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

Inside the cultivation room on Qinglan Peak, spiritual energy swirled like mist. Zhang Bufan sat cross-legged on a futon, his spiritual energy flowing continuously into his dantian vortex along the circulation path of the "Mysterious Purity Dao Inquiry Technique." After a night of consolidation, his early Foundation Establishment cultivation was now solid, and the spiritual energy within his dantian became increasingly condensed and flowed more smoothly.

Previously in the Xuanqing Secret Realm, he focused on improving his cultivation and had not systematically practiced sword flight. Although the Xuanqing Daoist's inherited memories contained basic methods related to flying with objects, theory ultimately needs to be verified through practice. Now that he had settled in the Immortal Sword Sect, Qinglan Peak, with its abundant spiritual energy and vast area, was the perfect place to practice flying.

Thinking of this, Zhang Bufan's mind stirred, and he probed the storage ring with his divine sense, his gaze slowly sweeping over the numerous flying swords. The ring contained a wide variety of flying swords: some were pure white jade swords radiating spiritual energy, others were shimmering crystal iron swords inscribed with complex formations, and many were high-grade Xuan-level magic weapons, their power far exceeding what ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators could wield. However, he only paused briefly before shifting his gaze, finally fixing it on an inconspicuous black greatsword.

This giant sword is about four feet long and nearly half a foot wide. It is made entirely of black iron, and its blade is as black as ink, without any ornate patterns. Only the edge of the blade gleams with a faint cold light. It weighs one hundred kilograms, which makes it seem particularly cumbersome among the many light and agile flying swords. Its grade is only low-grade Xuan, making it the most ordinary flying magic weapon in the ring.

"I'll choose you." Zhang Bufan's lips curled slightly. With a thought, the black greatsword transformed into a black shadow, flying out of his spatial ring and landing steadily on the ground in front of him with a muffled "thud," making the ground tingle slightly. His choice of this sword was not without reason, but rather the result of careful consideration: Firstly, he was currently only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, and a low-grade Xuan-rank magic weapon was a perfect match for his strength, making it effortless to wield and maximizing the power of the flying sword; secondly, this sword appeared crude and ordinary, unlikely to attract attention, which aligned with his principle of keeping a low profile. If he were to take out a high-grade Xuan-rank magic weapon upon entering the sect, it would inevitably attract the attention of the entire sect, and might even invite covetousness, creating unnecessary trouble.

Next came the refining of the flying sword. The prerequisite for flying on a sword was to establish a close connection between the sword and one's own divine sense, achieving a unity of mind and body, so that it could be used as one's own arm. Zhang Bufan sat up straight cross-legged, took a deep breath, and slowly released his divine sense, which, like fine threads, wrapped around the black giant sword.

Although the Xuan Tie Greatsword wasn't of high grade, refining it still required considerable effort. The moment Zhang Bufan's divine sense touched the sword, he felt a resistance, as if sinking into viscous mud. He wasn't impatient. Following the refining method passed down from Xuanqing Daoist, he divided his divine sense into countless strands, patiently penetrating the sword's interior. The molecular structure of the Xuan Tie was clearly visible under his divine sense's probing. He manipulated his divine sense, gradually leaving his spiritual imprint within the sword.

Time passed quietly, and Zhang Bufan continuously absorbed the spiritual energy within the cultivation room, converting it into his divine sense to replenish his energy. About an hour later, Zhang Bufan suddenly opened his eyes and softly uttered, "Condense!"

"Buzz—"

The black greatsword trembled slightly, emitting a deep hum, and a faint black halo appeared on its surface. Then, it transformed into a black shadow, soaring into the air and hovering half a foot in front of Zhang Bufan, steady and without the slightest tremor. With a thought from Zhang Bufan, the flying sword nimbly circled and danced around him, sometimes transforming into a black lightning bolt that darted through the air, sometimes hovering motionless, and sometimes spinning in arcs. Within a kilometer radius covered by his divine sense, this black iron greatsword was as agile as his arm, precisely executing his commands in both attack and defense.

"Success!" Zhang Bufan was overjoyed, a relieved smile spreading across his face. Although the process of refining the flying sword had consumed a great deal of his divine sense, the result was perfect. He could clearly feel the connection between himself and the flying sword, as if the sword was an integral part of his body.

