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

After the commotion surrounding the opening of the forbidden spiritual spring subsided, the Immortal Sword Sect fell silent once more. Beneath this tranquility, however, lay the fervent dedication of countless disciples to their cultivation. The three thousand catties of spiritual spring water was nearly three times the amount from last year. While it had lost the bloody, sour taste of the previous year and regained the sweetness of ordinary spiritual spring water, losing its ability to improve cultivation aptitude, its core function of aiding cultivation remained undiminished—just half a cup of spiritual spring water was equivalent to three days of arduous meditation. The spiritual energy in the spring water could be directly absorbed by the body and transformed into the body's own spiritual energy in the dantian and meridians, greatly increasing cultivation efficiency. For cultivators, time was the most precious resource; every minute shortened in the cultivation cycle increased the probability of breaking through to a higher realm. The value of this spiritual spring water was already deeply ingrained in the hearts of every disciple. After receiving their share, the disciples eagerly returned to their residences for seclusion. The figures of the core disciples, who were occasionally seen in the past, became virtually invisible for the next few days.

This atmosphere of focused cultivation didn't last long, as it was shattered by a major piece of good news—Elder Zhou Heming, who had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, successfully broke through to the Core Formation stage and was promoted to Grand Elder! The news spread like wildfire throughout the entire Immortal Sword Sect, causing the once-silent sect to erupt in excitement once more. Elder Zhou Heming was already 120 years old, stuck at the peak of Foundation Establishment for a full thirty years. His meridians had long since solidified, and his attempts to break through to the Core Formation stage had all ended in failure. Even Yue Buwei had predicted that he would likely never advance any further in his life. No one had expected that after drinking the mutated spiritual spring water last year, Elder Zhou's meridians would be quietly improved. The previously blocked nodes gradually became clear, and with over a year of dedicated cultivation, this time, aided by the pure spiritual energy of the new spiritual spring water, he broke through the shackles in one fell swoop, successfully condensing his core and entering the Core Formation stage.

Core Formation stage cultivators are the pinnacle of combat power in the mortal cultivation world of the Pangu Realm. Each additional Core Formation stage cultivator strengthens the foundation of the sect. Previously, the Immortal Sword Sect only had four Supreme Elders at the Core Formation stage. Zhou Heming's advancement brings the sect's Core Formation stage combat power to five, increasing its influence among hidden sects. Yue Shouren immediately ordered a three-day celebration, opening the sect's treasury to distribute an extra batch of cultivation resources to the disciples. This was both to celebrate Elder Zhou's advancement and to encourage all disciples to cultivate diligently. On the day of celebration, the Immortal Sword Sect was brightly decorated, and the usually quiet mountain paths were adorned with red silk ribbons symbolizing joy. The Alchemy Pavilion even specially refined a hundred high-grade Qi-stabilizing pills, distributing them to the Qi-refining stage disciples. The entire Huashan Secret Realm was immersed in joy. Elder Zhou Heming, dressed in his brand-new Supreme Elder robes, stood atop the sect's main hall, his brows furrowed with the clarity and gratitude of a breakthrough. He bowed to Yue Buwei and the other disciples, saying, "My achievements today are entirely due to the nourishment of the sect's spiritual spring water, and even more so to the assistance of the Ancestor and all my fellow disciples. From now on, I will do my utmost to protect the peace of the Immortal Sword Sect!"

Before the joyous news of Elder Zhou's promotion had completely dissipated, another piece of news that excited the entire sect arrived in quick succession—Zhang Bufan, the direct disciple of Ancestor Yue Buwei, would be happily married to Yue Ling'er, the daughter of Sect Master Yue Shouren, and become Daoist partners! This news added even more excitement than Elder Zhou's promotion, after all, both of the newlyweds were legendary figures within the sect, and their marriage could be considered the most anticipated event in the Immortal Sword Sect's hundreds of years of history.

