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

By Chenshi (7-9 AM), the Wanfa Square was already bustling with activity. Disciples from all the sects had gathered around the Foundation Establishment group's grand arena, their eyes fixed intently on the stage. Today's match between the Yaochi Immortal Sect and the Wanfa Immortal Sect was a crucial battle that would determine the final rankings. If the Yaochi Immortal Sect won, they would secure second place, with the Immortal Sword Sect and the Wanfa Sect taking first and third place respectively. If the Wanfa Sect won, they would have to face the Immortal Sword Sect in a final showdown tomorrow to compete for the top spot. A tense atmosphere filled the air, and even the elders of the various sects sat solemnly in the spectator stands, awaiting the start of the match.

With a command from the Wanfa Sect's deacon, disciples from both sides slowly ascended the stage. On the Yaochi Immortal Sect's side, Bai Qingyao, dressed in a plain white dress, was surrounded by a misty, spiritual aura. Her aura was calm and refined, clearly indicating she had fully recovered her spiritual power. Compared to her battle against Zhang Bufan yesterday, her pressure as a half-step Core Formation cultivator was even greater. Everyone was secretly astonished. To be able to replenish all their depleted spiritual power overnight, the Yaochi Immortal Sect must have used extraordinary resources; their foundation was indeed well-deserved.

The three disciples from the Myriad Laws Sect who stepped onto the stage caused the pupils of all the cultivators present to shrink in shock. Each of the three was surrounded by an almost tangible aura of spiritual energy, their auras powerful and profound—all possessing the combat strength of a half-step Core Formation cultivator! In the previous rounds of the competition, these three had consistently suppressed their cultivation, fighting only with the aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the peak of their cultivation. Now, facing the Yaochi Immortal Sect, they finally stopped hiding their strength and revealed their true fangs. The leading man wore a crimson robe, his face arrogant, and his body radiated scorching spiritual energy fluctuations. He possessed a rare fire-attribute Heavenly Spiritual Root, and in terms of aura strength alone, he was comparable to Bai Qingyao.

"So the Wanfa Sect had a backup plan all along, hiding three half-step Core Formation disciples!" A low murmur arose from the audience. Yue Buwei frowned, already understanding in his heart—the Wanfa Sect's generosity in offering three Core Formation Pills as rewards was actually prepared in advance for their own disciples. The previous rule changes and concealment of strength were all to ensure that the sect could win the championship.

The contest was about to begin. Bai Qingyao made the first move, conjuring an ice-blue longsword in her hand, its chilling aura aimed directly at the fire-attribute man. The two Yaochi female cultivators coordinated perfectly, casting a water-attribute formation to try and restrain the other two Wanfa Sect disciples. However, the two Wanfa Sect disciples, who were half-step Core Formation cultivators, possessed combat power far exceeding that of the Yaochi Foundation Establishment cultivators. Even though they were restrained by the formation, they remained in control, while the Yaochi female cultivators gradually fell into a disadvantageous position, their spiritual energy being consumed at an extremely rapid pace.

The duel between Bai Qingyao and the fire-attribute man was the pinnacle of their battle. The clash of ice and fire spiritual energies created waves of energy on the arena. Bai Qingyao's ice-based techniques were exquisite, with ice needles and ice walls used alternately, seamlessly integrating offense and defense. The man, relying on the advantage of his fire-attribute heavenly spiritual root, unleashed a violent and scorching spiritual energy, wielding a flaming longsword with impenetrable precision, each strike carrying earth-shattering power. The two fought fiercely for dozens of rounds, evenly matched, but the other two female cultivators from Yaochi were already unable to withstand the onslaught.

With a muffled thud, a female cultivator from Yaochi was struck on the shoulder by a disciple of the Wanfa Sect, sent flying backward and crashing to the edge of the arena, losing her ability to fight; another female cultivator, having exhausted her spiritual energy, was also knocked off the arena as her formation was broken by the opponent. Instantly, only Bai Qingyao remained on the arena, facing the siege of three half-step Core Formation cultivators alone.

Even with Bai Qingyao's extraordinary combat prowess, she couldn't withstand the combined attack of three. The fire-attribute man launched a frontal assault, while the other two harassed her from the flanks. In just over ten rounds, Bai Qingyao gradually fell into a disadvantageous position. Her robes were scorched with several holes by the flames, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. She gritted her teeth and fought desperately, but ultimately, she was powerless to turn the tide. In the end, she was struck in the chest by a combined attack from the three, her spiritual energy dissipated, and she staggered to the ground, admitting defeat.