After mastering the basic controls of the flying sword, it was time for the most crucial part: sword flight. Zhang Bufan stood up and walked to the platform outside the training room. The summit of Qinglan Peak offered a wide view, surrounded by swirling clouds and mist, with distant peaks appearing and disappearing in the fog, like a fairyland. The fresh air, rich in spiritual energy, invigorated him.

He activated his divine sense again, and the massive black iron sword that had been hovering beside him slowly flew to his feet, its blade laid flat, just wide enough for him to stand on. Zhang Bufan took a deep breath, carefully lifted his right foot, and stepped onto the sword. The sword sank slightly, then floated steadily back up. He steadied himself, then placed his left foot on top as well, bringing his feet together and standing in the center of the giant sword.

"Rise!" Zhang Bufan silently chanted in his heart, using his divine sense to urge the flying sword to slowly ascend into the air.

At first, the flying sword ascended slowly and wobbled, like a leaf in the wind. Zhang Bufan focused intently on controlling his divine sense, constantly adjusting the balance of the flying sword. He could clearly feel the air currents passing by him, the Azure Peak beneath his feet gradually shrinking, and the surrounding clouds becoming increasingly dense, as if he were in a sea of ​​clouds.

"Stay steady, stay steady." Zhang Bufan encouraged himself in his heart, his divine sense tightly enveloping the flying sword like a fine net. As he gradually became more proficient in controlling the flying sword, its swaying decreased, and its ascent speed gradually increased. Soon, he rose to a height of a hundred meters, and the Qinglan Peak beneath his feet had become a small mound, with the surrounding mountains all in sight.

"Keep ascending!" Zhang Bufan felt exhilarated and steered his flying sword to continue its ascent. Five hundred meters, eight hundred meters, one thousand meters... When the flying sword reached a height of one thousand meters, the surrounding clouds had thinned considerably, and sunlight shone through the clouds, warming his body. The Huashan Secret Realm below was like a giant scroll painting, with its continuous mountain peaks, winding streams, and well-arranged sect buildings clearly presented before his eyes.

"It's time to try flying forward." Zhang Bufan took a deep breath, adjusted his mental focus, and controlled his flying sword to move slowly forward. At first, his speed was very slow, like walking, as he flew and familiarized himself with the rhythm of flight. Under his control, the Xuan Tie giant sword glided smoothly forward, the air whistling past his ears, bringing a refreshing breeze.

Gradually, Zhang Bufan adapted to flying and began to try to increase his speed. He increased the intensity of his divine sense input into the flying sword, and the sword's speed instantly increased significantly, galloping through the sky like a running horse. He controlled the flying sword, circling around Qinglan Peak, one circle, two circles, three circles... the flight path became smoother and the speed faster and faster.

His childhood dream of flying had finally become a reality. Zhang Bufan was filled with indescribable joy; all his worries and anxieties vanished in that instant. He couldn't help but open his arms, feeling the wind high above, a relieved smile spreading across his face. Since losing his job and getting divorced, he had never felt so relaxed. At this moment, he was no longer the middle-aged loser suffocating under the weight of life, but a cultivator capable of soaring through the skies.

Exhilarated, Zhang Bufan subconsciously increased his speed again. The Xuan Tie giant sword accelerated faster and faster, the surrounding scenery flashed by like a revolving lantern, and the sound of the wind in his ears became increasingly piercing. His consciousness was highly concentrated, locked tightly on the flying sword, constantly adjusting its direction and speed. Unbeknownst to him, the flying sword's speed was already approaching the speed of sound.

"boom--!"

A deafening roar suddenly exploded high in the sky, like a thunderclap. A powerful shockwave emanated from Zhang Bufan, spreading outwards and instantly dispersing the surrounding clouds, creating a massive void. This was the sonic boom produced when exceeding the speed of sound!

Zhang Bufan was completely unprepared for this. The sudden, deafening roar was like a heavy hammer blow to his eardrums, instantly making him dizzy. His consciousness was violently impacted, causing a brief fluctuation, and his control over the flying sword also became erratic.

"Not good!" Zhang Bufan was startled and tried to regain his composure, but it was too late. The giant iron sword beneath his feet lost its precise control and flew off to one side at an astonishing speed. Zhang Bufan instantly lost his balance and leaned forward, almost falling off the flying sword. He quickly reached out and grabbed the edge of the sword, trying to steady himself.

But the flying sword was simply too fast, and its loss of control was irreversible. Carrying Zhang Bufan, it hurtled towards the mountain below like a wild horse. The feeling of weightlessness during the fall instantly made Zhang Bufan's heart leap into his throat. He could clearly see the mountain below getting closer and closer, the outlines of trees and rocks becoming increasingly clear.

