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

After Ye Zhentian delivered the immortal peaches to the patriarch, the atmosphere in the restaurant became increasingly relaxed and harmonious. Wang Yuyan had the maid remove the leftover food from the table and replace it with a pot of warm spiritual tea. The tea soup was clear and bright, exuding a faint orchid fragrance. It was mellow and sweet on the palate. Although the spiritual energy was not strong, it was mellow and long-lasting, which could soothe the fatigue after cultivation.

She held her teacup, her gaze falling on Zhang Bufan, and said with a smile, "Bufan, you've just arrived at the Ye family, so you might not know much about our situation. Since we have some free time, let me tell you about the Ye family and my maternal family, the Wang family, so you can have a better understanding." Zhang Bufan nodded slightly, his tone respectful, "Mother-in-law, please speak. I'm all ears." Ye Qingxue nestled beside him, her eyes filled with curiosity. Although she had grown up in the Ye family, the elders rarely discussed the deep-seated family history with her. Ye Qingfeng sat to the side, holding his teacup and listening quietly, occasionally adding a few key pieces of information.

Wang Yuyan took a sip of spiritual tea and slowly began to speak: "My family is the Wang family, the largest cultivation family in Hunan Province. You may not know this, but Hunan Province is full of mountainous and mysterious realms, where cultivation forces are deeply intertwined. The Wang family has been able to establish itself among them and become a leading cultivation family because of its generations-old wood-attribute cultivation techniques and its control over several important spiritual veins in Hunan Province. My father was the previous head of the Wang family, and my elder brother, Wang Tengfei, is the current head of the family and the most outstanding cultivator of this generation. He is now at the peak of the late Foundation Establishment stage and is only one step away from the Core Formation stage." As she spoke, a hint of pride filled Wang Yuyan's tone.

She paused, then continued, "My marriage to your father-in-law was a typical family alliance. More than forty years ago, the cultivation world in Nan Province and Hunan Province was not peaceful. Several evil cultivation forces rose up, plundering resources and oppressing small cultivation families and independent cultivators. Our Wang family and Ye family, as prominent cultivation forces in our respective provinces, reached a marriage agreement in order to unite and resist the evil cultivators. That's how I married into the Ye family."

"Over the years, the Wang and Ye families have always upheld their alliance, sharing resources and supporting each other. The Wang family needs metal and fire attribute cultivation resources, which the Ye family sources from the Southern Province; while the Ye family needs spiritual plants and herbs, which the Wang family obtains from the Hunan Province. In the secular cultivation world, our alliance carries considerable weight, and ordinary forces dare not easily provoke us," Ye Qingfeng added, his tone acknowledging the importance of the family alliance. Zhang Bufan listened quietly, understanding. The cultivation world is a dog-eat-dog world; going it alone is rarely sustainable. Alliances formed through marriage are a common means for large families to maintain their status and development.

The alliance between the Ye and Wang families not only solidified their respective positions within the province but also created a cross-regional power linkage, truly a brilliant move. Wang Yuyan turned her gaze to Ye Qingxue, her eyes gentle: "It's just a pity that my cultivation aptitude is too ordinary, possessing only four-attribute spiritual roots. Mixed spiritual roots result in slow spiritual energy refining, naturally making my cultivation progress far inferior to those with single or dual spiritual roots. Over the years, relying on the continuous supply of cultivation resources from the Ye and Wang families, I've only managed to reach the Qi Refining Perfection realm despite my best efforts." At this point, her tone carried a hint of helplessness and regret: "In today's cultivation environment where spiritual energy is increasingly depleted, reaching the Qi Refining Perfection realm with four-attribute spiritual roots is already the limit. I had long ago given up hope of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage; after all, my aptitude is what it is, and no amount of resources can compensate for the deficiencies in my spiritual roots."

But soon, her eyes brightened again, and she looked at Zhang Bufan with gratitude: "I never expected that just eating a spirit peach you gave me today would have such an amazing effect! The spiritual energy contained in that peach is not only pure and abundant, but also has a unique nourishing power. It not only further nourished and stabilized my meridians, but even the bottleneck that had kept me stuck at the Qi Refining Perfection stage for many years showed obvious signs of loosening!" Wang Yuyan became more and more excited as she spoke, her voice trembling slightly: "I can clearly feel that as long as I accumulate spiritual energy for a while longer, and with the help of some spiritual medicines to aid in the breakthrough, the possibility of me breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage is very high!"

