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

The aftershocks of the Xiao family's destruction continued to spread throughout the mortal world and the cultivation realm, while Qinglan Peak, deep within the Huashan Secret Realm, enjoyed a secluded tranquility. After Zhang Bufan returned to Qinglan Peak with Ye Qingxue, he completely settled down and began a period of dedicated cultivation. Thanks to Ye Qingxue's dual-attribute spiritual roots, coupled with her Foundation Establishment cultivation and Yue Buwei's special approval, Ye Qingxue successfully obtained the title of a core disciple of the Immortal Sword Sect, allowing her to reside permanently on Qinglan Peak and enjoy the same cultivation resources as Zhang Bufan.

The cave dwelling on Qinglan Peak, meticulously maintained by the disciples of the Immortal Sword Sect, was already fully equipped. The cultivation room was furnished with a thousand-year-old jade futon, capable of spontaneously gathering surrounding spiritual energy; the alchemy and weapon-refining rooms were equipped with specially made furnaces and tools from the sect; a small herb garden had been cultivated outside the cave, where Zhang Bufan had specially taken out several spiritual herbs brought from the Xuanqing Secret Realm from his storage ring and transplanted them. Although they didn't grow as luxuriantly as in the secret realm, they still added some spiritual energy to the cave. Ye Qingxue possessed dual spiritual roots, making her exceptionally talented among Foundation Establishment cultivators. Previously, her cultivation progress had been slightly hampered by limited family resources, but now, in the spiritually rich Huashan Secret Realm with a continuous supply of resources, her cultivation speed was accelerating rapidly.

Every evening, Zhang Bufan would retrieve silver fish from the Xuanqing Secret Realm and share them with Ye Qingxue. These silver fish only live in the spiritual springs of the Xuanqing Secret Realm; their flesh is imbued with pure spiritual energy, melting instantly in the mouth. They nourish the meridians and strengthen spiritual power without needing deliberate refining, their effects being several times greater than ordinary low-grade spirit stones. Ye Qingxue initially hesitated to eat too much due to the preciousness of the resource, but Zhang Bufan smiled and said, "No need to be frugal. There's still plenty in the secret realm; enough for us until we reach the Core Formation stage."

Besides the silverfish, the immortal peaches of the Xuanqing Secret Realm are also treasures for cultivation. Those immortal peaches that bloom and bear fruit simultaneously can not only quickly replenish spiritual energy but also nourish the dantian and meridians, repairing hidden injuries left during cultivation. After eating the silverfish and immortal peaches, the two sat cross-legged in their cave, each circulating their cultivation techniques to refine spiritual energy. The spiritual energy of Qinglan Peak was already abundant, and with the added blessing of the spiritual spring, silverfish, and immortal peaches, the surrounding spiritual energy seemed to materialize around them, transforming into streams of pale blue energy that slowly flowed into their meridians. This cultivation rhythm permeated almost every day the two spent on Qinglan Peak.

The delicious spiritual food also attracted an uninvited guest—Yue Ling'er. Since Zhang Bufan returned to Qinglan Peak, this junior sister has become a regular visitor, coming almost every two or three days. Every time she arrives at Qinglan Peak, Yue Ling'er will skip and hop to the kitchen, helping Zhang Bufan while chattering about the latest happenings in the sect.

"Senior brother, senior brother, today was the outer disciple assessment. A disciple in the late stage of Qi Refining actually challenged a senior brother in the early stage of Foundation Establishment. Although he lost, his courage is commendable!" Yue Ling'er was lively and cheerful, like a mountain elf. Her arrival always broke the silence of Qinglan Peak, bringing more laughter to the cave.

Ye Qingxue, gentle by nature, adored her junior sister and always listened to her stories with a smile. Zhang Bufan, busy with his work, would occasionally chime in with a few words, his eyes filled with indulgence. Anyone with eyes could see through Yue Ling'er's intentions.

She frequently visited Qinglan Peak, not only to freeload meals but also to spend more time with Zhang Bufan. Whether seeking his guidance on cultivation challenges or sharing her discoveries of scenic spots, her gaze would always unconsciously fall upon him, tinged with the shyness and naivety of a young girl.

Zhang Bufan naturally sensed Yue Ling'er's feelings, and Ye Qingxue was also aware of this, but she never pointed it out. She would only tease Zhang Bufan occasionally, and the feelings between the two grew stronger.

With ample cultivation resources and the nourishment of treasures from the Xuanqing Secret Realm, Zhang Bufan's cultivation progressed rapidly. His dantian and meridians had long been nurtured and stabilized by the pure energy of the silver fish and immortal peaches, far surpassing other cultivators of the same level.

For ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators, breaking through to the middle stage often requires years or even longer of accumulation, and they also face bottlenecks. But for Zhang Bufan, the breakthrough process was exceptionally smooth, with almost no noticeable bottlenecks. Three months later, late one night, the spiritual light in the cultivation room of Qinglan Peak surged. Zhang Bufan sat cross-legged on a cold jade futon, surrounded by dense spiritual energy, forming a huge vortex of spiritual energy.

His eyes were closed, his expression solemn. The spiritual energy within his body circulated rapidly according to the cultivation path of the "Mysterious Purity Dao Inquiry Technique." With each cycle, the spiritual energy became more condensed. The vortex of energy in his dantian continuously expanded and contracted, emitting a faint buzzing sound. His meridians were slightly swollen from being filled with spiritual energy, but he felt no discomfort whatsoever; on the contrary, he experienced a feeling of exhilaration.

Ye Qingxue stood guard outside the cultivation room, her expression tense yet expectant. She could clearly feel the surging spiritual energy fluctuations inside, knowing that Zhang Bufan was attempting to break through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. Yue Ling'er also came over, standing quietly beside Ye Qingxue, her large eyes fixed on the closed door, not daring to make a sound for fear of disturbing Zhang Bufan.