"We must stabilize it as soon as possible!" Zhang Bufan forcibly suppressed the panic in his heart, concentrated all his divine sense, and desperately tried to regain control of the flying sword.

"Slow down! Slow down!" Zhang Bufan roared inwardly, channeling his divine sense to the full power of his flying sword, attempting to reduce his descent speed. The speed did indeed decrease somewhat. However, he was now less than a hundred meters from the ground, making it impossible to regain full stability. He could only try his best to adjust his direction, attempting to land on a relatively soft surface to minimize the possibility of injury. But to his dismay, he was veering directly towards a pavilion on a neighboring mountain peak, leaving him no time to adjust.

"Bang--!"

With a deafening crash, the Xuan Tie giant sword, carrying Zhang Bufan, smashed through the protective array and slammed into the roof of the pavilion. The sturdy wooden roof was instantly smashed open like paper, sending a huge hole flying, splinters of wood and tiles scattering everywhere. Zhang Bufan's body passed through the roof and crashed heavily onto the floor inside the pavilion with a dull thud. The Xuan Tie giant sword also fell, embedding itself in the ground beside him, its blade trembling slightly and emitting a low hum.

"Cough cough..." Zhang Bufan lay on the ruined ground, coughing violently. A sharp pain shot through his chest, as if his internal organs had been displaced. He struggled to get up, but found his whole body aching and weak. The impact had taken a heavy toll on him. Fortunately, he was already a Foundation Establishment cultivator, his physical strength far exceeding that of ordinary people. If it had been an ordinary person, they would probably have been pulverized to pieces.

Just as Zhang Bufan was struggling to get up, a stone door on the inside of the pavilion was suddenly pushed open, and a slender figure quickly walked out.

The newcomer was a young girl, appearing to be about seventeen or eighteen years old. She wore a moon-white Taoist robe, the hem of which was embroidered with delicate lotus patterns, giving her an ethereal and refined air. She had an exceptionally beautiful face, with skin as white as jade, eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like autumn waters, and long eyelashes that fluttered gently like butterfly wings. Her long, jet-black hair was tied up with a green jade hairpin, hanging down her back and swaying slightly in the wind.

The girl's aura was calm and pure, clearly indicating that she had already reached the peak of the Qi Refining stage, only one step away from the Foundation Establishment stage. To possess such cultivation at such a young age was enough to demonstrate her exceptional talent for cultivation.

This young girl was none other than Yue Ling'er, a genius with a Heavenly Spiritual Root from the Immortal Sword Sect. She possessed a natural Wood-attribute Heavenly Spiritual Root, giving her an extremely strong affinity for spiritual energy and allowing her to cultivate at a speed far exceeding her peers. It was for this reason that she caught the eye of the sect's patriarch, Yue Buwei, who took her in as a personal disciple and personally instructed her in cultivation.

Yue Ling'er was in seclusion in her cultivation room when she suddenly heard a deafening crash outside, followed by the sound of the roof being smashed. Her cultivation was abruptly interrupted, and a surge of anger rose within her. She quickly ended her seclusion and hurried out of the cultivation room to see what had happened.

When she saw the scene before her, she froze, her beautiful eyes wide with shock and anger. A huge hole had been torn in the roof of her lounge, sunlight streaming in and illuminating the ruins inside. The ground was littered with sawdust, tiles, and dust—a scene of utter devastation. In the center of the ruins, a strange man dressed in odd clothes (sportswear) was scrambling to his feet, a massive black flying sword embedded in his skin beside him.

"Who are you?!" Yue Ling'er snapped out of her daze, her clear voice tinged with anger as she stared sharply at Zhang Bufan. "Why did you break into my cave and destroy my pavilion?"

Zhang Bufan had just gotten up from the ground when he heard the girl's question and turned around. He was stunned when he saw Yue Ling'er. He hadn't expected to have crashed into someone else's cave, especially such a young and beautiful female disciple. He quickly straightened his dusty tracksuit, cupped his hands in a respectful bow to Yue Ling'er, and said with a hint of apology and embarrassment, "Fellow Daoist, I am truly sorry! My name is Zhang Bufan, a core disciple who recently joined the sect. Today, while practicing sword flight, I lost control and fell, accidentally trespassing into your cave and damaging the pavilion. Please forgive me."

