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

Beside the empty pool in the forbidden spiritual spring, the dense spiritual energy had not yet dissipated when Yue Buwei's surging spiritual power condensed into a tangible pressure, locking onto Zhang Bufan, who had just emerged from the spatial fluctuations. That terrifying aura originating from a Nascent Soul cultivator pressed down like a mountain, causing Zhang Bufan to gasp for breath, his hair to stand on end, and even the newly stabilized spiritual fluid within his body to ripple. He could clearly sense that if this white-haired old man before him made a single thought, he would likely have no chance to resist.

In that tense moment, Yue Shouren, the sect leader of the Immortal Sword Sect standing beside Yue Buwei, suddenly fixed his gaze on Zhang Bufan. His pupils contracted sharply, and his expression turned solemn. He stared intently at the blue tracksuit Zhang Bufan was wearing, which, although washed, still retained its design, and repeatedly chewed over the name "Zhang Bufan," as long-buried memories were suddenly awakened in his mind.

"Zhang Bufan...that name, those clothes..." Yue Shouren muttered to himself, his brows furrowed, his tone tinged with uncertainty and urgency. He suddenly took a step forward, his gaze fixed intently on Zhang Bufan, his voice rising a few decibels: "You're the Zhang Bufan who fell off the cliff and disappeared more than a year ago on the Huashan Plank Road?"

Upon hearing this, not only did Yue Buwei's oppressive aura instantly diminish by more than half, but even the four Golden Core stage elders beside him turned their heads, their eyes revealing curiosity. Only Zhang Bufan himself was so shocked that his whole body trembled, his mouth slightly open, his face filled with disbelief.

He never expected that simply giving his name would lead to recognition, and that the other person would accurately pinpoint the time and location of his fall. Keep in mind, at the time of his fall, he was merely an ordinary mortal, without any background or cultivation—just one of the most common people. Could it be that his disappearance had caused quite a stir in the outside world?

Countless thoughts flashed through Zhang Bufan's mind. He suppressed his shock, quickly composed himself, bowed respectfully to Yue Shouren, and said in a firm tone, "It is indeed I, Zhang Bufan. May I ask how you, senior, know of my past?"

Upon seeing Zhang Bufan confirm his identity, Yue Shouren's doubts completely vanished, replaced by deep astonishment. He slowly withdrew his gaze and bowed to Yue Buwei, explaining, "Ancestor, this benefactor Zhang Bufan is indeed the mortal who fell off the cliff and went missing fifteen months ago at the Changkong Plank Road. At the time, this matter caused quite a stir among the common people down the mountain. Many tourists witnessed his fall, and some even filmed it and uploaded it online, causing quite a stir."

"When I heard about this, I sent people down the mountain to investigate for more than three months. Firstly, I was worried that this would affect the reputation of the Immortal Sword Sect, and secondly, I was curious about what caused the person to disappear from the Immortal Sword Sect's territory. However, the investigation yielded no results. All we found was that he was an ordinary office worker in Pengcheng who was depressed about losing his job and getting divorced. He came to Mount Hua alone to relax, and his fall off the cliff was purely accidental. Later, Ye Zhentian, the head of the Ye family, a family of cultivators from the Southern Province, came to visit with his daughter, saying that Zhang Bufan was the ex-husband of his daughter Ye Qingxue and came to inquire about the situation. We sent people to search repeatedly at the bottom of the cliff, but we found no clues and had to let the matter drop."

Zhang Bufan was quite surprised to learn that his ex-wife was actually a cultivator from a family of cultivators. They had been in love for ten years and married for five years, yet he hadn't noticed anything unusual. What he least expected was that even two years after their divorce, she was still going out of her way to help him. It seemed that their feelings for each other were genuine. He was instantly filled with mixed emotions.

At this point, Yue Shouren looked at Zhang Bufan again, his eyes filled with inquiry: "The reason I remember him, besides the fact that this matter caused such a stir, is mainly because he was wearing a blue tracksuit when he fell off the cliff, which is extremely similar to the one he's wearing now. But I never imagined that a mortal who should have been shattered to pieces would actually appear in the core spiritual spring forbidden area of ​​my Immortal Sword Sect fifteen months later, and even achieve the cultivation of the early Foundation Establishment stage!"

