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

Ye Dechang reached out and took the identity token from Zhang Bufan. The moment his fingertips touched the surface of the token, he clearly felt a warm yet sharp aura emanating from it. The token was about the size of a palm, with a clear emerald green color and a texture as warm and smooth as jade, yet it also possessed a toughness that jade did not have. It was heavy in his hand, clearly indicating that it was no ordinary object.

When his gaze fell upon the lifelike sword imprint on the front of the token, Ye Dechang's pupils constricted sharply, and his breathing quickened involuntarily. The sword imprint, seemingly simple, seemed to contain boundless truths of the sword path, emanating a faint, sharp sword intent. Even as a cultivator in the early stages of the Core Formation realm, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe under the influence of this sword intent. Having spent many years in the cultivation world, he recognized it at a glance—the unique imprint of the Immortal Sword Sect's core disciple identity token—the "Azure Edge Imprint."

This "Azure Edge Seal" was personally engraved by the Nascent Soul Ancestor of the Immortal Sword Sect with his natal sword intent, containing the unique spiritual power of the Immortal Sword Sect's techniques, making it impossible for outsiders to imitate. Even Nascent Soul cultivators from other top sects would find it extremely difficult and costly to forge such a token, making it not worth the effort. Ye Dechang suppressed his shock, slightly tightened his fingertips, and sent a wisp of spiritual power into the token. He quickly sensed a unique spiritual fluctuation on the back of the token, perfectly matching the aura of Zhang Bufan before him. The area covered by the fluctuation was precisely where the three characters "Zhang Bufan" were engraved.

The divine sense imprint is the final anti-counterfeiting mark on the identity token, and also the most impossible to forge. Each identity token of a core disciple of the Immortal Sword Sect will have a unique divine sense imprint imprinted on it by the disciple himself. Once the imprint is successfully imprinted, it is closely connected to the disciple's soul, and unless the disciple dies and his soul dissipates, the divine sense imprint will never dissipate.

The moment he confirmed it was true, Ye Dechang's hand holding the token trembled uncontrollably. His last trace of doubt vanished, replaced by overwhelming shock and elation. He had initially thought Zhang Bufan's so-called "core disciple of the Immortal Sword Sect" status was perhaps merely that of an outer disciple with some connection, or a hollow title obtained through some fortuitous opportunity. He never imagined it would be a genuine core disciple, and even the personal disciple of the Nascent Soul Ancestor Yue Buwei!

In the cultivation world, the hierarchy of status is extremely strict. Nascent Soul Ancestors stand at the very top of the pyramid, and their direct disciples hold a status far exceeding that of ordinary Core Formation cultivators. Even though he was the patriarch of the Ye family, possessing a medium-sized spiritual vein and considered a prominent figure in the Southern Province's cultivation world, he was utterly insignificant before the core disciples of the Immortal Sword Sect. Not to mention, Zhang Bufan's master was Yue Buwei—a Nascent Soul powerhouse renowned throughout the entire Pangu cultivation world, rumored to have already reached the late Nascent Soul stage, only a step away from the Divine Transformation realm.

Ye Dechang understood perfectly what such a status meant. Even if it weren't for him, a family patriarch at the early stage of Core Formation, even Xiao Changfeng, the late-stage Core Formation patriarch of the Xiao family, would have to show Zhang Bufan considerable respect and wouldn't dare to be negligent in the slightest. After all, a direct disciple of a Nascent Soul patriarch represented the entire power of the Immortal Sword Sect, and no cultivation family dared to easily provoke him.

Ye Dechang took a deep breath, forcibly calming the turmoil in his heart. He carefully handed the identity token back to Zhang Bufan. His originally serious and dignified expression instantly became unusually amiable, and his eyes even carried a hint of ingratiation: "Young friend Zhang, I am very sorry for my rudeness. I hope you will forgive me. This token is indeed the mark of a core disciple of the Immortal Sword Sect. I had many doubts before, and I was presumptuous."