"Wanfa Sect wins!" the steward announced loudly. Yaochi Immortal Sect ultimately secured third place. Bai Qingyao, supported by her junior sister, walked off the arena, her cold eyes filled with resentment, yet she could only accept defeat. Although the three disciples of Wanfa Sect won, they were greatly exhausted, their auras slightly disordered. Without pausing, they hurriedly returned to Wanfa Sect's cave to cultivate and recover their spiritual power, preparing for the final battle against Immortal Sword Sect the next day.

After the Immortal Sword Sect members returned to their main hall, the atmosphere was exceptionally heavy. Yue Buwei sat in the main seat, his expression complex. He couldn't help but inwardly criticize the Myriad Laws Sect's scheming, yet he was helpless—their concealment of strength and use of their hidden resources were all within the rules; he could only blame his own sect's insufficient resources. He looked at Zhang Bufan and the other two, and comforted them in a gentle tone: "The Myriad Laws Sect has three half-step Core Formation disciples, whose strength far exceeds expectations. Tomorrow, just do your best, prioritizing your own safety. Even if you achieve second place, it will still be the best result in the Immortal Sword Sect's history in the competition, enough to make you proud."

The three responded in unison, each with their own thoughts. Zhang Bufan remained calm, confident in his combat strength after breaking through to the peak of Foundation Establishment; Yue Ling'er, though under pressure, was determined to give it her all; Xie Ding, however, hung his head, his face grave, a strong sense of resentment churning within him.

Back in his room, Xie Ding took out the remaining bottle of spiritual spring water. The jade bottle was still icy cold to the touch, and there were still seven catties of spiritual spring water left. Yesterday, he only consumed three catties, which fully restored his spiritual power. Because the spiritual spring water was too precious, he couldn't bear to use more and put it away, intending to save it for when he broke through his cultivation bottleneck. However, witnessing the terrifying combat power of the Wanfa Sect disciples today, he felt immense pressure—he was only at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, already at the bottom of the team's combat power. Tomorrow, facing a half-step Core Formation cultivator, he feared he would be unable to play a role and might even become a burden.

As one of the most outstanding core disciples of the Immortal Sword Sect, Xie Ding had always been proud and arrogant, never imagining he would become the team's weak link. He gripped the jade bottle tightly, a resolute glint in his eyes. No longer hesitant to drink the spiritual spring water, he tilted his head back and drank the remaining seven jin of water. The spiritual spring water melted instantly in his mouth, and a vast, gentle spiritual energy surged into his dantian, flowing through his meridians to nourish his entire body. Xie Ding immediately sat cross-legged, fully activating his cultivation technique, using the nourishment of the spiritual spring water to break through his cultivation barrier, hoping to increase his combat power overnight.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, everyone from the Immortal Sword Sect gathered in the main hall, preparing to head to the plaza for battle. When Xie Ding stepped out of his room and into the main hall, everyone was stunned—he was surrounded by a thick aura of spiritual energy, his aura powerful and refined, indicating that he had already broken through to the half-step Core Formation realm! Although his pressure was slightly less than Bai Qingyao's, it far surpassed that of an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator at the peak of their cultivation.

"Senior Brother Xie Ding, you've broken through?" Yue Ling'er's eyes were filled with surprise, and Liu Yan'er also showed a relieved smile. Yue Buwei quickly stepped forward, probing Xie Ding's aura, his face instantly blooming with wild joy: "Good! Good! Half-step Core Formation! With your help, our chances of winning against the Myriad Laws Sect today have greatly increased!"

Xie Ding smiled and cupped his hands in greeting: "Thanks to Junior Brother Bufan's spiritual spring water, I was able to break through the bottleneck overnight. I will definitely not hold back in today's battle!" Zhang Bufan looked at Xie Ding and breathed a sigh of relief. With Xie Ding breaking through to the half-step Core Formation stage, the team's combat power had greatly increased, and this decisive battle was now in the bag.

The moment of the ultimate showdown had finally arrived. Disciples from the Immortal Sword Sect and the Myriad Laws Sect stepped onto the stage, their gazes locked in a tense standoff, the air thick with the killing intent. The fire-attribute man leading the Myriad Laws Sect glanced at Xie Ding, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, before scoffing, "A half-step Core Formation cultivator who only managed a temporary breakthrough dares to show off his meager skills before an expert? Today, I'll show you what true strength is!"

"The match begins!" At the steward's command, both sides launched their attacks simultaneously. Zhang Bufan moved swiftly, heading straight for the fire-attribute man, his tone icy: "Your opponent is me!" Xie Ding and Yue Ling'er cooperated tacitly, each entangling two other Wanfa Sect half-step Core Formation disciples, not giving them a chance to join forces.