Upon hearing this, Yue Buwei's deep gaze swept over Zhang Bufan, completely dispelling his initial intention to make a move. Someone who could survive a fall from a 700-meter-high cliffside walkway and break through from a mortal to the Foundation Establishment stage in just fifteen months must have a complex and hidden story behind him. He wanted to see what secrets this young man was hiding.

"Hmph, a mortal transformed into a cultivator, and able to sneak into my Immortal Sword Sect's forbidden spiritual spring without anyone noticing—you have quite a few secrets." Yue Buwei's voice remained authoritative. "Speak, what exactly have you experienced in these fifteen months? Why are you here?"

Zhang Bufan gave a wry smile. He knew the other party wouldn't easily believe him, and besides, this was the forbidden area of ​​the Spirit Spring, surrounded by high-ranking members of the Immortal Sword Sect; some matters couldn't be discussed in detail here. He bowed again and said sincerely, "Seniors, this matter is a long story, involving many aspects, and cannot be explained in a few words. Moreover, there are too many people here, and I worry that if some words are leaked, it will cause unnecessary trouble. I wonder if we could find a secluded place where I can explain in detail to you all?"

Yue Buwei pondered for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the four Supreme Elders and Yue Shouren beside him. Seeing that none of them had any objections, he nodded slightly: "Very well, I will give you a chance. Shouren, take him to the sect's main hall. I want to hear what tricks you have up your sleeve."

"Yes, Ancestor!" Yue Shouren replied respectfully.

Then, Yue Buwei turned around first and walked towards the stone gate of the Spirit Spring Forbidden Area. The four Supreme Elders followed closely behind, while Yue Shouren gestured for Zhang Bufan to follow. Zhang Bufan took a deep breath, suppressed his unease, and quickly followed.

The moment he stepped out of the stone gate, a warm ray of light instantly bathed him, causing him to involuntarily stop and squint slightly. It was sunlight, the first real sunlight from the outside world he had seen in fifteen months.

Within the Xuanqing Secret Realm, the only light illuminating the world was the faint glow emanating from the milky-white spirit stones on the stone walls—warm yet devoid of life. But the sunlight now falling upon him carried a scorching heat and vibrant vitality, filtering through the dense foliage and casting dappled shadows on the ground. The warmth of the sunlight dispelled the chill within him, stirring ripples in his long-dormant heart.

"The sun..." Zhang Bufan murmured to himself, a hint of dazedness, excitement, and an indescribable longing flashing in his eyes. Fifteen months had passed, and he had finally seen the sun again, finally one step closer to that familiar world, closer to his parents. He could imagine the ecstatic joy his parents would feel when they learned he was still alive.

"Why aren't you moving?" Yue Shouren couldn't help but urge Zhang Bufan on when he stopped.

"I'm sorry, senior, I lost my composure for a moment." Zhang Bufan regained his senses, quickly composed himself, smiled apologetically at Yue Shouren, and hurried after him.

Outside the forbidden area of ​​the Spirit Spring, dozens of Immortal Sword Sect disciples on guard remained on high alert. When they saw Yue Buwei, the four Supreme Elders, and Yue Shouren emerge, with a young man dressed in strange blue clothes in the middle, they were all stunned, their eyes filled with surprise and curiosity.

"Who is that? Dressed in outside clothes, how is he able to walk with the ancestors and elders?"

"I don't know. Judging from his aura, he seems to be a Foundation Establishment cultivator? Such a young Foundation Establishment cultivator? Could he be a genius disciple from another sect?"

"That doesn't seem right. Why would disciples from other sects appear in our Spirit Spring Forbidden Area? And they even came out with the Ancestor and the others. It seems their relationship is quite special."

The disciples whispered amongst themselves, their eyes fixed on Zhang Bufan, filled with curiosity and inquiry. Zhang Bufan's attire was indeed out of place in the cultivation world; his blue tracksuit paired with worn-out sneakers contrasted sharply with the uniform cyan Daoist robes of the Immortal Sword Sect disciples.

