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

A flash of light appeared at the entrance to the passage between the Huashan Secret Realm and the mortal world, revealing Yue Buwei, Zhang Bufan, Ye Qingxue, and Yue Ling'er. Before the steward of the house below could even greet them, Yue Buwei flicked his finger, and a gentle yet irresistible spiritual force enveloped the four of them, instantly breaking through the clouds and transforming into a dazzling rainbow of light as they sped towards the capital. The teleportation ability of a Nascent Soul cultivator is unparalleled; hundreds of kilometers are but a fleeting moment in his eyes. In less than a second, the four had arrived at the northern outskirts of the capital, hovering above the Red Leaf Mountains.

Below, the Red Leaf Mountain Range stretched endlessly, encompassing an area of ​​nearly a hundred kilometers, all within the Xiao family's territory. At the foot of the mountains stood several massive stones inscribed with "Private Territory, No Entry," the characters bold and vigorous, faintly radiating the spiritual energy fluctuations of cultivators. As one of the most prestigious cultivation families in the mortal world, the Xiao family had a lineage spanning over three thousand years, its influence permeating every corner of mortal government. Many high-ranking officials were members of collateral branches of the family, wielding considerable power. Directly atop the spiritual vein of the mountain range's main peak lay a luxurious manor covering thousands of acres, the ancestral home of the Xiao family. Built against the mountainside with blue bricks and gray tiles, its pavilions and towers were arranged in a harmonious and orderly fashion. The manor was surrounded by several layers of pale gold protective arrays, showcasing the foundation of a top-tier family. Scattered across the surrounding dozen or so mountain peaks were dozens of exquisite mountain villas, the residences of the core members of the Xiao family. Many of these villas were still lit, yet an indescribable sense of oppression permeated the air.

Zhang Bufan gazed intently and saw that a visible spiritual energy barrier had already formed above the Xiao family ancestral home. Yue Shouren, holding a golden longsword, hovered in the center of the barrier, radiating the profound aura of a perfected Foundation Establishment cultivator. Before him stood three white-haired elders, the three Core Formation stage Grand Elders of the Immortal Sword Sect. Their auras were as steady as a deep abyss, their gazes as sharp as lightning, fixed intently on the Xiao family ancestral home below. Below the barrier, one hundred core disciples of the Immortal Sword Sect, dressed in cyan Daoist robes, stood in neat rows, each wielding a flying sword. The sword light intertwined to form a dazzling curtain of light, completely sealing off the sky above the Xiao family ancestral home, preventing even a single bird from crossing.

The vast open space in front of the Xiao family ancestral home was now a scene of utter devastation. Hundreds of core members of the Xiao family, dressed in brocade robes, knelt in unison, the sound of their knees hitting the bluestone slabs echoing across the ground. Many were covered in dust and cold sweat, their faces ashen. At the forefront of the crowd, two figures stood out. The one on the left, dressed in a purple python robe, had an aged face but an extraordinary air about him; he was none other than Xiao Changfeng, the Xiao family patriarch. His late-stage Core Formation cultivation was being suppressed under the pressure of the Immortal Sword Sect. Veins bulged on his forehead, his hands were clenched into fists, his knuckles white, and his eyes were filled with regret and anger. The one on the right was Xiao Feng, the current head of the Xiao family. He appeared middle-aged, his face haggard, his once neatly combed hair now disheveled. Looking at the Immortal Sword Sect disciples above, his eyes held not only fear but also despair.

"Regret! Why didn't I slap that bastard to death back then!" Xiao Changfeng roared inwardly, his teeth grinding together. Half an hour ago, Yue Shouren suddenly arrived with three Core Formation elders and a hundred Foundation Establishment disciples, immediately setting up a sealing formation and forcefully forcing his way in. When he heard Yue Shouren angrily accuse him of "attacking a Nascent Soul Patriarch's personal disciple," Xiao Changfeng's heart sank to the bottom. His first thought was of Xiao Jiulang. That young patriarch, on whom the family placed high hopes, yet arrogant and reckless, had repeatedly clamored to teach Zhang Bufan a lesson because of Ye Qingxue, and had been confined for nearly two months, supposedly having reformed. He never expected that just a few days after his release, Xiao Jiulang would actually dare to attack a core disciple of the Immortal Sword Sect, and a Nascent Soul Patriarch's personal disciple no less!