Yue Ling'er's talent was already a recognized legend in the Immortal Sword Sect. As the sect leader's only daughter and the patriarch's personal disciple, she possessed a natural wood-attribute celestial spiritual root, making her a cultivation prodigy. However, no one had anticipated that her cultivation speed would reach such an astonishing level. In just one year, she jumped three levels from the Qi Refining Perfection stage to the early Foundation Establishment stage, then reached the mid-Foundation Establishment stage in just two months, and broke through another bottleneck eight months later, entering the late Foundation Establishment stage. Now, she was only one step away from the peak of Foundation Establishment. Such a speed of advancement was not only unprecedented in the history of the Immortal Sword Sect, but also extremely rare in the entire cultivation history of the Pangu Realm. Most disciples attributed all of this to her celestial spiritual root aptitude, while only a few high-ranking members, such as Yue Buwei and Yue Shouren, secretly suspected that this was not something that could be achieved solely through aptitude.

They naturally knew that Yue Ling'er's cultivation speed had long surpassed the common sense of cultivation in the Pangu Realm. Normally, even a top-tier Heavenly Spirit Root cultivator would need at least a year of accumulation and refinement to advance one minor realm in the Foundation Establishment stage. Yet Yue Ling'er had broken through three bottlenecks within a year, which must have been aided by extraordinary resources. Although no one explicitly stated it, everyone knew that only Zhang Bufan could provide such extraordinary resources and be willing to use them for Yue Ling'er. Only he possessed the inheritance of Xuanqing Daoist, perhaps holding a treasure powerful enough to rewrite a cultivator's aptitude and accelerate their cultivation process. Yue Shouren had privately inquired about this with his daughter, Yue Ling'er, who simply lowered her head shyly, but the sweetness in her eyes spoke volumes, giving Yue Shouren complete confidence.

Compared to Yue Ling'er's extraordinary talent, Zhang Bufan's experience is even more legendary. Upon entering the sect, he was exceptionally accepted as a personal disciple by the sect's patriarch, Yue Buwei, giving him a starting point far exceeding his peers. In just one year of learning alchemy, he went from a complete novice to a high-level Xuan-rank alchemist capable of consistently refining high-grade Xuan-rank pills, and even occasionally producing perfect Xuan-rank pills. This talent was praised by the head of the Alchemy Pavilion as "unprecedented in the Pangu World," and even Yue Buwei remarked that Zhang Bufan's alchemy skills might surpass those of Wen Shi Zhenren in the Lao Jun Mountain Secret Realm (Wen Shi Zhenren is currently the only Nascent Soul stage Heaven-rank alchemist in the Pangu World). Only Zhang Bufan himself knew that this achievement did not stem from his own talent, but rather from his master, Daoist Xuanqing, who instilled all his alchemy experience and theories into his mind in the form of an information flow, saving him the trouble of exploration and accumulation. Coupled with his spiritual power far exceeding that of his peers, he was able to quickly rise to the ranks of first-class alchemists in the Immortal Sword Sect.

The feelings between Zhang Bufan and Yue Ling'er had already blossomed during their two months back home, and then quietly spread throughout their year-long daily interactions. Since Zhang Bufan settled in Qinglan Peak, Yue Ling'er had become a frequent visitor, sometimes sharing the latest news from the sect, sometimes pestering him for guidance on cultivation problems, and occasionally helping him organize medicinal herbs and clean his alchemy furnace. Although Zhang Bufan was usually calm and collected, he was also infected by Yue Ling'er's liveliness and cheerfulness, and often indulged her. In his spare time, he would refine special pills suitable for her wood-elemental root, and would secretly share immortal peaches and silver fish from the Xuanqing Secret Realm with her to nourish her meridians and spiritual root. Ye Qingxue, gentle and insightful, had already seen the affection between the two. Not only did she not mind, but she often teased them, silently creating opportunities for them to spend time together.

It was Sect Master Yue Shouren who truly facilitated this marriage. After the Spirit Spring opened last time, Yue Shouren took the initiative to seek out Yue Ling'er and softly asked, "Ling'er, do you have feelings for this boy, Bufan?" Upon hearing this, Yue Ling'er's cheeks instantly flushed red, her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, her head almost touching her chest, and after a long while, she responded with a barely audible "Mmm." Seeing his daughter nod, Yue Shouren was overjoyed and asked again, "Then, if it were up to you to become his Daoist partner and spend your life together, would you be willing?" These words were like a thunderclap, causing Yue Ling'er's heart to race instantly. She raised her head, her eyes filled with shyness and determination, and nodded heavily, "Your daughter is willing."