Seeing this, Yue Shouren frowned slightly, stepped forward, and said to the disciples in a deep voice, "Alright, quiet down! The spiritual spring water has been successfully extracted this time, and its quality far surpasses that of previous years. The subsequent distribution plan will be announced at a separate meeting of the sect. You may all disperse and remain at your posts. Do not gather here to discuss this further!"

"Yes, Sect Master!" Upon hearing this, the disciples quickly composed themselves, respectfully responded, and turned to leave. However, as they left, many disciples couldn't help but turn back and glance at Zhang Bufan one last time.

After dismissing his disciples, Yue Shouren turned around and said to Zhang Bufan, "Come with me, let's go to the sect's main hall to discuss this in detail." With that, he lightly touched the ground with his feet, his spiritual energy surged, and his figure instantly soared into the air, flying towards the distant mountain peak.

Zhang Bufan was stunned upon seeing this. He had only recently broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage and had been busy consolidating his cultivation, so he hadn't had time to learn the art of flying. Now, seeing Yue Shouren take to the air, he was at a loss for what to do.

He could clearly feel that the spiritual liquid in his body was enough to support flying, but he had no idea how to control the spiritual energy to make his body float.

Seeing Zhang Bufan standing still, Yue Buwei's face showed a hint of impatience. He already disliked this suddenly appearing young man, and now, seeing that he couldn't even fly using an object, he felt even more contemptuous. "Hmph, he can't even do the most basic flying using an object, I wonder how he even reached the Foundation Establishment stage."

Before he finished speaking, Yue Buwei gently waved his right hand, and a gentle yet irresistible spiritual energy instantly enveloped Zhang Bufan's body. Zhang Bufan felt his body lighten, and he involuntarily rose into the air, following behind Yue Buwei.

"Senior, this..." Zhang Bufan was startled and wanted to say something, but Yue Buwei coldly interrupted him: "Stop talking nonsense and hurry up. I don't have that much time to wait for you."

Zhang Bufan had no choice but to shut his mouth and stop speaking. He could clearly feel that the spiritual energy enveloping his body was extremely pure and gentle. Although it carried a powerful pressure, it did not intend to harm him. Under the influence of this spiritual energy, his flight speed was extremely fast, the wind whistling in his ears, and the scenery below rushing past.

He couldn't help but look down. He saw the Immortal Sword Sect's mountain gate built atop a series of rolling mountains, shrouded in mist and ethereal energy. Ancient palaces and pavilions were nestled against the mountains, arranged in a harmonious and orderly fashion. Many disciples cultivated and practiced their swordsmanship on platforms nestled in the mountains, their sword energy surging and spiritual energy permeating the air. In the distance, many rare spiritual herbs and medicines grew on the peaks, emitting a faint spiritual glow.

Is this what a cultivation sect looks like? Zhang Bufan was secretly amazed. Unlike the tranquility and primitiveness of the Xuanqing Secret Realm, the Immortal Sword Sect was full of vitality and life, exuding the profound knowledge and majesty of a cultivation sect.

Before long, Yue Buwei led Zhang Bufan to the summit of a magnificent mountain. At the summit was a vast platform, dotted with various buildings. In the center stood a colossal palace, constructed entirely of white jade, its roof covered with golden glazed tiles that shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight. Above the palace hung a huge plaque bearing three powerful characters: "Immortal Sword Palace."

This is the main hall of the Immortal Sword Sect, where the sect holds important ceremonies and discusses major sect affairs.

Yue Buwei flicked his sleeve, dispersing the spiritual energy that had enveloped Zhang Bufan. Zhang Bufan landed steadily at the entrance of the Immortal Sword Hall.

Yue Buwei was the first to enter the Immortal Sword Hall, followed closely by the four Supreme Elders and Yue Shouren. Zhang Bufan took a deep breath, straightened his sportswear, and also followed them in.

The interior of the Immortal Sword Hall is extremely spacious and magnificent, towering tens of meters high. Thick jade pillars support the roof, each carved with exquisite dragon and phoenix patterns, lifelike in their detail. The floor is paved with smooth white jade, spotless. At the very top of the hall sits a massive golden throne, upon which is carved a ferocious dragon, exuding an aura of majesty.