Zhang Bufan took the token, put it back into his pocket, and nodded slightly, saying, "Ancestor, you flatter me. My identity is special, so it is understandable that you have some doubts. I will not mind." His expression was calm. He was neither complacent because of Ye Dechang's change in attitude, nor did he feel resentful because of the previous pressure. This calmness made Ye Dechang nod in approval.

Seeing this, Ye Zhentian and Ye Qingxue breathed a sigh of relief. Ye Zhentian knew that their ancestor had completely accepted Zhang Bufan's identity, and things should go much more smoothly from now on. Ye Qingxue held Zhang Bufan's arm tightly, her eyes filled with joy and pride; she knew she had made the right choice.

Ye Dechang closed his eyes again, regulated his breathing for a moment, and when he opened them again, the shock in his eyes had faded, replaced by a gentle smile: "Young friend Zhang, since you are indeed a core disciple of the Immortal Sword Sect, then I will no longer beat around the bush. I would like to ask, are your feelings for Qingxue truly sincere?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Bufan didn't say much. With a thought, a brand-new red certificate flew out of his ring and landed steadily on the stone platform in front of Ye Dechang.

"Please look, Ancestor." Zhang Bufan's voice was gentle yet firm. "This is the marriage certificate that Qingxue and I just received this morning. In the mortal world, this is the proof that we are husband and wife, representing my promise to her."

Curious, Ye Dechang picked up the marriage certificate on the stone table and carefully examined it. The red cover had the words "Marriage Certificate" embossed in gold; the cover was exquisite. Inside was a photo of Zhang Bufan and Ye Qingxue, the two embracing each other with sweet and happy smiles. Below the photo were their basic information, the official seal of the civil affairs department, and the date: today.

Upon seeing the marriage certificate, a flicker of surprise crossed Ye Dechang's eyes, quickly turning into deep satisfaction. He could tell that the smiles on the faces of the two people in the photo were genuine, without any pretense. Moreover, the fact that Zhang Bufan had taken the initiative to produce the marriage certificate at this moment was enough to prove his feelings for Ye Qingxue and demonstrate his determination to live a good life with her.

"Good, good, good!" Ye Dechang said "good" three times in a row, his tone full of satisfaction. "Since you have already registered your marriage in the mortal world, then it is a match made in heaven. I, in advance, congratulate you!"

"Thank you, Ancestor!" Zhang Bufan and Ye Qingxue said in unison, their eyes filled with joy.

Ye Dechang gently placed the marriage certificate on the stone platform, turned his gaze to Ye Qingxue, and said with eyes full of affection: "Qingxue, my good child, it was my great-grandfather who was confused before and shouldn't have forced you to do things you didn't like, which made you suffer."

Upon hearing this, Ye Qingxue's eyes instantly welled up with tears. She shook her head and said, choking back sobs, "Great-Grandpa, I don't blame you. I know you were doing it for my own good, for the good of the Ye family."

Ye Dechang sighed softly, a hint of guilt in his eyes: "Good child, it's good that you understand. But now it's all right, with young friend Zhang by your side, your great-grandfather can rest assured." He turned to Zhang Bufan and asked solemnly, "Young friend Zhang, now that you and Qingxue are married, what are your plans for Qingxue's future?"

Zhang Bufan was prepared and immediately said, "Don't worry, Ancestor, I have a detailed plan. Next, I will take Qingxue back to Mount Hua and formally bring her into the Immortal Sword Sect, making her an outer disciple. Then, based on her aptitude, she can gradually be promoted to an inner disciple and then a core disciple."

"I will also take her to the Huashan Secret Realm for cultivation. The concentration of spiritual energy there is more than ten times that of the outside world, far exceeding that of the Ye family's spiritual veins."

"I have already examined Qingxue's physique. She possesses a rare dual spiritual root of metal and wood, indicating exceptional talent. With sufficient cultivation resources and a good cultivation environment, coupled with the cultivation resources I provide, she should have no major problems advancing to the Core Formation stage."

