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

Zhang Bufan turned to look at Yue Ling'er beside him. The girl was curiously looking around, her clear eyes full of inquiry. Her moon-white Taoist robe stood out among the casually dressed tourists, and several passersby couldn't help but turn around frequently, their eyes filled with curiosity and amazement. Yue Ling'er noticed the gazes of those around her and became slightly reserved, subconsciously moving closer to Zhang Bufan.

"This is the area of ​​the Huashan Scenic Area," Zhang Bufan thought of Yue Shouren's instructions. "There are unwritten rules in the cultivation world that one cannot reveal cultivation methods in front of mortals, nor can one interfere with mortal life. Otherwise, if it affects the stability of mortal life, it will attract joint punishment from the entire cultivation world. Therefore, we cannot fly on swords and can only walk out."

Yue Ling'er nodded gently, her curiosity intensifying: "So people in the mortal world don't know about the existence of cultivators? They look... very different from us." She grew up in the cultivation world and was used to seeing cultivators in Taoist robes with calm and composed auras. These tourists in colorful clothes, walking hurriedly but with relaxed expressions, were a completely new presence to her.

"Most of them don't have the aptitude for cultivation. They spend their whole lives struggling to make a living, going through birth, aging, sickness, and death, following the laws of the mortal world." Zhang Bufan's tone was somewhat sentimental. His gaze swept over a family laughing and playing in the distance, and his longing for his parents grew stronger. "Let's go. Let's get out of the scenic area as soon as possible and find a way home."

The two walked side by side along the mountain path. Thanks to the superhuman physique of cultivators, their steps appeared slow, but their speed far exceeded that of ordinary tourists, as if the stone steps beneath their feet were shrinking and receding rapidly. Tourists encountered along the way only saw the couple's figures flash by and disappear into the distance, leaving only a blurry silhouette, and they all looked surprised, thinking they were seeing things.

At first, Yue Ling'er was a little uncomfortable with the stares of others, but she was gradually drawn to the ordinary scenery along the way. The mountain viewing platform, the stalls selling snacks and drinks, the rocks covered with writing... these things, which she had never seen in the cultivation world, all fascinated her. Occasionally, she would tug at Zhang Bufan's sleeve and whisper questions such as "What are those colorful pieces of paper?" and "Why do they write on the rocks?" Zhang Bufan patiently answered them one by one, his tone gentle.

What would normally be a two- to three-hour descent took the two of them only an hour to reach the scenic area exit. Looking at the bustling crowds and passing cars, Yue Ling'er's curiosity deepened, and she instinctively gripped Zhang Bufan's sleeve. Zhang Bufan could sense her nervousness and gently patted the back of her hand to reassure her, "Don't be afraid, these are all mortal transportation methods; they're very safe."

He looked around, searching for the bus station leading to his hometown, planning to buy a ticket and leave as soon as possible. But when he reached into his pocket to take out his wallet, he found it empty. Only then did Zhang Bufan suddenly remember that he had lost his backpack when he fell off the cliff, and later in the Xuanqing Secret Realm, he hadn't needed to use any worldly money. After joining the Immortal Sword Sect, he had always used sect contribution points to exchange for resources. He had no cash on him, and even his cell phone had been lost in the fall.

"Oh no, I don't have any money on me, so I can't buy a ticket." Zhang Bufan frowned, a sense of embarrassment rising in his heart. He was so focused on seeing his parents as soon as possible that he had overlooked this crucial issue.

Seeing this, Yue Ling'er quickly asked, "Senior Brother Zhang, what should we do? Can we still go home?" She knew nothing about the rules of the mortal world and could only rely on Zhang Bufan.

Zhang Bufan pondered for a moment, a decisive glint in his eyes: "We can only use cultivation methods, but we must act discreetly. We'll find a secluded place, use invisibility techniques to fly on our swords, that way we won't alert mortals and can get home as quickly as possible."

Invisibility is one of the most basic spells in the cultivation world, mastered by cultivators in the Qi Refining stage. Its principle is to distort light with spiritual energy, making oneself disappear from the eyes of mortals while simultaneously concealing one's aura. It is an essential skill for cultivators entering and leaving the mortal realm. Zhang Bufan had already mastered this technique to perfection while cultivating in the Xuanqing Secret Realm, and Yue Ling'er, as a genius with a Heavenly Spiritual Root, had naturally already mastered it as well.

The two walked along the path on the outskirts of the scenic area and soon found a secluded forest. After confirming that no one was around, Zhang Bufan nodded to Yue Ling'er. The two simultaneously made hand seals, and their spiritual energy slowly circulated, enveloping their entire bodies. The next second, their figures disappeared from the spot, with only slight fluctuations in the air indicating their presence.