Yue Buwei walked straight to the golden throne and slowly sat down. The four Supreme Elders then sat down on the jade chairs on either side of the throne, while Yue Shouren stood to the left of the four Supreme Elders.

Zhang Bufan stood in the center of the main hall, facing Yue Buwei and the others. He showed no dissatisfaction; on the contrary, he felt it was perfectly natural. In the cultivation world, strength was paramount. Yue Buwei was a Nascent Soul cultivator and the patriarch of the Immortal Sword Sect, so it was only right that he sat in the main seat. Zhang Bufan, on the other hand, was merely a cultivator who had just broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage. The fact that he was standing there was already a sign of considerable respect from the other party.

"Alright, there are no outsiders here now. You can speak." Yue Buwei's voice echoed in the empty hall, carrying an undeniable authority. "Tell me everything that has happened to you over the past fifteen months. Remember, don't hide anything, or you will bear the consequences."

Zhang Bufan nodded, took a deep breath to suppress his nervousness and trepidation, and began to selectively recount his experiences over the past fifteen months. He knew that some things could not be said, such as the existence of the spatial ring, the vast cultivation resources within the Xuanqing Secret Realm, and the true identity of the Xuanqing Daoist as an immortal from the Celestial Realm. These secrets were too astonishing; if they were to be revealed, they would inevitably lead to his death.

"Senior, fifteen months ago, I fell off a cliff on the Changkong Plank Road, thinking I was surely going to die. But just as I was about to be smashed to pieces, I was suddenly rescued by an old immortal who called himself Xuanqing Daoist and teleported to a mountain cave." Zhang Bufan spoke slowly, his voice steady and clear. "That old immortal's cultivation was unfathomable, and I still don't know his exact cultivation level. He told me that in the Huashan Secret Realm, in a core spiritual vein that your sect had not discovered, he had opened up a small secret realm and had been living in seclusion there ever since."

"What?!" As soon as Zhang Bufan finished speaking, the high-ranking members of the Immortal Sword Sect in the main hall all changed their expressions drastically, revealing expressions of shock and disbelief.

Yue Buwei abruptly sat upright on his golden throne, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes as he stared intently at Zhang Bufan: "What did you say? There are still core spiritual veins in the Huashan Secret Realm that haven't been discovered by my Immortal Sword Sect? Someone can open up another secret realm within the secret realm? That's impossible!"

It's important to understand that the Huashan Secret Realm is the foundation of the Immortal Sword Sect. The sect has occupied this area for tens of thousands of years, and its predecessors have repeatedly explored it, believing they know every inch of it intimately. Yet now, Zhang Bufan is claiming that there's an undiscovered core spiritual vein within the secret realm, and that someone has even carved out a smaller secret realm upon it? This is utterly absurd!

An obese, Golden Core stage elder couldn't help but speak up, "Young man, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't speak carelessly! To open up another secret realm within an existing one requires extremely profound spatial mastery and terrifying cultivation. Even the legendary Nascent Soul stage cultivators might not be able to do it. Just who exactly is this Xuanqing Daoist you're talking about?"

The other elders and Yue Shouren nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with suspicion and inquiry. They all felt that Zhang Bufan was lying. The spiritual vein resources of the Huashan Secret Realm were already limited, and in recent years, the energy of the spiritual veins had been declining. If there really was an undiscovered core spiritual vein, the Immortal Sword Sect's spiritual vein resources wouldn't be so strained as they are now.

Zhang Bufan had anticipated their reaction. He didn't argue, but calmly said, "It's normal for seniors not to believe you, after all, this matter does sound unbelievable. But everything I've said is true. The cultivation level of that Xuanqing Daoist is far beyond what I can imagine. He was able to open up a small secret realm in the Huashan Secret Realm, so he must have extraordinary abilities."

Yue Buwei pondered for a moment, then waved his hand at Zhang Bufan: "Continue." Although he was still suspicious, Zhang Bufan's expression was too calm, not like he was lying. Moreover, he wanted to hear what other surprising things Zhang Bufan would say next.

