythm of the secret realm.

For Zhang Bufan, this time was not tedious, but rather filled with daily progress and transformation. Since breaking through to the fifth level of Qi Refining, stabilizing his cultivation, and beginning to refine the barrier of his Hegu acupoint, he had immersed himself in this uniquely endowed cultivation environment, practicing the path of cultivation with almost rigorous discipline. Spirit peaches, spirit springs, silver fish, spirit stones, and the vast amount of cultivation experience and knowledge inherited from Xuanqing Daoist were like the most fertile soil, nourishing his seedling of mixed spiritual roots, which should have been "innately deficient," allowing his cultivation speed to far exceed common sense, and leading him down a heaven-defying path that was unimaginable to cultivators outside the field.

In the blink of an eye, a year has passed.

At this moment, Zhang Bufan sat cross-legged on the crossbeam atop the wooden house, surrounded by a faint aura of spiritual energy, as if draped in a shimmering white veil. His eyes were lightly closed, his breathing long and steady. With each exhale, a vast amount of spiritual energy from heaven and earth surged into his body through his mouth and nose, flowing and circulating within his meridians. Compared to a year ago, his demeanor had undergone a complete transformation. The weariness and confusion of the past had vanished, replaced by a calm and composed demeanor. The spiritual energy emanating from his body was powerful and refined, far exceeding the level expected of cultivators of the same level.

Looking inward, Zhang Bufan could clearly see the scene within his body—the meridians and acupoints that once required painstaking effort and breakthroughs were now all open, without the slightest obstruction. The Hand Yangming Large Intestine Meridian, the Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian, the Ren and Du Meridians… all twelve regular meridians and eight extraordinary meridians, all the meridian channels that cultivators must pass through in their cultivation, had been completely opened by him. Moreover, under the long-term nourishment of the essence of the spiritual peach, the energy of the silver fish, and the rich spiritual energy, the width of his meridians was several times greater than that of ordinary Qi Refining cultivators, like wide river channels, enough to accommodate the surging torrents of spiritual energy.

Even more astonishing is that these interconnected meridians have formed a perfect grand circulation. Powerful spiritual energy surges from the dantian, flowing along a predetermined path. At each acupoint, it triggers a subtle resonance of spiritual energy, like stars adorning the night sky, before finally returning to the dantian, endlessly cycling and regenerating. In this cycle, the spiritual energy is continuously purified and refined, becoming increasingly pure and profound, each strand containing immense power.

Within the dantian, the faint vortex of energy from the early stages of Qi Refining had transformed into a basketball-sized vortex of spiritual energy, slowly rotating. On the surface of the vortex, spiritual energy surged, shimmering with a faint golden luster—a sign of its extreme purity. At the center of the vortex, a powerful suction force continuously drew in excess spiritual energy circulating through the meridians, further strengthening itself. At this moment, the dantian was overflowing with spiritual energy, seemingly poised to break through some kind of constraint and enter a completely new realm.

The cultivation is complete!

Zhang Bufan slowly opened his eyes, a flash of light passing through them. The aura of spiritual energy around him receded, returning entirely to his body. He leaped lightly from the beam, his steps as light as a feather, landing without a sound. Feeling the surging power within him, a relieved smile appeared on his lips. One year and three months, from the initial stage of Qi Refining to the current state of perfect Qi Refining—such a cultivation speed, if placed in the outside cultivation world, would be enough to astound even those Nascent Soul ancestors who have lived for thousands of years, leaving them questioning their very existence.

Keep in mind, he possesses a mixed spiritual root with five attributes! In the cultivation world, mixed spiritual roots have always been considered "cultivation waste," with poor affinity for spiritual energy, slow cultivation speed, and reaching the mid-stage of Qi Refining being the limit. The vast majority of mixed spiritual root cultivators never even touch the threshold of Qi Refining Perfection in their entire lives. Yet, with the support of the resources of the Xuanqing Secret Realm, he not only easily broke through all bottlenecks but also increased his cultivation speed to an outrageous degree.