About an hour later, the spiritual light in the cultivation room suddenly receded, and all the surging spiritual energy rushed into Zhang Bufan's body like a tide. He abruptly opened his eyes, two beams of light flashing by, and his body exuded a powerful aura of mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation, several times stronger than before. Zhang Bufan slowly stood up, stretched his limbs, and felt his whole body filled with power. His meridians were unobstructed, his spiritual energy circulated freely, and the vortex of energy in his dantian had become more solid, showing a faint blue color.

"You've broken through!" The moment the door opened, Yue Ling'er cheered first, skipping and jumping to Zhang Bufan's side, her eyes full of admiration. "Senior brother is so amazing! You're even faster than the most talented senior brothers in the sect!" Ye Qingxue also stepped forward, a gentle smile on her face: "Congratulations, Bufan."

Zhang Bufan smiled and nodded. His smooth breakthrough was partly due to the profound nature of his cultivation technique, but it was largely thanks to the extraordinary resources of the Xuanqing Secret Realm. He could clearly feel that his current mid-Foundation Establishment stage was much more stable than that of ordinary cultivators, and his spiritual power was also much purer. If he were to face a late-Foundation Establishment cultivator, he would have a fighting chance.

After the initial joy, Zhang Bufan's expression gradually turned serious. The excitement of his breakthrough faded, and a real problem confronted him—the sustainability of the Immortal Sword Sect's cultivation resources. Although the resources he had previously plundered from the Xiao family were astonishing in quantity—800,000 low-grade spirit stones, 150,000 mid-grade spirit stones, 3,000 high-grade spirit stones, along with a large quantity of spiritual herbs, magical artifact materials, and cultivation manuals—the Immortal Sword Sect had a large number of disciples. The core disciples and inner disciples combined numbered in the thousands. Adding to this the consumption by elders, grand elders, and other high-ranking members, these resources could only sustain the sect for about ten years at most. While the spiritual energy in the Huashan Secret Realm was abundant, it had been continuously absorbed by the Immortal Sword Sect disciples over the years, causing it to gradually thin. Furthermore, the core main spiritual vein of the Xuanqing Secret Realm had already been transferred to his own ring. If the resources were exhausted in ten years without replenishment, the concentration of spiritual energy in the secret realm would inevitably decrease significantly. At that time, the disciples' cultivation speed would drastically decline, and the sect's overall strength would also decline accordingly.

As a core disciple of the Immortal Sword Sect and Yue Buwei's personal disciple, Zhang Bufan had long since bound his fate to the sect and naturally did not want to see it decline. The first thought that came to mind was to utilize the resources of the Xuanqing Secret Realm. It contained abundant spiritual springs, silver fish, immortal peaches, and many precious spiritual herbs and spirit stone veins. If a portion of these resources could be used to support the Immortal Sword Sect, it would undoubtedly allow the sect to rise rapidly, cultivate more top cultivators, and further solidify its position in the Pangu Realm.

But as soon as the thought arose, Zhang Bufan suppressed it. He knew clearly that although the idea was good, it contained two major hidden dangers, and if he was not careful, it could backfire and even affect his cultivation path.

The first hidden danger is the covetousness that comes with the resources. The resources in the Xuanqing Secret Realm are too heaven-defying; treasures like silver fish and immortal peaches would tempt even Nascent Soul cultivators. Currently, he is only in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, his strength still weak. If he were to reveal so many heaven-defying resources to the public, it would inevitably attract the covetousness of the higher-ups of the Immortal Sword Sect. Although Yue Buwei values ​​him highly, one cannot see into people's hearts. Those elders and supreme elders who have lived for hundreds or thousands of years might have ulterior motives in order to improve their cultivation and extend their lifespan. If they secretly plot to seize the resources, with his current strength, he would be powerless to resist, and might even lose the secret of the Xuanqing Secret Realm.

The second hidden danger is the finite nature of resources. While the Xuanqing Secret Realm is rich in resources, it is not inexhaustible. The regeneration of the spiritual spring takes time, the reproduction of the silver fish requires a suitable environment, and the ripening of the immortal peaches takes an even longer period. His own path of cultivation is still very long, from the Foundation Establishment stage to the Core Formation stage, the Nascent Soul stage, and the Deity Transformation stage, each step requiring massive amounts of resources. The Deity Transformation stage, in particular, is a crucial threshold on the path of cultivation. Breaking through to the Deity Transformation stage not only requires enormous resources but also special opportunities. Only by breaking through to the Deity Transformation stage can one shatter the void, step into the starry sky, seek a wider cultivation world, and obtain resources for breakthroughs to higher realms. If too many resources of the Xuanqing Secret Realm are consumed to support the Immortal Sword Sect, resulting in insufficient resources when he breaks through to the Deity Transformation stage later, it would be a case of penny-wise and pound-foolish, a loss that outweighs any gain.

Zhang Bufan walked to the viewing platform outside the cave, gazing at the distant, mist-shrouded peaks, lost in thought. Moonlight shone on him, outlining his tall and imposing figure, his aura sometimes heavy, sometimes relaxed.

He knew this matter required careful consideration and could not be acted impulsively. Perhaps he could first take out some ordinary resources, such as a small amount of spiritual spring water, under the pretext that it was left behind by his master, Daoist Xuanqing, before his departure, and give it to the sect to replenish its resources. This would not arouse suspicion and could alleviate some of the resource pressure. At the same time, he needed to improve his strength as soon as possible and break through to the Core Formation and Nascent Soul stages. Only with sufficient strength could he control the secrets of the Xuanqing Secret Realm and have enough say in the sect. Only then could he consider how to rationally utilize the secret realm's resources to support the sect—this was the prudent approach.