"Let's go. We'll try to slow down and avoid causing spatial fluctuations," Zhang Bufan's voice rang in Yue Ling'er's ears, carrying a hint of warmth. With a thought, the Xuan Tie giant sword flew out of his storage ring, enveloped in spiritual energy, and hovered in front of the two of them.

The two stepped onto their flying sword side by side. Zhang Bufan controlled the sword to slowly ascend, heading towards their hometown. In stealth mode, they dared not fly too fast, their speed only about thirty percent of normal sword-riding speed. Even so, it far surpassed any ground transportation in the mortal world. The towns, fields, and rivers below rushed past. Zhang Bufan's gaze was fixed on the familiar direction, his heart surging with an urgent feeling.

Standing beside Zhang Bufan, Yue Ling'er felt the smooth flight of the flying sword, her eyes filled with wonder. She looked down at the ordinary scenery below: houses scattered about, winding country lanes, farmers working in the fields… all so different from the towering mountains and ancient caves of the cultivation world, brimming with the warmth of everyday life. She could clearly feel the growing intensity of longing emanating from Zhang Bufan, and a touch of tenderness welled up in her heart.

An hour later, a gleam of wild joy flashed in Zhang Bufan's eyes. The familiar village below was the home he had longed for! It was midday, the sun high in the sky, and the asphalt road outside the village was deserted except for a few chickens leisurely strolling along the roadside. Zhang Bufan controlled his flying sword to descend slowly, landing in a dense poplar grove on the outskirts of the village. After sheathing the sword, the two dispelled their invisibility spell.

"My home is just ahead." Zhang Bufan took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly. He straightened his slightly worn sportswear, tidied Yue Ling'er's wind-blown hair, and then led her toward the village.

As soon as he entered the village, a familiar figure appeared before him. It was an elderly woman in her sixties, with gray hair, wearing a blue coarse cloth jacket, carrying a bamboo basket, and slowly walking out of the village. It was Wang Guilan, Zhang Bufan's neighbor. Wang Guilan had watched Zhang Bufan grow up, and the two were very close. When Zhang Bufan was a child, he often ate at her house.

Wang Guilan also saw Zhang Bufan. At first, she just thought the young man was handsome and his figure looked familiar. But when she looked him over carefully and saw his eyebrows and eyes, she froze. The bamboo basket in her hand fell to the ground with a "clatter," and the vegetables inside scattered all over the ground.

"You...you are...Xiao Fan?" Wang Guilan's voice trembled slightly, her eyes filled with disbelief. The Zhang Bufan before her looked only twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with fair skin and a tall, upright figure, completely different from the slightly weathered middle-aged man she remembered from over a year ago. Yet, the contours of his eyebrows and eyes were exactly the same as the Zhang Bufan she remembered.

Zhang Bufan felt a warmth in his heart, quickly stepped forward, and respectfully called out, "Aunt Wang, it's me, I'm back."

"It really is Xiaofan! You're finally back!" Wang Guilan, confirming his identity, trembled with excitement and rushed forward to grab Zhang Bufan's hand. Her palm was rough yet warm, bearing the marks of years of hard work. "My child, where have you been for over a year? Everyone thought you... thought you were gone! Your parents waited so long their hair turned completely white, they cried every day, and they could barely eat!"

Wang Guilan's voice grew increasingly agitated, and tears streamed down her face. She gripped Zhang Bufan's hand tightly, refusing to let go, as if letting go would cause him to disappear again. Then, without waiting for Zhang Bufan's response, she abruptly released his hand, turned, and ran towards Zhang Bufan's house, shouting at the top of her lungs, "Fenglian! Guoqiang! Your son is back! Zhang Bufan is back! And he brought back a beautiful daughter-in-law!"

Upon hearing the words "daughter-in-law," Yue Ling'er's cheeks flushed crimson. She lowered her head shyly, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her clothes. But watching Wang Guilan's anxiously running figure and feeling this undisguised, genuine affection, she felt no aversion, but rather a warmth. She could sense that the old lady was truly happy for Zhang Bufan's return.

Zhang Bufan's eyes instantly welled up with tears. He was already a Foundation Establishment cultivator, his mind as steady as a rock, but at this moment, faced with the simple kindness of his neighbors, he could no longer suppress his emotions. Aunt Wang's eagerness wasn't for anything else; she simply wanted his parents to know he was back for as long as possible, to suffer less of the torment of missing him. This pure kindness was something he had never experienced in the cruel world of cultivation.

"Aunt Wang, slow down!" Zhang Bufan called out to Wang Guilan's back, then quickly followed after her with Yue Ling'er.