Zhang Bufan's words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a storm in the hearts of Ye Dechang and Ye Zhentian.

Ye Dechang sat bolt upright, his eyes wide with disbelief: "What did you say? Qingxue can advance to the Core Formation stage?"

It's important to understand what a Core Formation cultivator means to a cultivation family. The Ye family was able to establish itself in Southern Province precisely because of him, a Core Formation early-stage cultivator. However, with the depletion of spiritual veins, his cultivation will find it difficult to advance further. Decades later, once he passes away, the Ye family will lose the protection of a Core Formation cultivator and will inevitably be swallowed up by other cultivation families, ceasing to exist.

If Ye Qingxue can advance to the Core Formation stage, it means that the Ye family will have another Core Formation cultivator in the future, ensuring the continuation of the family's legacy. It might even lead to a more glorious future under her leadership! This is undoubtedly fantastic news for the precarious Ye family!

Ye Zhentian was also filled with shock and elation. As the head of the Ye family, he knew the family's predicament better than anyone and longed for a new Core Formation cultivator to emerge. Hearing Zhang Bufan's words, he felt as if he saw the future hope of the Ye family, and his whole body trembled slightly with excitement.

Ye Qingxue herself was also surprised. She knew she had good aptitude, but she never thought she would have the opportunity to advance to the Core Formation stage. She turned to look at Zhang Bufan, her eyes filled with surprise and reliance.

Ye Dechang took a deep breath, forcibly calming his inner excitement, and stared intently at Zhang Bufan, asking with a hint of urgency, "Fellow Daoist Zhang, is what you say true? Are you really confident you can help her advance to the Core Formation stage?"

"Every word I have said is true," Zhang Bufan said firmly. "As for advancing to the Core Formation stage, I am absolutely confident. The cultivation resources of the Immortal Sword Sect far exceed what the Ancestor imagined. In addition, with the cultivation resources I obtained from my master, as long as Qingxue is willing to cultivate diligently, Core Formation is only a matter of time."

Ye Dechang could no longer contain his joy and burst into laughter: "Good! Good! Good! With these words from young friend Zhang, I am completely relieved! Since that's the case, I will naturally no longer object to your marriage with Qingxue! I agree to your marriage!"

At this point, Ye Dechang's tone became extremely solemn: "As for the Xiao family, I will personally go and refuse them. Don't worry, as long as I reveal your identity and explain that you and Qingxue are already married, even if the Xiao family is dissatisfied, they won't dare to have any complaints. After all, they don't have the guts to offend the Immortal Sword Sect or Yue Buwei, the Nascent Soul Ancestor."

Ye Dechang knew the Xiao family's character very well. Although the Xiao family was a prominent cultivation family in the capital, and their ancestor Xiao Changfeng was a late-stage Core Formation cultivator, far stronger than him, the Xiao family had always been opportunistic and bullied the weak while fearing the strong. Faced with a core disciple of the Immortal Sword Sect like Zhang Bufan, the Xiao family would absolutely not dare to provoke him in the slightest; they would even take the initiative to curry favor and try to establish a relationship.

Zhang Bufan nodded slightly: "Then thank you very much, Ancestor."

Ye Dechang waved his hand, a helpless look on his face, and his tone became heavy: "Fellow Daoist Zhang, you don't need to thank me. To be honest, the reason I insisted on Qingxue marrying Xiao Jiulang was out of necessity. The Ye family is currently facing internal and external troubles and is in a precarious situation."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Bufan, Ye Zhentian, and Ye Qingxue were all taken aback. Although Ye Zhentian was the head of the Ye family, his understanding of some of the family's deeper crises was not comprehensive. Ye Qingxue was even more unaware of this; she only knew that the family had arranged for her to marry Xiao Jiulang, but she had no idea that the family was facing such a serious predicament.