Zhang Bufan nodded and continued, "After Xuanqing Daoist saved me, he took me to the small secret realm he had created. He said that he had a connection with me and asked if I would like to become his disciple and embark on the path of cultivation. At that time, I was just a mortal, and to be favored by an old immortal was something I could not ask for more, so I immediately agreed."

"Afterwards, Daoist Xuanqing performed the initiation ceremony for the junior, helping him to embark on the path of cultivation and laying a solid foundation for immortal cultivation."

"Afterwards, Daoist Xuanqing used various rare cultivation resources to help me improve my cultivation aptitude. My original aptitude was extremely poor, with a mixed spiritual root of five attributes, making my cultivation speed extremely slow. However, with the help of the old immortal, my aptitude was greatly improved, and my cultivation speed far exceeded that of ordinary people. At the same time, the old immortal also passed on to me various cultivation techniques, spells and supernatural powers, as well as knowledge of alchemy, weapon crafting, and formations."

"The old immortal told me that a solid foundation is crucial on the path of cultivation. He required me to cultivate to the Foundation Establishment stage and stabilize my cultivation before leaving the small secret realm. I deeply understood the old immortal's good intentions and longed to leave the secret realm as soon as possible to see my parents. Therefore, with the support of the abundant cultivation resources provided by the old immortal, I cultivated diligently day and night, daring not to slack off in the slightest. After fifteen months of hard work, I finally broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage, stabilized my cultivation, and then bid farewell to the old immortal and left the small secret realm."

At this point, Zhang Bufan paused, his eyes becoming extremely solemn: "However, before I left, Daoist Xuanqing told me something. He said he was about to embark on a long journey, traveling through the starry sky to seek a higher level of the Great Dao. After he leaves, the small secret realm he created in the Huashan Secret Realm will be taken with him. As a result, the core spiritual vein of the Huashan Secret Realm will also disappear, inevitably leading to a significant reduction in your sect's cultivation resources."

"The old immortal said that he has been living in seclusion in the Huashan Secret Realm for thousands of years, occupying your sect's core spiritual vein resources. Now he wants to take the spiritual vein away, so he owes your sect a debt of karma. He asked me to join the Immortal Sword Sect and serve the sect with the cultivation knowledge he passed on to me, in order to repay this debt of karma. That is why I am here."

As Zhang Bufan finished speaking, the entire Immortal Sword Hall fell into a deathly silence. Yue Buwei, the four Supreme Elders, and Yue Shouren all frowned, their expressions solemn, and remained silent for a long time.

Zhang Bufan's narration was so packed with information that they couldn't process it all at once. Xuanqing Daoist, the undiscovered core spiritual vein, the small secret realm, empowerment, improving aptitude, traveling through the starry sky, owing karma... every piece of information shocked them.

They finally understood why Zhang Bufan had been able to break through from an ordinary person to the Foundation Establishment stage in just fifteen months. It turned out that a mysterious master had been guiding him and providing him with a vast amount of cultivation resources. Such an opportunity was simply heaven-defying!

At the same time, they realized the gravity of the situation. If what Zhang Bufan said was true, then the core spiritual vein of the Huashan Secret Realm would be taken away, the cultivation resources of the Immortal Sword Sect would be greatly reduced, and the spiritual spring might even dry up. For the Immortal Sword Sect, which relied on spiritual vein resources for survival, this would undoubtedly be a catastrophe!

Yue Buwei's face was extremely ugly. He stared intently at Zhang Bufan, trying to find a flaw in his expression. But Zhang Bufan remained calm, his eyes firm, showing no sign of lying.

The four Grand Elders exchanged glances, each seeing deep worry and gravity in the other's eyes. They knew this was no small matter and required careful handling. If Zhang Bufan's words were true, then the Immortal Sword Sect would have to make a choice: accept Zhang Bufan and let him help the sect rise to compensate for the loss of the spiritual veins; or reject Zhang Bufan, thus forging a karmic bond with the Xuanqing Daoist behind him, ultimately leading to its decline?

The atmosphere within the Immortal Sword Hall became incredibly oppressive. Zhang Bufan stood in the center of the hall, quietly awaiting their decision. He knew that his fate, and the future of the Immortal Sword Sect, would undergo a crucial turning point at this moment.