"You must know, once I break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, my lifespan will increase from over a hundred years to over two hundred years, and my appearance will return to its youthful state. For a woman, this is simply a dream come true!" Women are naturally fond of beauty and even more afraid of aging. For cultivators, the extension of lifespan and the preservation of youthful appearance are more precious than any wealth. Wang Yuyan had already accepted her fate of gradually aging and having a limited lifespan, but Zhang Bufan's immortal peach gave her a second chance. She naturally remembered this kindness. Holding Ye Qingxue's hand, she said to Zhang Bufan with sincere eyes, "Bufan, you are not only Qingxue's good husband, but also my benefactor! Qingxue marrying you is the greatest blessing of her life, and also the blessing of our Ye family. From now on, you are a family member of both the Wang and Ye families. No matter what difficulties you encounter, as long as our two families can help, we will not hesitate at all!"

Throughout the night, Wang Yuyan's smile never faded. Her gaze towards Zhang Bufan was like that of someone looking at their most beloved son, filled with love and approval. Ye Qingfeng chimed in, "Brother Zhang, I was blind to your greatness before and offended you greatly. From now on, you are my brother-in-law, and your affairs are my affairs!" A warm feeling welled up in Zhang Bufan's heart, and he smiled, saying, "Auntie, Brother Ye, you flatter me. Qingxue and I are already married; we are family, and supporting each other is only natural. As for the spirit peach, it was something I obtained by chance. I'm happy that it can help you." He didn't boast excessively, his tone remaining calm. This composed demeanor earned the secret admiration of Wang Yuyan and Ye Qingfeng.

The group chatted for a long time, their topics ranging from interesting anecdotes about the cultivation world to Ye Qingxue's childhood stories. Wang Yuyan recounted Ye Qingxue's mischievous antics as a child, such as sneaking off to pick spirit fruits from the spirit fields, only to be thrown back by the protective array and end up with a bruised and swollen face; or pestering the family elders to teach her cultivation, only to give up after a few days due to her fickle nature. Ye Qingxue blushed as she listened, unable to resist clinging to Wang Yuyan's arm and acting coquettishly, eliciting laughter from everyone. Time slipped away quietly in the warm conversation, and before they knew it, the night outside the window grew deeper, and the chirping of insects in the mountains gradually faded. It wasn't until nearly midnight that Ye Zhentian hurried back from the backyard, his face beaming with undisguised joy.

"How is Grandpa?" Wang Yuyan quickly stood up and asked, her eyes full of concern. Ye Qingfeng and Ye Qingxue also looked at Ye Zhentian, their expressions tense. Zhang Bufan also stood up, secretly guessing that the Immortal Peach should have a good effect on Ye Dechang as well. Ye Zhentian smiled and said, "That's great! After Grandpa took the Spirit Peach, the spiritual energy in his body instantly became abundant, his previously declining vitality quickly recovered, the wrinkles on his face have faded a lot, and he looks at least ten years younger!"

He said this spirit peach was a divine object, not only extending his lifespan by at least ten years, but also stabilizing his early-stage Core Formation cultivation, and even potentially allowing him to break through to the mid-stage Core Formation before his lifespan ran out! At this point, Ye Zhentian's tone was filled with gratitude: "Grandpa specifically instructed me to properly thank Bufan. He said that Bufan not only solved Qingxue's marriage problem, but also brought new life to our Ye family, making him a truly deserving benefactor!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Yuyan and Ye Qingfeng were completely relieved, and joyful smiles appeared on their faces. Ye Qingxue also took Zhang Bufan's arm, her eyes filled with pride. Zhang Bufan nodded slightly and said, "I am deeply gratified that Ancestor has gained something." Ye Zhentian checked the time and said, "It's getting late, and everyone has had a long day. I've already had Qingxue's private villa prepared. Bufan, you and Qingxue can stay there tonight."

"A private villa?" Zhang Bufan was slightly taken aback.

Ye Qingxue explained with a smile, "It is Wangxue Garden. It is a small villa that my father specially built for me after I turned eighteen. It is located on the east side of the main courtyard, and the environment is very quiet."

Wang Yuyan added, "The reason it's called Wangxueyuan (Looking-at-Snow Garden) is because Qingxue was born on a December morning. That year was an unusually cold winter in the southern province. Our Ye family ancestral home is located on a mountain more than 300 meters above sea level, where the temperature was even lower than at the foot of the mountain. That day, it even snowed lightly, which was a rare occurrence. Our ancestor said that a timely snowfall foretells a bumper harvest, and Qingxue's birth, accompanied by a light snowfall, was an auspicious sign. So we named her Ye Qingxue. Later, we specially built Wangxueyuan for her, hoping that she would be as pure and resilient as snow."

