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

The three-day sect free trade fair quietly concluded amidst the morning mist and bustle of the Kunlun Secret Realm. The Immortal Sword Sect's two thousand catties of spirit spring water, all surplus spirit herbs and spirit ores, were sold out completely. Even the last few pieces of Xuan Iron, intended as the grand finale, were bought at a high price by an elder from a second-rate sect. Elder Ma Changsi, leading his disciples, carefully inventoried the purchased supplies, his face beaming with undisguised joy—they had gathered the basic low-to-mid-level resources needed for disciples below the Foundation Establishment stage, ranging from low-grade spirit stones and cultivation techniques to low-grade Xuan-level magic weapons and healing pills—a complete range sufficient to support the sect's disciple training for the next few years.

Only rare resources of Earth Rank and above were rarely displayed at this trade fair. Each sect clearly understood the art of hoarding, keeping all high-grade spiritual materials, Earth Rank pills, and magical artifacts hidden away, intending to save them for the later auction to vie for maximum profit. Elder Liu had anticipated this, and said to the crowd in a deep voice, "There's no need to lament. Earth Rank resources are inherently scarce, and each sect cherishes them like treasures. The auction is the real highlight. Not only will there be Earth Rank resources, but we might also see thousand-year-old spiritual herbs and ancient treasures."

Everyone nodded in agreement, but Zhang Bufan remained calm, showing little excitement about the gains from the transaction. Aside from the unexpectedly acquired formula for the Youth-Preserving Pill, he had gained almost nothing—not out of deliberate pickiness, but because the resources left behind by Daoist Xuanqing were far too abundant. The cultivation techniques, pill formulas, spiritual materials, and magical artifacts were all comprehensive and of ancient quality, far surpassing the offerings currently displayed by various sects in the Pangu World. Even the spiritual spring water, considered a treasure by the Immortal Sword Sect, was merely ordinary lake water in the Xuanqing Secret Realm, let alone the hundred-year-old spiritual herbs and yellow-grade spiritual ores.

The Youth-Preserving Pill formula was a completely unexpected windfall for him. It seemed that Daoist Xuanqing had thought the pill only beautified the appearance and offered no benefit to cultivation, thus leaving him with this opportunity. Otherwise, he feared he would have returned empty-handed from this free trade fair. Zhang Bufan's fingertips caressed the jade slip containing the formula in his storage ring, thinking to himself: After the competition, back at the sect, I can refine a batch for Qingxue and Ling'er to maintain their youth. Later, I can find time to improve the formula; if it also works on female cultivators in the Core Formation stage, its value will increase more than tenfold, making this gain worthwhile.

Unlike Zhang Bufan, the other disciples all made gains, their faces beaming with satisfaction. Yue Ling'er clutched a crystal-clear white jade hairpin, its tip carved with a small phoenix. When gently shaken, it emitted wisps of spiritual light. She had spent five mid-grade spirit stones to acquire it yesterday, and was now showing it off to Ye Qingxue, her eyes filled with joy. Ye Qingxue, on the other hand, had changed into a newly purchased light blue robe. The robe was woven from ice silkworm silk, shimmering with a faint pearlescent sheen. The skirt was embroidered with flowing cloud patterns, making her appear even more slender and graceful. It even seemed to draw upon the surrounding spiritual energy with every step, revealing itself to be a low-grade Xuan-rank defensive robe.

Xie Ding exchanged his sword for a mid-grade Xuan-level flying sword, its blade gleaming with a chilling light. Several times sharper than his previous magical flying sword, he was practicing his swordsmanship outside the main hall, taking advantage of the morning's spiritual energy, his moves becoming increasingly fierce. Liu Yan'er, on the other hand, exchanged for a set of high-grade beauty-enhancing balm. While not as potent as the Youth-Preserving Pill, it still nourished the skin and slowed aging. She was currently tidying up her makeup with her fellow disciples, laughing and chatting happily. Everyone had found what they needed, bringing this trading trip to a perfect close.

On the morning of the fourth day, just as dawn was breaking, Zhang Bufan stepped out of the palace gate and was immediately drawn to the scene in the center of the square—overnight, two new circular arenas, one large and one small, had been erected in the very center of the square, arranged in a staggered pattern. The arenas were shrouded in a semi-transparent light blue protective shield, which emanated a powerful defensive aura as spiritual light flowed around them, clearly prepared specifically for the upcoming sect grand competition.