After receiving his daughter's consent, Yue Shouren immediately went deep into the secret realm to pay his respects to the patriarch Yue Buwei, earnestly requesting him to arrange their marriage. Yue Buwei already held Zhang Bufan in high regard, and seeing that he and Yue Ling'er were deeply in love, he was even more pleased. He immediately nodded in agreement, smiling and saying, "Bufan and Ling'er are both exceptionally gifted individuals, a match made in heaven. You are in charge of arranging this matter. Make sure it is a grand affair, so that the entire sect can celebrate together."

When Yue Shouren informed Zhang Bufan of the arranged marriage, he was somewhat surprised but did not hesitate and immediately agreed. He had long harbored feelings for Yue Ling'er, but due to his status and pride, he had never confessed. Now that the Ancestor and Sect Master had made the decision, he was naturally overjoyed. Upon hearing the news, Ye Qingxue also congratulated the two with a smile, saying gently, "I've been looking forward to this day for a long time. From now on, the three of us can stay together on Qinglan Peak, nothing could be better."

After discussing it, Yue Shouren and Yue Buwei set their wedding date for a month later, coinciding with the full moon, when the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is at its peak. Once the news spread, the entire sect busied themselves with preparations for this grand event. The Alchemy Pavilion specially crafted a hundred high-grade Xuan-level Rejuvenation Pills as a congratulatory gift; the Weapon Forging Pavilion crafted a pair of jade rings engraved with spirit-gathering patterns, serving as both wedding rings and aids in cultivation; disciples also prepared gifts, including carefully picked spiritual herbs and handcrafted talismans, all expressing their heartfelt sentiments. Qinglan Peak was adorned anew, with red silk and spiritual flowers hanging inside and outside the caves, creating a festive atmosphere everywhere.

On their wedding day, the sky was clear and the spiritual energy of the Huashan Secret Realm was even richer than usual, as if celebrating the newlyweds. Tables and chairs were set out in the plaza in front of the sect's main hall, where all the disciples gathered. Yue Buwei and the four Supreme Elders sat in the main seats, while Yue Shouren and his wife Zhang Guoqiang, dressed in festive attire, greeted the guests with beaming smiles. At the auspicious hour, ceremonial music resounded through the sky. Zhang Bufan, dressed in a bright red robe, a jade belt around his waist, and holding a jade tablet, walked slowly towards Qinglan Peak to marry Yue Ling'er, surrounded by several core disciples. He was tall and handsome, with a faint aura of spiritual energy surrounding him, possessing both the composure of a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator and the joy of newlyweds.

On Qinglan Peak, Yue Ling'er wore a bright red wedding dress embroidered with orchids and cranes, a jade crown on her head, and her long hair was carefully styled, revealing her slender neck and delicate features. Usually lively and energetic, she now appeared exceptionally gentle, her cheeks flushed, her eyes filled with anticipation and shyness. Ye Qingxue stood beside her, adjusting the hem of her wedding dress, and softly said, "Ling'er, from now on we are family. Qinglan Peak will always be your home." Yue Ling'er looked up at Ye Qingxue, her eyes filled with gratitude, and nodded, "Thank you, Sister Qingxue."

After the wedding procession arrived at Qinglan Peak, Zhang Bufan, holding a jade tablet, bowed deeply to Yue Ling'er: "Ling'er, please guide me for the rest of my life." Yue Ling'er's cheeks flushed even more. She reached out her hand, letting Zhang Bufan take hers, and they walked down Qinglan Peak step by step. The two walked side by side, followed by Ye Qingxue and the wedding procession. Disciples along the way rose to offer their congratulations, their eyes filled with envy and blessings. Sunlight shone through the clouds, falling on the two of them, as if gilding them with a layer of golden light. Red silk fluttered, spiritual flowers fell, and the sounds of ceremonial music and cheers intertwined, creating a grand and heartwarming scene.