Zhang Bufan's heart stirred, and his gaze towards Ye Qingxue softened even more. He could feel the Ye family's affection for Ye Qingxue; even her name and the villa held such profound meaning. Ye Zhentian's arrangement for him to live with Ye Qingxue in Wangxue Garden clearly showed his complete acceptance of his identity, treating him as the Ye family's true son-in-law. "Thank you for the arrangement, Father-in-law," Zhang Bufan said respectfully. Ye Zhentian nodded and instructed the maid beside him, "Take Young Master Zhang and Miss Qingxue to Wangxue Garden and serve them well." "Yes, Master," the maid bowed in response, then led Zhang Bufan and Ye Qingxue outside.

Watching the two figures depart, Wang Yuyan smiled with satisfaction. She said to Ye Zhentian and Ye Qingfeng, "Alright, let's all go back and rest. With Bufan here, Qingxue's future will definitely get better and better, and there's hope for the future of our Ye family." Ye Zhentian and Ye Qingxue nodded and returned to their respective courtyards. Zhang Bufan and Ye Qingxue followed behind the maid, walking eastward along the stone path of the ancestral home. The ancestral home was exceptionally quiet at night, with only moonlight filtering through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Many precious plants and trees lined both sides of the stone path, gleaming softly in the moonlight. The air was filled with the fragrance of plants and a rich spiritual energy, refreshing the mind and spirit.

After walking for about ten minutes, the maid led the two to an exquisite little courtyard. The gate was made of precious rosewood, with delicate snowflake patterns carved on it, lifelike in their detail. Above the gate hung a wooden plaque with the three large characters "Wangxue Garden" written in vigorous strokes, the calligraphy elegant and clearly the work of a master. "Young Master Zhang, Miss Qingxue, this is Wangxue Garden. The courtyard has been cleaned and prepared with hot water. If you need anything, please feel free to ask," the maid said, bowing. Ye Qingxue nodded: "Thank you for your trouble. You may leave now." "Yes," the maid bowed again, then turned and left.

Ye Qingxue pushed open the gate and led Zhang Bufan inside. Wangxue Garden wasn't very large, but its layout was extremely exquisite. Many hardy trees and flowers were planted in the courtyard, and even though it was late at night, their lushness was still evident under the moonlight. In the center of the courtyard was a small pond with a few lotus leaves floating on it. Although it was late autumn, the lotus leaves were still green, clearly nourished by the spiritual energy of the spiritual vein. Several stone tables and benches were placed by the pond, providing a place for rest and conversation. The main building of the courtyard was a two-story wooden building. The windows were covered with white paper, decorated with delicate plum blossom patterns, exuding an elegant atmosphere. Ye Qingxue led Zhang Bufan into the building. The first floor consisted of a living room and a study. The living room was furnished with exquisite wooden furniture, and several paintings depicting snow scenes hung on the walls, perfectly complementing the name of Wangxue Garden. Inside the study stood a large bookshelf, filled with various books, mainly secular works such as poetry, prose, history, and biographies. "The second floor has the bedroom and washroom; let's go up and take a look," Ye Qingxue said, pulling Zhang Bufan by the hand as they went upstairs. The second floor was equally simple and elegant. The bedroom was spacious and bright, furnished with a large mahogany bed covered in soft brocade quilts, exuding a faint fragrance. To one side of the bedroom was the washroom, containing a large bathtub filled with warm water, a few flower petals floating on the surface, emitting a rich floral aroma.

"This is my room. What do you think? Do you like it?" Ye Qingxue looked at Zhang Bufan with a hint of anticipation in her eyes. Zhang Bufan nodded and said with a smile, "I like it very much. The environment here is quiet and the furnishings are elegant. It's much better than my room at home." He was telling the truth. Wangxue Garden not only has a beautiful environment, but it also contains a rich spiritual energy. Cultivating or resting here can make people feel relaxed and comfortable.

Ye Qingxue smiled happily, "I'm glad you like it. You rest for a bit, I'll go wash up." With that, she picked up the clothes that had been prepared and went into the bathroom. Zhang Bufan sat on the edge of the bed, looking around the bedroom, his heart filled with warmth. He and Ye Qingxue had just received their marriage certificate that morning, and tonight would be their wedding night. Thinking of this, a ripple of emotion stirred within him.