Zhang Bufan clearly remembered that in the memories passed down by Daoist Xuanqing, it was mentioned that in the cultivation world of Pangu World, geniuses with Heavenly Spiritual Roots were extremely rare. Even with the full support of a sect, it would take at least three years for a cultivator with a Heavenly Spiritual Root to cultivate from the first level of Qi Refining to the peak of Qi Refining. For example, Yue Ling'er of the Immortal Sword Sect in the outside world, born with a Wood-attribute Heavenly Spiritual Root and possessing extraordinary talent, still took three full years to reach the peak of Qi Refining despite the sect's full support. He, on the other hand, a person with a mixed spiritual root who was despised by others, only took one year and three months, a cultivation speed far exceeding that of geniuses with Heavenly Spiritual Roots. If this were to spread, it would undoubtedly cause a sensation and raise questions throughout the entire cultivation world.

But Zhang Bufan knew in his heart that all of this was no accident. His achievements were certainly due to his diligence and perseverance, but more importantly, to the heaven-defying secret realm and the vast amount of inheritance left by Daoist Xuanqing. Spirit peaches could quickly replenish physical strength and spiritual energy, and also nourish his meridians; the spiritual spring water was sweet and pure, and could be absorbed directly without refining; the special energy contained in the silver fish could improve the physique of mixed spiritual roots and widen the meridians; the spiritual energy in the secret realm was so dense that it was almost tangible, making his cultivation efficiency far exceed that of the outside world; in addition, the top-level immortal cultivation technique "Xuanqing Daodao Jue" and the vast amount of cultivation experience left by Daoist Xuanqing allowed him to avoid countless detours, and every step he took was at the most correct juncture.

A combination of factors led to his miraculous "rags-to-riches" story.

Feeling the overflowing spiritual energy within his body, Zhang Bufan knew he had met the requirements to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. The Foundation Establishment stage is a crucial watershed on the path of cultivation. Successfully establishing one's foundation signifies officially stepping from a mortal cultivator into a true immortal, greatly increasing lifespan, undergoing a qualitative transformation in magical power, learning more powerful spells, and utilizing higher-level cultivation resources. For him, breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage was not only an improvement in cultivation level, but also the key to unlocking a new chapter in his cultivation journey, and an essential step towards leaving the secret realm and returning to his parents.

However, breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage is a major event that allows no room for carelessness. Zhang Bufan knew that the breakthrough process required a massive amount of energy, and that he had to maintain peak physical and mental condition to cope with the potential risks. Therefore, before officially starting his breakthrough, he decided to treat himself well, fill his stomach, and get his body into peak condition.

Thinking of this, Zhang Bufan turned and walked towards the Spirit Lake. After more than a year of feeding and breeding, the silver fish in the Spirit Lake were no longer what they used to be. Now that he had broken through to the peak of Qi Refining, the energy his body needed was far greater than before, and ordinary silver fish could no longer meet his needs. His goal was the largest silver fish in the lake.

Arriving at the shore of Spirit Lake, Zhang Bufan gazed upon the calm, still surface. Beneath the clear water, countless silvery-white figures darted about joyfully. Occasionally, a silver fish would leap from the water, creating ripples that shimmered brilliantly in the milky light. After more than a year, although the number of silver fish in Spirit Lake had stabilized at around a few hundred thousand due to the lake's size, their quality had undergone a dramatic improvement.

Zhang Bufan's gaze quickly locked onto a huge figure in the center of the lake. It was a silverfish over five feet long, even thicker than the largest silverfish from a year ago, and its weight was conservatively estimated to be over fifty pounds. This silverfish was entirely silvery-white, and its scales were finer and smoother than those of other silverfish. When it swam in the water, its scales reflected a faint golden light, vaguely resembling the texture of dragon scales.

This is the "King of Fish" in the Spirit Lake. After more than a year of continuously consuming immortal peach petals, peach leaves, and withered immortal peaches, the power of the Silver Dragon Loach bloodline within this silver fish has been further stimulated and strengthened, even showing certain signs of ancestral reversion in its physique. Now, it is no longer an ordinary silver fish; the special energy it contains far surpasses that of its kind. Its effects on improving cultivation aptitude and nourishing meridians after consumption are more pronounced, making it an excellent ingredient for replenishing energy before breaking through to a higher realm.