Seeing this, the fire-attribute man sneered, his flaming longsword coalescing once more, slashing straight at Zhang Bufan with ferocious spiritual power. Zhang Bufan, wielding his silver-elemental flying sword, calmly countered, channeling his five-attribute mixed spiritual power into the blade, its brilliant light forcefully blocking the attack. The man's attacks were extremely violent, each strike carrying a scorching shockwave, attempting to suppress Zhang Bufan with his fire-attribute spiritual power; however, Zhang Bufan's dantian meridians were vast, his spiritual power reserves far exceeding his opponent's, and coupled with the exquisite techniques inherited from the Xuanqing lineage, he was always able to skillfully deflect the man's fierce attacks, using softness to overcome hardness.

On the other side, Xie Ding, though only having broken through to the half-step Core Formation stage, was fighting his opponent to a standstill, thanks to the abundant spiritual power nourished by the spiritual spring water. His flying sword was nimble and his moves were fierce, gradually giving him control of the battle. Yue Ling'er, on the other hand, utilized the advantage of her Heavenly Spiritual Root, her spiritual power flowing smoothly, balancing defense and control, and even against a half-step Core Formation cultivator, she was not at a disadvantage.

The fierce battle lasted for an hour. The fire-attribute man remained on the offensive, his spiritual energy greatly depleted. The flames around him gradually dimmed, and the power of his attacks weakened significantly. He looked at Zhang Bufan, whose breathing remained steady, his eyes filled with disbelief: "How can your spiritual energy be so abundant?"

Zhang Bufan didn't respond. A glint flashed in his eyes as he seized an opening in his opponent's attack, channeling all his spiritual power into his silver flying sword. The sword transformed into a dazzling beam of light, hurtling straight towards the man's dantian. The man was terrified. He tried to defend himself, but it was too late. He was struck in the chest by the sword light, sent flying backward, crashing off the stage. His spiritual power dissipated, and he lost his ability to fight.

After eliminating the core combat force, Zhang Bufan moved swiftly to support Xie Ding and Yue Ling'er. With Zhang Bufan's support, the battle situation instantly reversed. The remaining two disciples of the Myriad Laws Sect, already significantly depleted of spiritual energy, were utterly powerless against the combined attack of the three. In just over ten rounds, they were knocked off the arena by the combined efforts of Zhang Bufan and the other two, suffering a complete defeat.

"Immortal Sword Sect wins! Immortal Sword Sect wins the Foundation Establishment Group team competition!" The deacon's voice resounded throughout the square, instantly igniting the entire arena. Immortal Sword Sect disciples cheered and jumped for joy. Liu Yan'er's eyes reddened with excitement. Yue Buwei stood below the stage, his face full of relief and pride, already seeing the dawn of the Immortal Sword Sect's rise in his heart.

By this time, the Qi Refining competition had already concluded, and the rankings had been announced: the Myriad Laws Sect won first place in the Qi Refining Group, the Penglai Pavilion took second place, and the Immortal Sword Sect's Qi Refining Group disciple unexpectedly won third place. This was thanks to the Immortal Sword Sect's core disciple this year, who had drunk mutated spiritual spring water for two consecutive years, resulting in a wider and more stable dantian meridian, and a spiritual power reserve far exceeding that of ordinary cultivators of the same level. Even when facing established forces, he could stand out with his profound spiritual power.

The Immortal Sword Sect's championship in the Foundation Establishment group and third place in the Qi Refining group have earned them the respect of all other sects. Those who previously looked down on the Immortal Sword Sect now hold their disdain firmly in their eyes, their gazes filled with awe. Everyone understands that the Immortal Sword Sect's rise as a dark horse is no accident—with a disciple as extraordinary as Zhang Bufan, the Immortal Sword Sect has embarked on its path to rise and will undoubtedly secure a place in the Pangu Cultivation World in the future.

The members of the Myriad Laws Sect were ashen-faced, but they could only accept defeat. Ren Xiaoyao looked at Zhang Bufan, who was full of vigor on the stage, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He then cupped his hands in the direction of the Immortal Sword Sect, acknowledging the champion. Bai Qingyao stood in the crowd, watching Zhang Bufan's figure. A hint of relief flashed in her clear, cold eyes, along with a touch of expectation.

Zhang Bufan, Xie Ding, and Yue Ling'er stood side by side on the arena, receiving the attention of the entire audience. Sunlight shone on them, and spiritual energy swirled around them. This was the moment of glory for the Immortal Sword Sect. Zhang Bufan looked at Yue Buwei and his fellow disciples below the stage, his heart filled with conviction. This was just the beginning; he would eventually lead the Immortal Sword Sect to even greater heights.