Unlike Li Fan, who remained trapped by himself in Ningyuan City, other cultivators could explore the Fallen Immortal Realm together.
By incorporating special ritual mediums, they would first arrive in a peculiar space that existed between reality and illusion before entering the Fallen Immortal Realm itself.
Within this space, cultivators could exchange information or even trade items with one another.
Such spaces typically housed specialized arrays that combined ritual stabilization arrays with mental connection amplification arrays, allowing groups of up to four cultivators to venture into the Fallen Immortal Realm together.
Cultivators referred to these intermediary spaces as vanguard realms.
Legend had it that the very first vanguard realm was created by a Dao Unity powerhouse to facilitate joint exploration of the Fallen Immortal Realm. Its practicality soon became apparent, and others began to replicate the concept. Over thousands of years of refinement, countless vanguard realms came into existence.
Some were public—open to all cultivators, vast enough to accommodate tens of thousands at once, and requiring only a small entry fee. Others were private, their ritual mediums known only to their owners, making unauthorized entry impossible.
In essence, a vanguard realm was a spatial rift linking the real world and the Fallen Immortal Realm, serving as a transitional hub between the two.
However, spatial rifts were inherently unstable. They required reinforcement and maintenance every few decades, making them extremely costly to sustain. Only truly powerful cultivators possessed both the means and the inclination to maintain a vanguard realm indefinitely.
Over the long march of time, many such cultivators had fallen, leaving their vanguard realms abandoned. These ownerless realms gradually decayed, attracting opportunists who sought them out, performed minor repairs and cosmetic modifications, and then resold them at exorbitant prices.
Although such refurbished vanguard realms often cost hundreds of thousands of contribution points, they were still far cheaper than constructing new ones from scratch, and thus found willing buyers.
That said, maintaining multiple vanguard realms incurred significant ongoing expenses. If inventory failed to sell, the financial burden could quickly become overwhelming, even resulting in losses.
To mitigate this risk, operators began leasing idle vanguard realms instead, eliminating the need for massive upfront payments.
For a relatively modest annual contribution fee, cultivators could obtain usage rights. However, with inexpensive public vanguard realms readily available, few cultivators were willing to rent private ones.
As a result, these lessors flooded the Seeking Immortals forum with promotional posts, one of which was precisely what had drawn Li Fan’s attention earlier.
Vanguard realms... intriguing. Li Fan mused inwardly his thoughts churning.
To conceal his identity, he created a false account under the name Brightmoon Palace Master, then contacted one of the advertisers: a cultivator calling himself Immortal Venerable Zi Miao. It was impossible to tell whether this person truly possessed Dao Unity cultivation, or was simply using a grandiose alias like Li Fan.
“Fellow Daoist Zi Miao, what is the exact price for renting a vanguard realm?” Li Fan asked.
The reply came shortly afterward.
“The price depends on the scale of the vanguard realm. The lowest tier is eight thousand contribution points per year. Larger ones exceed ten thousand.”
The tone was cold and emotionless.
Li Fan asked again, “Exploration of the Fallen Immortal Realm requires divine sense at the Golden Core level. Does this restriction apply to vanguard realms as well? Can Qi Refinement or Foundation Establishment cultivators enter?”
“Are you asking on behalf of juniors?” Immortal Venerable Zi Miao replied. “Rest assured, vanguard realms are not part of the Fallen Immortal Realm itself, but independent spatial fissures. There are no divine sense requirements. As long as one possesses divine sense, they can enter through the ritual.”
Perhaps sensing Li Fan’s genuine interest, Zi Miao’s tone warmed just a fraction.
“When one performs the entrance ritual, one is essentially borrowing the power of the Fallen Immortal Realm to forcibly draw a portion of one’s divine sense into it. Vanguard realms are created by inserting a spatial pocket midway through that process, interrupting it. Different ritual mediums correspond to different spatial coordinates.”
Li Fan continued, “Must one be within the Xuanhuang World to enter a vanguard realm? What about minor worlds or grotto-heavens attached to it? Are they within range?”
“As long as you haven’t left the Xuanhuang World, you remain within the Fallen Immortal Realm’s range,” Zi Miao replied. “There will be no issue.”
Having received confirmation, Li Fan felt a stir of interest. However, he didn’t rush to respond. Instead, he contacted two other cultivators who were also advertising vanguard realm rentals.
The answers he received were identical.
Eight thousand contribution points per year was indeed the lowest price.
So they’ve already reached a tacit agreement. Li Fan mused to himself.
Only then did he contact Immortal Venerable Zi Miao again.
“Could you send me the details of the available vanguard realms?”
This time, the reply came almost instantly.
In the blink of an eye, detailed introductions to hundreds of vanguard realms appeared before Li Fan’s eyes.
It was obvious that Immortal Venerable Zi Miao had gone to great lengths in preparing these listings.
Each of the hundred-plus spatial fissures possessed completely distinct scenery. Some featured towering peaks rising from boundless seas of clouds, others consisted of solitary islands adrift in endless oceans. There were even ancient sect ruins steeped in mystery and desolation.
“If you find a vanguard realm you like but aren’t fully satisfied with the scenery, I can remodel it for you,” Immortal Venerable Zi Miao added. “Of course, that would increase the price slightly.”
Li Fan selected one that caught his eye, but did not confirm immediately. Instead, he asked carefully, “Can you guarantee that no outsiders will intrude into a rented vanguard realm?”
“The ritual medium functions as encrypted spatial coordinates,” Zi Miao replied calmly. “Under normal circumstances, without the guidance of the medium, consciousnesses entering the Fallen Immortal Realm cannot breach a private vanguard realm.
“Of course, nothing is absolute. Over the long ages, there has been exactly one recorded incident of an intrusion.
“But that was a singular case. There’s no need for concern.
“Each vanguard realm comes with a minimum of ten ritual mediums. If that’s insufficient, additional ones can be provided at any time.”
Li Fan nodded slowly at this.
He then sent over his selection. “I’ll rent this one.”
“A minimum lease of one year,” Immortal Venerable Zi Miao replied smoothly. “Three months’ deposit, with the first month’s rent paid upfront. Renewal payments are due at the same time each year.
“The lease may only be terminated after one full year. Upon moving out, your deposit will be returned.”
Li Fan asked, “Are there discounts for long-term leases?”
Immortal Venerable Zi Miao paused briefly before replying, “That can be negotiated.
"For a ten-year lease, I can offer five percent off.
“Twenty years, ten percent.
“Anything beyond twenty years qualifies for a twenty percent discount.
“Then I’ll start with thirty years,” Li Fan said decisively.