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhang Bufan lightly touched the ground with his feet and leaped towards the center of the lake like an arrow. His movement technique was now already highly refined; with the enhancement of his perfected Qi cultivation, he could even glide briefly on the water's surface. Approaching the giant silver fish, he waved his right hand, and a surge of pure magical power instantly erupted, transforming into an invisible barrier that trapped the fish. Sensing danger, the silver fish frantically thrashed its body, trying to break free, its massive tail slapping the water's surface and creating splashes.

But Zhang Bufan's strength was now vastly different. With a slight flick of his finger, the magical barrier surrounding the silver fish instantly contracted, firmly imprisoning it. The silver fish's struggles grew weaker and weaker, until it finally lost all power to resist. Zhang Bufan reached out, grabbed the silver fish's fin, and lifted it to the surface. It felt incredibly heavy, weighing well over fifty pounds, causing him to sway slightly before landing steadily on the shore.

Back at the cabin, Zhang Bufan skillfully took out a small knife crafted from a hard peach branch. This knife, meticulously sharpened, was incredibly razor-sharp, and combined with his now precise control over his magical power, he handled the silverfish with ease. He first made a neat incision in the silverfish's belly, then reached inside and quickly cleaned out its internal organs. He didn't waste these organs; instead, he casually buried them at the base of the nearby peach tree—after more than a year of practice, he had discovered that the silverfish's internal organs were rich in nutrients, making them the best fertilizer for peach trees, resulting in plumper and sweeter spiritual peaches.

After cleaning the fish's internal organs, Zhang Bufan carried it to the Spirit Stream and repeatedly rinsed it with the clear spiritual spring water. The bright red fish blood spread with the current, creating faint red ripples in the stream before slowly flowing downstream, eventually seeping into the tiny cracks in the rocks and disappearing. After being rinsed by the spiritual spring water, the silver fish's scales became even cleaner and smoother, gleaming with an alluring luster.

After preparing the silverfish, Zhang Bufan set up a simple grill in the open space next to the wooden house. The grill's frame was constructed from sturdy peach branches, which were heat-resistant and emitted a faint fragrance. He evenly distributed the silverfish on the grill, then picked up a few dried peach branches and placed them under the grill. A simple fireball spell ignited the flames. As the peach branches burned, they released a unique fragrance that blended with the freshness of the silverfish, making the grilled fish even more delicious.

After more than a year of practice, Zhang Bufan's fish-grilling skills had reached a level of perfection. He rotated the grill to ensure the silverfish were heated evenly, while precisely controlling the size of the flames. The flames were just right, enough to grill the silverfish skin to a golden-brown crisp without burning the flesh. During the grilling process, he would occasionally dip a twig into a small amount of spiritual spring water and brush it onto the surface of the silverfish. This prevented the fish from drying out and allowed it to absorb the pure spiritual energy of the spring water, enhancing its flavor and energy.

Half an hour later, a rich aroma filled the air, carried by the gentle breeze and spreading throughout the peach grove. By this time, the silverfish had been roasted to a golden brown on all sides, with a crispy skin that crackled with a light touch. The fragrance of the fish mingled with the sweet scent of peach branches and the refreshing taste of the spring water, making one's mouth water.

Zhang Bufan extinguished the flames and took the roasted silverfish down. After roasting, the silverfish had lost a lot of weight, weighing only about thirty pounds after cooking. He found a clean blue stone to sit on, picked two freshly ripened spirit peaches from the peach tree, took out a large stone bowl, filled it with spirit spring water from the spirit stream, and then began to feast.

He first broke off a piece of crispy roasted fish and put it in his mouth. The moment his teeth bit down, the juicy flesh burst open in his mouth, the rich umami flavor mixed with a subtle fragrance and sweetness, instantly overwhelming his taste buds. The fish melted in his mouth, without the slightest fishy taste, its texture delicate and mellow, far surpassing any silverfish he had eaten a year ago. As the fish went down his throat, a gentle yet powerful energy instantly spread out, sliding down his throat into his abdomen, where it was quickly absorbed through his meridians and transformed into his own magical power.