"Zhang Bufan?" Yue Ling'er frowned, scrutinizing Zhang Bufan. She had never seen this person in the sect before, and his attire was quite strange, unlike that of a sect disciple. However, she could sense the Foundation Establishment stage spiritual energy emanating from Zhang Bufan, which surprised her. She knew most of the core disciples in the sect, and there were very few Foundation Establishment stage core disciples; she had never heard of anyone named Zhang Bufan.

"You say you're a core disciple who just joined the sect? Do you have any proof?" Yue Ling'er's tone remained wary, her eyes fixed on Zhang Bufan, as if afraid he was an outsider who had infiltrated the sect.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Bufan inwardly cried out, "Oh no!" He had only recently joined the sect and hadn't yet received his sect identity token, so he had no proof of his identity. He quickly explained, "Fellow Daoist, you may not know this, but I only formally became a core disciple of Ancestor Yue Buwei yesterday and haven't had time to receive my identity token yet. If you don't believe me, you can come with me to the sect's main hall to ask Senior Brother Sect Leader Yue Shouren, and that will verify my identity."

"What? You've become a disciple of the Ancestor?" Yue Ling'er's surprise deepened upon hearing the name "Yue Buwei." She never expected that this unfamiliar man was actually a direct disciple of the Ancestor, just like herself. This eased her wariness slightly, but she still didn't completely believe it.

The matriarch, Yue Buwei, was extremely strict in accepting disciples; throughout the entire Immortal Sword Sect, she was the only direct disciple. The sudden appearance of a new direct disciple was no small matter. She needed to verify whether Zhang Bufan's words were true.

"Wait here while I verify your identity," Yue Ling'er said to Zhang Bufan after a moment's thought. She then turned and strode towards the cultivation room, retrieved her identity token, infused it with spiritual energy, and began questioning Yue Shouren about Zhang Bufan.

Zhang Bufan stood there, shaking his head helplessly. He knew he'd really messed things up today. Not only had he caused an accident while practicing flying, but he'd also damaged the cave dwelling of another disciple of the patriarch. Now, keeping a low profile was impossible. He looked around at the chaotic state of the pavilion, a headache creeping into his heart. The repair costs would probably amount to a considerable amount of sect contribution points.

Meanwhile, Yue Ling'er quickly received a reply from Yue Shouren. In the communication jade slip, Yue Shouren confirmed Zhang Bufan's identity, telling her that Zhang Bufan was a newly initiated disciple of the sect's patriarch, a core disciple indeed, and that she need not worry. At the same time, Yue Shouren also instructed her to get along well with Zhang Bufan, as they were both disciples of the patriarch and should support each other and serve the sect together.

After receiving confirmation from Yue Shouren, Yue Ling'er's last trace of wariness vanished. She walked out of the cultivation room and looked at Zhang Bufan, who was clearing away the rubble. The anger on her face had subsided considerably, and her tone had softened considerably: "Senior Brother Zhang, please forgive my rudeness earlier. The Sect Leader has already confirmed your identity; I misunderstood you."

Hearing Yue Ling'er address him as "Senior Brother Zhang," Zhang Bufan breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed she had confirmed his identity and wasn't pursuing the matter further. He stopped what he was doing, turned around, cupped his hands in a respectful greeting to Yue Ling'er, and said, "It's alright. I was the one who broke into Junior Sister's cave and damaged the pavilion. I should be apologizing. May I ask how I should address you, fellow traveler?"

"My name is Yue Ling'er, and I am also the patriarch's personal disciple. According to the order of entry, you should call me Junior Sister; but based on age and cultivation, you may call me Junior Sister as well," Yue Ling'er said softly, her tone tinged with shyness. It was the first time she had been so close to a male disciple she didn't know, and she couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

"So it's Junior Sister Yue," Zhang Bufan said with a smile. "In that case, I'll call you Junior Sister. What happened today was indeed my fault. Don't worry, Junior Sister, I will take full responsibility for the repair costs of the pavilion and will restore it to its original state as soon as possible."

Yue Ling'er gently shook her head and said, "Senior Brother Zhang, there's no need to be so polite. Accidents are common during cultivation, and repairing the pavilion won't take much effort. But Senior Brother has just joined the sect, why are you in such a hurry to practice sword flight? The art of flight requires gradual progress and cannot be rushed."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Bufan smiled helplessly and said, "To be honest, Junior Sister, I'm eager to practice flying so that I can stabilize my cultivation as soon as possible, and then temporarily leave the sect to return to the mortal world to visit my parents. I haven't seen them for over a year, and I miss them terribly."