The grand arena, situated in the very center of the plaza, spanned a full kilometer in diameter. Its surface was paved with sturdy black iron, intricately engraved with array patterns, clearly impervious to the attacks of Foundation Establishment cultivators. A protective shield reached a height of five hundred meters, completely enveloping the arena, preventing the aftershocks of battle from affecting cultivators outside the arena while providing ample space for those inside. This design was clearly tailor-made for Foundation Establishment cultivators—the spacious arena allowed them to freely unleash their techniques and engage in melee combat, while the five hundred-meter height also accommodated aerial combat without any sense of constraint.

The smaller arena, located right next to the larger one, was only two hundred meters in diameter, with its protective shield reaching a maximum height of one hundred meters. While far smaller than the larger arena, it was still quite well-organized. For Qi Refining stage cultivators who couldn't fly, this space was spacious enough. Whether engaging in close combat or wielding low-level magical artifacts, they could fully utilize their strength without worrying about space limitations. Outside the protective shields of both arenas, a large jade plaque hung, clearly inscribed with "Foundation Building Group" and "Qi Refining Group" in gold paint.

As dawn broke, disciples from various sects gradually gathered in the plaza, stopping to watch the two arenas and whispering amongst themselves about the upcoming sect competition. Many disciples were eager to try, rubbing their hands together, hoping to distinguish themselves on the stage and bring glory to their sects; others looked tense, silently circulating their cultivation techniques to prepare for the upcoming matches. The atmosphere in the plaza gradually heated up, becoming more tense and expectant than during the earlier trading.

As the first golden rays of sunlight pierced through the spiritual mist and fell upon the dragon-carved stone pillars of the Myriad Laws Square, a clear and majestic voice suddenly resounded throughout the entire square, instantly silencing all murmurs. Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw the figure of Ren Xiaoyao, the sect leader of the Myriad Laws Sect, appear out of thin air atop the protective barrier of the grand arena. He wore a purple Daoist robe embroidered with sun, moon, and star patterns, his posture upright, his face handsome, and a faint purple aura surrounding him. Although he didn't deliberately release any pressure, he possessed an aura that inspired awe—his cultivation at the early Nascent Soul stage, even with his aura concealed, was enough to intimidate all the sect disciples present.

Ren Xiaoyao's gaze swept over the thousands of cultivators in the square, his tone steady and resonant: "Fellow Daoists, the three-day sect free trade fair has come to a successful conclusion! Congratulations to all sects for purchasing the desired supplies, and thank you all for your understanding and tolerance towards the Wanfa Sect's reception work this time." He paused slightly, raised his hand to signal, and bursts of applause immediately rang out in the square.

As the applause subsided, Ren Xiaoyao continued, "The trade fair has concluded. From today onward, the Kunlun Secret Realm Gathering will enter its second core phase—the Sect Grand Competition! This competition aims to facilitate exchange and learning, promote mutual cultivation, and provide a platform for disciples from various sects to showcase their talents. Now, I will announce the rules of this competition."

As soon as the words were spoken, the plaza fell silent. All the cultivators listened intently, afraid of missing a single detail. Zhang Bufan also focused his attention, his gaze falling on Ren Xiaoyao—this sect competition was both an opportunity for training and a stage to showcase his strength. He was now at the late Foundation Establishment stage, considered top among his peers, and naturally he would give it his all, not only to bring glory to the Immortal Sword Sect but also to use the competition to test his cultivation progress.

Yue Buwei stood at the front of the Immortal Sword Sect's ranks, calmly gazing at Ren Xiaoyao atop the arena. Turning to his disciples beside him, he whispered, "In this competition, act according to your abilities. Victory or defeat is secondary; safety is paramount. If you encounter an opponent far stronger than yourself, do not fight to the death; concede immediately to save your lives. Remember, you are the future of the Immortal Sword Sect, more important than any victory or defeat."

"Yes, Master!" the crowd responded in unison, their hearts growing increasingly calm. Liu Yan'er gently adjusted her sleeves, a resolute glint in her eyes—she was at the peak of Foundation Establishment, among the top disciples of the Immortal Sword Sect. In this competition, she aimed to achieve a good ranking and win the Core Formation Pill offered by the Myriad Laws Sect. Xie Ding, meanwhile, gripped his new flying sword tightly, his fighting spirit surging, eager to compete against the top Foundation Establishment disciples from other sects on the arena.