The village entrance was only a little over a hundred meters from Zhang Bufan's house. Wang Guilan's shouts were extremely penetrating and quickly spread throughout half of the village. From afar, Zhang Bufan saw two figures rushing out of the door of his familiar two-story house.

Walking in front was the mother, Liu Fenglian. She was wearing a gray apron and clutching a rolling pin tightly in her hand, clearly rolling out dough in the kitchen. Her hair was completely white, her once straight back was now somewhat hunched, her face was covered with deep wrinkles, and her eyes held a hint of weariness and confusion, obviously startled by the sudden shout.

Following behind was his father, Zhang Guoqiang, who was wearing a faded blue work uniform, holding a fire poker, and had some cigarette ash on his forehead. His hair was also gray, and he looked much older than he had a year ago. His back was also more hunched, and his steps were somewhat unsteady, clearly indicating that he had rushed out from the stove.

Hearing the shouts, the neighbors came out of their homes and gathered by the roadside, curiously looking in the direction of Zhang Bufan's house. When they saw Zhang Bufan walking quickly towards them, their faces showed expressions of shock and surprise.

"Truly extraordinary! He actually came back!"

"Thank God! After falling off a cliff over 700 meters high and disappearing for more than a year, he actually came back alive!"

"Yes! His parents have suffered so much these past year, eagerly awaiting his return. Now they're finally relieved!"

Hearing the whispers of his neighbors, Zhang Bufan felt a pang of sorrow in his heart. He knew that after news of his fall from the cliff more than a year ago reached the village, most people believed he was likely dead. Even his parents, after waiting for so long, had probably given up hope. Seeing him again now made the joy of this reunion all the more precious.

Liu Fenglian and Zhang Guoqiang also saw Zhang Bufan. They stopped abruptly, their eyes fixed on him, as if they couldn't believe their eyes. Their lips trembled slightly, as if they wanted to say something, but no sound came out.

"Dad, Mom, I'm back." Zhang Bufan walked up to the two of them, his voice choked with emotion, and bowed deeply to them.

The cry of "Dad, Mom" ​​jolted Liu Fenglian and Zhang Guoqiang awake. They finally realized that the handsome young man before them was their son who had been missing for over a year! The rolling pin in Liu Fenglian's hand fell to the ground with a "thud," and Zhang Guoqiang also released the fire poker in his hand, which rolled to the ground with a crisp sound.

"Fan...Fan'er..." Liu Fenglian's voice trembled uncontrollably, tears instantly blurring her vision. She quickly stepped forward, her trembling hand gently stroking Zhang Bufan's cheek, feeling his warmth to confirm that this was not a hallucination. When her fingertips touched Zhang Bufan's warm skin, she could no longer control her emotions, tightly hugging Zhang Bufan in her arms and bursting into tears.

"My son! You're finally back! Where have you been? Do you know how much your mother missed you? I thought I'd never see you again!" Liu Fenglian's cries were heart-wrenching, filled with more than a year's worth of longing, worry, and torment. She held Zhang Bufan tightly in her arms, as if trying to meld him into her very bones, afraid that he would disappear again.

Zhang Guoqiang stepped forward, reaching out to hug his son, but hesitated. His eyes were red, tears welling up, but he held them back. When Liu Fenglian's cries reached him, he could no longer contain himself. He reached out and embraced both Zhang Bufan and Liu Fenglian, suppressed sobs escaping his throat, tears streaming down his face.

Zhang Bufan was held tightly in his parents' arms, feeling their warmth and trembling bodies. His emotions surged like a flood. Tears streamed down his face as he hugged his parents back, choking out, "Dad, Mom, I'm sorry for making you worry."

The neighbors around them also had tears in their eyes, wiping them away. They all knew the hardships Zhang Bufan's parents had endured over the past year. In their search for Zhang Bufan, they had spent almost all their savings, traveled to every place around Mount Hua, and spent their days and nights in tears, aging themselves by more than ten years. Seeing their family reunited now, everyone was genuinely happy for them.

The crying continued for several minutes before Liu Fenglian and Zhang Guoqiang gradually calmed down. Liu Fenglian released Zhang Bufan and looked him over carefully. Wiping away her tears, she said, "Fan'er, how come you look so much younger? Did you suffer something outside?" Looking at the smile on her son's face, she felt both happy and heartbroken.

Zhang Bufan smiled, wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, and said, "Mom, I'm fine. I just had some extraordinary encounters, and my health has improved, so I look younger." He dared not mention the matter of cultivating immortality, for fear of frightening his parents.

Zhang Guoqiang calmed down, patted Zhang Bufan on the shoulder, and said, "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back. As long as you're safe and sound, that's more important than anything else." His voice was still a little hoarse, but it was full of relief.