Xiao Changfeng's heart sank into an ice cellar. He understood the terror of the Immortal Sword Sect better than Xiao Feng. As a mortal cultivation family, the Xiao family was strong, but before a hidden sect, they were nothing more than ants trying to shake a tree. Immortal Sword Sect disciples were always skilled in combat, often able to fight three cultivators of the same realm. These hundred Foundation Establishment disciples, along with three Core Formation elders, were enough to annihilate the entire Xiao family several times over. What made him even more desperate was that Yue Shouren had mentioned a "Nascent Soul Ancestor," a being they were not even worthy of looking up to. Once that ancestor descended, the Xiao family would have no chance of survival.

Recalling the confrontation half an hour earlier, Xiao Feng's body trembled slightly. He and Xiao Changfeng had sensed the fluctuations in spiritual energy above and hurriedly summoned their magical artifacts to investigate. The moment they appeared, they were forced back several feet by Yue Shouren's golden blade light. "Your Xiao family has quite the audacity!" Yue Shouren's voice boomed like thunder, causing the entire Red Leaf Mountain Range to tremble slightly. "You dare attack Zhang Bufan and Yue Ling'er, the two personal disciples of the Immortal Sword Sect's Nascent Soul Ancestor! Yue Ling'er is my precious daughter!"

Every word struck Xiao Changfeng and Xiao Feng like a heavy hammer blow to their hearts. Their expressions changed drastically, and they hurriedly bowed and asked, "Elder Yue, please calm your anger! We don't know in what way our Xiao family members have offended the Immortal Sword Sect? Please enlighten us!"

"A direct instruction?" Yue Shouren sneered, his eyes filled with murderous intent. "My Immortal Sword Sect's patriarch's personal disciple, Zhang Bufan, and my daughter, Yue Ling'er, were attacked and killed today in their hometown by your Xiao family's young master, Xiao Jiulang, and his men. If they hadn't reacted quickly, they would have been dead! You have fifteen minutes to lead all the core disciples of your families to kneel and surrender, awaiting the judgment of my sect's Nascent Soul patriarch! Otherwise, I will immediately lead my disciples to storm in and wipe out the entire Xiao family!"

"Xiao Jiulang!" Xiao Changfeng and Xiao Feng exclaimed in unison, their last shred of hope shattered. They exchanged a glance, both seeing a deathly despair in each other's eyes. There was no room for further explanation; resistance would only lead to more devastating consequences. Xiao Changfeng immediately gritted his teeth and ordered, "Pass on my command: all core disciples, immediately assemble in the square in front of the ancestral home, lay down your weapons, and kneel in surrender! Anyone who disobeys will be punished as a traitor!"

After the order was given, the Xiao family was in an uproar. Many young disciples resisted, believing that with a family lineage spanning three thousand years, they might not fear a hidden sect. However, under the forceful suppression of Xiao Changfeng and Xiao Feng, no one dared to disobey. Within a quarter of an hour, hundreds of core disciples with cultivation potential arrived at the square and knelt in unison. When counting the number of people, Xiao Changfeng and Xiao Feng's hearts sank completely—Xiao Jiulang was not among them, nor were the two Foundation Establishment stage elders, Xiao Yuan and Xiao Gang, who had accompanied them earlier. Without a doubt, these three had failed in their assassination attempt and were already dead. The impending catastrophe was caused by their own hands.

"I only beg the Immortal Sword Sect to show leniency and spare the Xiao family..." Xiao Changfeng prayed silently in his heart, his forehead pressed against the cold bluestone slab, not daring to even breathe loudly. He knew that with the strength of the Immortal Sword Sect, destroying the Xiao family would be as easy as turning his hand. If he surrendered now, he might still be able to preserve his family's bloodline.

Just then, a brilliant light shone in the sky, and an aura several times stronger than that of Yue Shouren and the others suddenly descended, enveloping the entire Red Leaf Mountain Range as if the sky had collapsed and the earth had caved in. The trees on the mountain swayed wildly, and leaves fell in a rustling sound. The Xiao family disciples on the plaza all felt difficulty breathing, and many disciples with lower cultivation levels were directly crushed, spitting out a mouthful of blood and collapsing to the ground.

"A Nascent Soul Ancestor!" Xiao Changfeng and Xiao Feng trembled and looked up sharply. They saw four figures slowly emerge from the rainbow light. The leader, dressed in a blue Daoist robe, with white hair and beard, and eyes as deep as the starry sky, was none other than Yue Buwei, the Nascent Soul Ancestor of the Immortal Sword Sect. Behind him, Zhang Bufan, Ye Qingxue, and Yue Ling'er stood side by side, their eyes coldly fixed on the Xiao family members below. Yue Ling'er, in particular, looked at the Xiao family members with undisguised anger. If Yue Buwei hadn't been there, she would have already drawn her sword and attacked.