Upon hearing this, Yue Ling'er's eyes showed a hint of understanding. Although she had grown up in the cultivation world, she also knew the preciousness of family ties in the mortal realm. She nodded and said, "I see. Senior Brother's filial piety is truly admirable."

Just then, Zhang Bufan suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest and frowned. Although the fall hadn't seriously injured him, it had caused some shock to his body, which was now becoming apparent.

Yue Ling'er noticed Zhang Bufan's unusual behavior and quickly asked, "Senior Brother Zhang, what's wrong? Did you get injured in the fall?"

"It's nothing, just a minor injury. I'll be fine after a rest," Zhang Bufan said. "Let's think about how to repair the attic first."

Yue Ling'er nodded and said, "Alright. There are outer disciples in the sect who are specifically responsible for repairing buildings. I'll send a message to have them come over right away."

Yue Ling'er smiled and said, "Senior brother, there's no need to be so serious. We are both disciples of the patriarch, and it's only right that we help each other. Besides, this repair cost is nothing to me. Senior brother has just joined the sect, and he must need a lot of cultivation resources. You should use those resources for cultivation."

Seeing Yue Ling'er's resolute attitude, Zhang Bufan stopped insisting and said, "Since that's the case, then I thank you very much, Junior Sister. If you ever need any help in the future, please don't hesitate to ask, and I will do my best to assist you."

"Okay." Yue Ling'er nodded with a smile, then took out a communication jade slip and began to contact the outer sect disciple in charge of the repairs.

Standing to the side, Zhang Bufan watched Yue Ling'er's busy figure and couldn't help but feel a bit more favorably disposed towards this junior sister. He had originally thought that a genius with a Heavenly Spiritual Root like Yue Ling'er would be somewhat arrogant and aloof, but he hadn't expected her to be so easygoing and kind.

Soon, several outer sect disciples arrived at Yue Ling'er's cave dwelling. Seeing the large hole in the roof and the ruins inside, they were startled and quickly stepped forward, bowing respectfully to Yue Ling'er: "Greetings, Senior Sister Yue! May I ask what brings you here, Senior Sister?"

"My attic was accidentally damaged by Senior Brother Zhang while he was practicing flying. You all need to repair it as soon as possible and make sure it is restored to its original state," Yue Ling'er instructed the outer disciples.

"Yes! Disciples obey!" The outer disciples quickly responded, and then began to carefully examine the damage to the pavilion, preparing to start repairs.

Yue Ling'er turned to Zhang Bufan and said, "Senior Brother Zhang, repairing the pavilion will take some time. Why don't you go back to Qinglan Peak to rest?"

"Alright." Zhang Bufan nodded and said, "Then I'll head back now. Junior Sister, I apologize again for what happened today."

"Senior brother, you don't need to be so polite," Yue Ling'er said with a smile.

Zhang Bufan cupped his hands in greeting to Yue Ling'er, then controlled the Xuan Tie giant sword, slowly ascending into the air and flying towards Qinglan Peak. This time, he dared not be careless again, flying very slowly and carefully controlling the flying sword, fearing any further accidents.

Upon returning to his cave on Qinglan Peak, Zhang Bufan immediately entered the cultivation room, sat cross-legged, and began to regulate his body. He took out a celestial peach, ate it, and then circulated the "Mysterious Purity Dao Inquiry Technique." The spiritual energy within the peach repaired the shock his body had suffered. The stabbing pain in his chest gradually disappeared, and the aches and pains throughout his body were significantly relieved.

"It seems that in the future, I must proceed step by step and not be too hasty in my flight," Zhang Bufan thought to himself. Today's unexpected event made him realize a truth: the path of cultivation is long and arduous, and no step should be rushed, otherwise, accidents can easily occur.

Time slipped by unnoticed, and before they knew it, darkness had fallen. The night on Qinglan Peak was exceptionally quiet, save for the rustling of leaves in the wind. Zhang Bufan slowly finished his practice, and when he opened his eyes, a glint of shrewdness flashed within them.

"I've basically mastered the flying skills. I'll ask the sect for leave tomorrow and go home to see my parents as soon as possible," Zhang Bufan thought to himself. He got up and walked outside the cultivation room, looking at the stars in the night sky, his heart filled with longing for his parents. He wondered how his parents were doing in the mortal world, and whether they were still worried about him.