Not long after, Ye Qingxue finished washing up and came out of the bathroom. She had changed into a light-colored nightgown, her long hair still damp and draped over her shoulders, her face flushed, her eyes sparkling, making her look exceptionally beautiful. Zhang Bufan was slightly taken aback. Ye Qingxue felt his gaze, her blush deepened, and she shyly lowered her head. "You should go wash up too," Ye Qingxue whispered. Zhang Bufan nodded, picked up his clothes, and went into the bathroom. The warm bathwater enveloped his body, washing away the day's fatigue and leaving him feeling refreshed. He quickly finished washing up, changed into his nightgown, and came out of the bathroom.

At this moment, Ye Qingxue was already lying in bed, covered with a brocade quilt, only her small head peeking out, her eyes nervously watching him. Zhang Bufan walked to the bedside and gently lay down. The bedroom was extremely quiet, with only the sound of their slightly rapid breathing audible. Moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating their faces. "Qingxue," Zhang Bufan gently took Ye Qingxue's hand, feeling the coolness and trembling of her palm. Ye Qingxue looked up at him, her eyes filled with shyness and anticipation: "Bufan." Their eyes met, both filled with love. Zhang Bufan slowly moved closer to Ye Qingxue and gently kissed her lips. Ye Qingxue trembled slightly, then closed her eyes, responding to him willingly. The kiss was tender and lingering, filled with deep love and longing, as if trying to merge them into each other's lives. As the kiss deepened, their breathing became more rapid, and their bodies involuntarily drew closer. Zhang Bufan could clearly feel the softness and warmth of Ye Qingxue's body, and the love in his heart surged like a tidal wave. Ye Qingxue completely let go of her shyness, hugged Zhang Bufan tightly, buried her head in his chest, and felt his firm chest and strong heartbeat.

Everything that followed fell into place naturally, the bedroom filled with a warm and tender atmosphere. Unlike the impulsiveness they displayed in the Pengcheng house last time, Zhang Bufan was exceptionally gentle this time, carefully protecting Ye Qingxue. He knew that tonight was their wedding night, a night of great significance for Ye Qingxue, and he didn't want to be as reckless as before. Ye Qingxue nestled in Zhang Bufan's arms, feeling his tenderness and affection, her heart overflowing with happiness. She could clearly sense that Zhang Bufan's love for her was genuine, a love that made her feel incredibly secure. She held Zhang Bufan tightly, as if she possessed the whole world. The two engaged in a deep exchange, not only physical intimacy but also a spiritual connection. They talked about their past, their lives in the mortal world, and their hopes for the future. Zhang Bufan told Ye Qingxue about the hardships he endured in Pengcheng, the despair after losing his job, and the miraculous encounter after falling off a cliff. Ye Qingxue also told Zhang Bufan about her life in the Ye family, the helplessness of being arranged to marry by her family, and the joy she felt after meeting him.

"Bufan, let's never be apart again, okay?" Ye Qingxue looked up at Zhang Bufan with sincere eyes. Zhang Bufan hugged her tightly and said firmly, "Okay, we'll never be apart. I will always protect you, take care of you, and make you the happiest woman in the world." The night was deep and quiet, filled with tenderness. The two nestled together, chatting, feeling each other's warmth and heartbeat, until the sky began to lighten, and then they gradually fell asleep.

This time, Zhang Bufan paid special attention to controlling the force applied, and did not damage the furniture as he had done before. After all, this was Ye Qingxue's private courtyard, and damage would indeed have a negative impact.

The morning sunlight streamed through the window into the bedroom, illuminating the two people sleeping peacefully in each other's arms. Zhang Bufan slowly opened his eyes, looking at Ye Qingxue, who was fast asleep in his arms. A happy smile graced her face, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned, making her look exceptionally adorable. Zhang Bufan gently stroked her long hair, his heart filled with contentment. He gently kissed Ye Qingxue's forehead, then carefully got out of bed and tucked her in with the quilt.

He walked to the window, pushed it open, and a rush of fresh air, carrying the fragrance of grass and trees and a rich spiritual energy, rushed in. The distant mountain peaks, bathed in the morning light, shimmered with a faint golden hue, shrouded in mist, like a fairyland. In the courtyard of Wangxue Garden, dewdrops clung to petals and leaves, sparkling in the morning light.