Just then, Liu Fenglian noticed Yue Ling'er behind Zhang Bufan. When she saw Yue Ling'er, her eyes instantly lit up. The young woman wore a moon-white Taoist robe, her skin was as white as jade, her eyebrows were like distant mountains, her eyes were like autumn water, and her temperament was fresh and refined, like a fairy from heaven. Liu Fenglian remembered Wang Guilan calling her "daughter-in-law" earlier, and a joyful smile instantly appeared on her face. She quickly stopped crying and greeted Yue Ling'er warmly, "And this young lady is...?"

Yue Ling'er blushed slightly, bowed slightly to Liu Fenglian and Zhang Guoqiang, and said respectfully, "Uncle, Aunt, hello. My name is Yue Ling'er, and I am Senior Brother Zhang's junior sister."

"Junior sister, good, good!" Liu Fenglian smiled from ear to ear, quickly stepped forward, took Yue Ling'er's hand, and carefully looked her over. The more she looked, the more she liked her. "You're so beautiful, and such a good girl. Come on, come inside. It's sunny outside, don't get sunburned."

Zhang Guoqiang nodded to Yue Ling'er, a gentle smile on his face: "Miss, please come in."

Neighbors also came forward to congratulate Zhang Bufan and his family.

"Guoqiang, Fenglian, congratulations! Bufan has returned safely, and with such a beautiful girl!"

"Yes! Now you can rest assured! Live a good life from now on!"

"Bufan, it's good to see you back! Come visit us sometime!"

Zhang Bufan and his parents thanked the neighbors one by one, and the neighbors, understanding the situation, did not linger and turned to go home.

Liu Fenglian held Yue Ling'er's hand, Zhang Guoqiang walked beside them, and Zhang Bufan followed behind, as the family headed into the house. Entering the familiar courtyard, seeing the clothes drying in the sun and the farm tools placed in the corner, Zhang Bufan felt a surge of belonging. More than a year of wandering and hardship vanished in that moment.

"Miss Ling'er, please have a seat. I'll get you a glass of water." As she entered the house, Liu Fenglian warmly greeted Yue Ling'er, inviting her to sit on the sofa before turning to head to the kitchen.

"Auntie, no need to trouble you, I can do it myself." Yue Ling'er quickly stood up, wanting to go to the kitchen to help.

"No need, no need, you can sit down." Liu Fenglian smiled and pressed her shoulder to make her sit down. Then she said to Zhang Bufan, "Fan'er, you keep Ling'er company while I go check on the noodles in the pot. They were cooking just now."

Zhang Bufan nodded, walked to the sofa and sat down. Looking at his familiar home, he felt a surge of warmth in his heart. Yue Ling'er sat beside him, curiously examining the furnishings: the television, the sofa, the coffee table… these were all things she had never seen before, making them feel incredibly novel.

Zhang Guoqiang sat in the chair opposite his son, his eyes filled with relief. He hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but ask, "Fan'er, where have you been for the past year? What extraordinary adventures have you encountered?"

Zhang Bufan knew his parents were filled with doubt, so he gathered his thoughts and tried to explain in simple terms: "Dad, after I fell off the cliff, I didn't die. Instead, I fell into a hidden cave. In the cave, I met a reclusive master who taught me some methods to strengthen my body and even let me cultivate with him. I've been cultivating in the cave for over a year, which is why I've become younger and was able to return safely."

He didn't reveal the specific details of cultivating immortality, only using vague terms like "reclusive master" and "cultivation" to avoid exceeding his parents' understanding.

Although Zhang Guoqiang had some doubts, seeing his son return safely and in such good health, he didn't ask any more questions. He simply nodded and said, "That's good. Meeting such a master is your blessing. You can't take such risks again in the future."

"I understand, Dad." Zhang Bufan nodded, secretly deciding that he would wait for the right time to slowly tell his parents about his cultivation.

The sounds of Liu Fenglian bustling about came from the kitchen, and the aroma of noodles gradually filled the air. Looking at everything before him, feeling the love of his parents and the warmth of home, Zhang Bufan secretly vowed to cultivate diligently, improve his strength as quickly as possible, and protect his parents in the future so they could enjoy their later years in peace.

Yue Ling'er sat to the side, watching Zhang Bufan and his father's warm conversation, a look of envy in her eyes. She had grown up in the cultivation world since childhood; her mother had passed away early, and she had been raised by her father, Yue Shouren. Although her father and master were very good to her, her father was always busy with sect affairs, and she had never experienced such a warm family atmosphere. Seeing Zhang Bufan's family interacting like this, a sense of longing welled up in her heart.