Zhang Bufan ate with great relish, munching on grilled fish and spirit peaches, occasionally sipping the sweet spirit spring water. The sweetness of the spirit peaches neutralized the greasiness of the grilled fish, while the spirit spring water quickly moistened his throat; the three were a perfect match. As his cultivation level increased, his appetite became exceptionally astonishing. He devoured over thirty pounds of grilled fish, along with two fist-sized spirit peaches and a large bowl of spirit spring water, finishing it all in just half an hour, leaving not a single scrap of fish.

After eating and drinking his fill, a warm feeling rose from his stomach and spread throughout his body, making his internal magical energy even more abundant. Zhang Bufan stretched and loosened his muscles, a series of cracking sounds emanating from his bones, each movement filled with power. At this moment, he was full of energy and vitality, his physical condition had been adjusted to its peak, and he was ready to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage at any time.

However, Zhang Bufan did not immediately begin his breakthrough. He remembered that he fed the silver fish in the Spirit Lake every day, which had become an indispensable part of his cultivation life. Although he was preparing for a breakthrough, he still hadn't forgotten the small matter of feeding the silver fish. So, he got up and went to the peach grove, collecting a large number of fallen peach blossoms, peach leaves, and some withered immortal peaches.

Arriving at the shore of Spirit Lake, Zhang Bufan gently scattered the peach blossoms, leaves, and withered immortal peaches he had collected into the lake. The moment the blossoms touched the water, they attracted a large number of silver fish, instantly enlivening the lake. Countless silvery-white figures darted and leaped in the water, vying for food and creating ripples. Zhang Bufan stood quietly on the shore, watching the silver fish swimming joyfully, a warm feeling rising in his heart. For over a year, the silver fish had not only provided him with ample food and energy, improving his mixed spiritual root constitution, but had also accompanied him through the long and tranquil times in the secret realm, becoming his indispensable companions.

The silverfish population today is vastly different from what it was a year ago. Besides the king fish weighing over fifty pounds, there are more than a hundred silverfish over five feet long, thousands between three and five feet, and tens of thousands over one foot. The rest are newly hatched fry. Nourished by the Spirit Lake and fed with immortal peaches, these silverfish are all plump and full of vitality, their silver dragon loach bloodline more or less activated, making them a unique sight in the Xuanqing Secret Realm.

After feeding the silver fish, Zhang Bufan turned to look at the cliff face deep within the secret realm. There, embedded with numerous spirit stones, ranging from low-grade to high-grade, he had previously used low-grade spirit stones for cultivation. However, breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage required a massive amount of energy, and the energy density of low-grade spirit stones was no longer sufficient. Therefore, he had already planned to use high-grade spirit stones to aid his breakthrough.

Zhang Bufan strode towards the cliff face. He moved with incredible speed, weaving through the peach grove like a gust of wind, arriving at the foot of the cliff in the blink of an eye. This cliff was hundreds of meters high, its surface smooth and inlaid with countless multicolored spirit stones, shimmering faintly like stars in the night sky. Among them, those radiating a rich golden light were the high-grade spirit stones.

High-grade spirit stones are far rarer than low-grade spirit stones, and most are embedded high up on the cliff face. Without hesitation, Zhang Bufan lightly touched the ground with his feet and leaped into the air, like a lithe eagle, rapidly climbing the cliff face. His physical strength and mana control had reached the pinnacle of Qi Refining, making climbing such a cliff face a piece of cake for him. His fingers gripped firmly the cracks in the rock, and his steps moved steadily upwards, quickly reaching the base of a high-grade spirit stone.

This superior-grade spirit stone was about the size of a fist, with a smooth surface and radiating a rich white light. Its spiritual energy fluctuations were powerful and pure, far exceeding those of a low-grade spirit stone by more than ten thousand times. Zhang Bufan reached out, gathering a wisp of pure magic power at his fingertips, and gently pried it out of the cliff wall. It felt warm to the touch, and a pure spiritual energy instantly emanated from the stone, seeping into his body through his palm, invigorating his spirit.

Zhang Bufan held the high-grade spirit stone in his hand, feeling the immense energy it contained, a confident smile appearing on his lips. With the aid of this high-grade spirit stone, coupled with his peak condition and the rich spiritual energy in the secret realm, breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage was a sure thing! He didn't delay any longer, turning and walking towards the wooden house, preparing to begin this crucial breakthrough that would determine the course of his cultivation path in the place he knew best and was safest.