Upon seeing Yue Buwei, Yue Shouren quickly sheathed his flying knife and bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Ancestor! I have followed your orders and surrounded all the core members of the Xiao family, awaiting their fate!" The three Core Formation elders and the hundred Foundation Establishment disciples also bowed in unison, their voices echoing through the valley.

Yue Buwei nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the kneeling members of the Xiao family below, his eyes devoid of any emotion, as if he were looking at a group of ants. He said nothing more, but with a flick of his sleeve, three dark figures fell to the ground in front of Xiao Changfeng with a "thud"—the corpses of Xiao Jiulang, Xiao Yuan, and Xiao Gang. The three died in gruesome manners. Xiao Jiulang's dantian was shattered, and there was a bloody hole between his eyebrows; Xiao Yuan and Xiao Gang were either decapitated or had large holes in their chests, the blood already congealed, their faces still bearing the traces of fear before death.

"What else do you have to say?" Yue Buwei's voice was calm but carried an undeniable authority, exploding in Xiao Changfeng's ears like thunder.

The moment he saw the three corpses, Xiao Changfeng's vision went black, and he nearly fainted. He forced himself to crawl a few steps to the bodies, tears streaming down his face, and repeatedly kowtowed to Yue Buwei, his forehead pounding against the stone slabs with a loud thud, quickly drawing blood: "Grandmaster Yue, spare us! The Xiao family knows its guilt! It is our fault for failing to discipline our wicked child, allowing him to commit such a grave error, implicating the entire family! We beg Grandmaster Yue to show mercy and spare the Xiao family. From now on, the Xiao family is willing to serve the Immortal Sword Sect like cattle and horses, going through fire and water without hesitation!"

Xiao Feng hurriedly kowtowed as well, his voice choked with sobs: "We beg Ancestor Yue for mercy! We are willing to hand over all of the Xiao family's cultivation resources, just to preserve our family bloodline!" Upon seeing this, the Xiao family disciples in the square also kowtowed and begged for mercy, their cries rising and falling, their former arrogance completely gone.

Looking down at the weeping Xiao family members, Zhang Bufan felt no pity. If it weren't for his extraordinary mental strength, which allowed him to sense the danger beforehand, he, Ye Qingxue, and Yue Ling'er would likely have perished long ago, and even his parents might have been implicated. Such a ruthless family deserved their fate.

Yue Buwei snorted coldly, his voice suddenly turning sharp: "Serving as a slave? No need!" His gaze swept across the entire Red Leaf Mountain Range, his tone icy. "The cultivation world has its own rules. Reclusive sects and mortal families keep to themselves. Yet your Xiao family dared to provoke the sect's authority and attack my Immortal Sword Sect's core disciple! It's been hundreds of years since a mortal family dared to act like this. It seems we've been hidden from the world for too long, making you forget who truly rules this world!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yue Buwei's aura surged again, and the air in the entire Red Leaf Mountain Range seemed to freeze. The cries of the Xiao family members stopped abruptly, and their faces turned pale and their bodies trembled.

"Considering your voluntary surrender and lack of resistance, I will spare your lives." Yue Buwei's tone shifted, igniting a glimmer of hope in Xiao Changfeng and the others. However, his next words plunged them into despair. "But while you may escape death, you cannot escape punishment! Today, I will abolish the cultivation of all your core disciples, expel the Xiao family from the cultivation world, and condemn you to be mortals once more! I hope other mortal cultivation families will take this as a warning, recognize their own place, and refrain from repeating the Xiao family's mistakes!"

"No! No!" Xiao Changfeng cried out in anguish, "Ancestor Yue, please, don't abolish our cultivation! Cultivation is not easy, we are willing to pay any price!" Cultivation is the foundation of a cultivator. Once it is abolished, they are no different from ordinary people, and the three thousand years of cultivation heritage will be completely cut off today.

Yue Buwei had already made up his mind and gave him no chance to explain. With a wave of his hand, hundreds of condensed, almost tangible sword energies shot out from his fingertips, each one aimed precisely at the dantian of the Xiao family disciples below. The sword energies were extremely fast, and Xiao Changfeng and the others had no time to react, only able to watch helplessly as the sword energies pierced through their dantian.