Upon arriving at the sect square, the wedding ceremony officially began. Under Yue Buwei's guidance, Zhang Bufan and Yue Ling'er burned incense together to worship Heaven and Earth, and to pay homage to the ancestors of the Immortal Sword Sect. They then knelt before Yue Buwei and his wife, Yue Shouren. Looking at the newlyweds before him, Yue Buwei's eyes were filled with joy. He proclaimed loudly, "Today, my disciple Zhang Bufan and Yue Ling'er are united as Daoist partners. From this day forward, may you be of one heart and mind, and stay together for life. May you both advance in your cultivation, support each other, and jointly protect the Immortal Sword Sect!" As his words fell, thunderous applause and cheers erupted in the square.

After the ceremony, the wedding banquet began. The tables were laden with dishes made from spirit rice, spirit meat, and spirit fish, along with spirit wine specially brewed by the Alchemy Pavilion, its aroma filling the entire plaza. The disciples raised their glasses in celebration, toasting Zhang Bufan and Yue Ling'er. Although Zhang Bufan wasn't a heavy drinker, he didn't refuse and toasted everyone. Yue Ling'er nestled close to Zhang Bufan, occasionally shielding him from drinks, her eyes overflowing with sweetness. Yue Shouren and Yue Buwei watched this scene, exchanging a smile, their hearts filled with joy.

After the wedding banquet, night deepened, and Qinglan Peak returned to its tranquility. Inside the cave, red candles burned brightly, casting a warm glow throughout the room. Yue Ling'er removed her wedding dress and jade crown, her long hair flowing over her shoulders, her face still flushed. Ye Qingxue brought two cups of spiritual tea, handing them to the two of them, and said with a smile, "You've worked hard today, please rest early." Zhang Bufan accepted the tea, looking at the two beauties before him, his heart filled with satisfaction. Yue Ling'er walked shyly to Zhang Bufan's side, gently leaning on his shoulder, and whispered, "Senior brother, from now on, I will stay with you and Sister Qingxue, and never leave again."

Zhang Bufan gripped Yue Ling'er's hand tightly, then looked at Ye Qingxue, his eyes filled with tenderness: "Alright, from now on, the three of us will stay together on Qinglan Peak, cultivating and growing together." Ye Qingxue walked to their side, gently taking their hands, a gentle smile on her face. Red candles flickered, spiritual energy flowed, and the night on Qinglan Peak was exceptionally gentle. The three of them, relying on each other, began a new life.

The days after their marriage were peaceful and warm. Yue Ling'er officially moved into Qinglan Peak to live with Zhang Bufan and Ye Qingxue. The three got along well without any barriers. Zhang Bufan continued his daily cultivation and alchemy routine, but now he had two beautiful women by his side. When refining pills, Yue Ling'er would help him grind the medicinal herbs, and Ye Qingxue would take care of the alchemy furnace. When cultivating, the three of them would each circulate their cultivation techniques to absorb spiritual energy. The spiritual energy on Qinglan Peak was already abundant, and with the added resources from the Xuanqing Secret Realm, all three of their cultivation levels steadily improved.

With Zhang Bufan and Ye Qingxue by her side, Yue Ling'er became increasingly composed and diligent in her cultivation. Just one month later, she successfully broke through to the peak of Foundation Establishment, only one step away from the Core Formation stage. Ye Qingxue, with her dual spiritual roots and abundant cultivation resources, naturally cultivated at a similar pace, reaching the mid-Foundation Establishment stage before Yue Ling'er. Zhang Bufan, meanwhile, honed his mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation while simultaneously studying alchemy, occasionally visiting his parents in Anhe City. Two months later, he too reached the late-Foundation Establishment stage.

Life on Qinglan Peak was peaceful but not lazy. Zhang Bufan knew that the path of cultivation in the Pangu Realm was full of dangers, and only by constantly improving his strength could he protect the people he cared about and protect the Immortal Sword Sect.