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!" A series of muffled thuds rang out as hundreds of core disciples of the Xiao family simultaneously coughed up blood, their bodies collapsing limply to the ground. A sharp pain shot through their dantian, and their spiritual energy dissipated like a flood, their original cultivation vanishing instantly. Feeling the emptiness within them, their faces went blank, followed by a profound despair. Some slumped to the ground, their eyes vacant; others pounded the ground frantically, weeping bitterly; still others roared in despair, but lacked even the strength to stand.

Xiao Changfeng collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down his face. Looking at the family members around him, now reduced to mere mortals, his heart was filled with despair. Three thousand years of heritage, three thousand years of accumulation, had been destroyed in an instant because of the recklessness of a single wicked child. He struggled to get up, but found he didn't even have the strength to lift a hand. He could only lie helplessly on the ground, letting his tears fall freely.

Yue Buwei watched all this indifferently, his eyes devoid of any emotion. For a force that had challenged the sect's authority, such punishment was already merciful. He turned to Yue Shouren and ordered in a deep voice, "Empty all cultivation resources from the Xiao family's treasury, and remove all remaining spirit stones from the spiritual veins. Bring them all back to the sect."

"Yes! We will obey the Ancestor's command!" Yue Shouren bowed and accepted the order, then turned to his disciples and shouted, "Disciples, move out!"

"Yes!" A hundred Foundation Establishment disciples responded in unison, their voices deafening. They split into dozens of small teams and charged towards the Xiao family's ancestral home and various mountain villas like tigers descending a mountain. Cultivators possess extremely keen divine sense; even the most deeply hidden secret chambers could not escape their detection. The Xiao family's treasure vault was located deep underground in the ancestral home, protected by several layers of formations, but these formations were as fragile as paper before the disciples of the Immortal Sword Sect, easily broken through. Inside the treasure vault, mountains of spirit stones, various precious spiritual herbs, ores for refining magical artifacts, and a large number of cultivation techniques were all systematically stored into the disciples' storage bags.

Meanwhile, another group of disciples headed to the location of the spiritual vein on the main peak. Although the Xiao family's medium-to-large-sized spirit stone mine was nearing depletion, there were still quite a few spirit stones remaining. The disciples used their magical artifacts to split the mountain and quarry out all the spirit stones from the mine, leaving nothing behind. In the mountain villa, the private cultivation resources hidden by the Xiao family members were also completely looted, and even some ornaments and clothing containing spiritual energy were not spared.

Throughout the entire process, the Xiao family members could only watch helplessly, powerless to do anything. They had become mortals, utterly incapable of stopping the cultivators' actions. Some tried to intervene, but were easily swept away by the Immortal Sword Sect disciples, flying several meters away, coughing up blood, and never daring to move again. Despair spread through the Xiao family like a plague. Everyone understood that from this day forward, the once powerful Xiao family would be completely erased from the cultivation world, reduced to mere mortals subject to bullying.

Two hours later, all the disciples of the Immortal Sword Sect had assembled, each with their storage bags bulging with cultivation resources plundered from the Xiao family. Yue Shouren stepped forward and bowed to Yue Buwei, reporting, "Ancestor, all the cultivation resources of the Xiao family have been inventoried. The spirit stones in the spiritual veins have also been emptied, totaling 800,000 low-grade spirit stones, 150,000 mid-grade spirit stones, 3,000 high-grade spirit stones, over 200 kinds of spiritual herbs, over 50 tons of magic weapon materials, and over 300 volumes of cultivation manuals. Everything has been packed up and is ready for the return journey."

Yue Buwei nodded, his gaze sweeping once more over the chaotic Xiao family ancestral home and the despairing Xiao family members below, and said calmly, "Let's go."

As soon as he finished speaking, he transformed into a streak of light and flew towards the Huashan Secret Realm. Zhang Bufan, Ye Qingxue, and Yue Ling'er followed closely behind, while Yue Shouren and three Core Formation elders, along with a hundred disciples, also left the Red Leaf Mountain Range.

The rainbow light gradually faded into the horizon, and the Red Leaf Mountains returned to peace, leaving only a scene of devastation and the Xiao family disciples reduced to mortals. Xiao Changfeng lay on the ground, watching the direction the Immortal Sword Sect disciples had gone, his heart filled with endless regret and despair. He knew that after tonight, the name "Xiao Family" would become nothing more than history in the cultivation world. And the root of all this lay in Xiao Jiulang's arrogance and recklessness. But now, regret was futile.