Little Immortal Honglian transmitted, "The Blood Gate operates according to certain principles. That's what prevents the Fallen Immortals of the Major Immortal Realm from finding an opening to invade the Minor Immortal Realm. However, if you pilot the Black Dragon Boat and accelerate it to a certain threshold, you will automatically be guided back to the Minor Immortal Realm. This is related to the materials used to establish the Blood Gate. It also contains a Formation Heart."

Fang Chen's expression shifted slightly. According to her explanation, the core members of various factions could freely travel between the Major and Minor Immortal Realms? So Shao Guangyin could also come and go between the two realms at will? Then what if he brought a Fallen Immortal, or a demon race member, with him?

Perhaps the True King Clan guarding the Blood Gate can identify Fallen Immortals. But demon race members... might be able to pass freely. They are impossible to guard against.

With that thought, Fang Chen began carefully sensing the differences in this realm. There was not the slightest trace of immortal essence in the air. This confirmed the rumors that neither the Minor Immortal Realm nor the Major Immortal Realm retained immortal essence, forcing the immortals there to rely on immortal crystals to cultivate and prolong their lifespans.

"Your cultivation levels aren't high. As long as you don't run into Fallen Immortals coming out to feed, or demon fiends and demonic beasts, you'll generally be safe here," said Xie Aman, smiling. She distributed a jade slip to each of them. "Take these jade slips. They are Great Transference Immortal Talismans. I've infused it with a bit of my aura. If you encounter danger you can't handle, crush it, and you'll be transported to my side. You can count on your senior sister to protect you."

Li Shanzi blinked in surprise. "Senior Sister, aren't we going around together?"

"Of course not. The target would be too large. I have my own matters to attend to. You all explore on your own. At most half a year, and we'll return," Xie Aman explained calmly.

After a pause, she added, "Don't casually bring out your Black Dragon Boat to show off. If a Fallen Immortal notices it, you'll definitely be hunted down. And you're not strong enough. If you want to return to the Minor Immortal Realm, you must use my Black Dragon Boat. Understood?"

Everyone nodded.

"So not all core disciples can freely travel between the two realms," Fang Chen thought to himself.

"There are quite a lot of immortal herbs in the Major Immortal Realm. Go search around. If you see something good, take it. Leaving it to them is like feeding pigs. Don't be soft-hearted."

After giving one final reminder, Xie Aman withdrew the Black Dragon and shot off into the distance, disappearing from sight in the blink of an eye.

Li Shanzi sighed and looked at everyone. "Well then... let's split up and explore."

In the end, he left with Nanming Ruyue. Chen Enxue went with Ji Sheng and Xu Kun. The rest formed groups of at least two. No one chose to travel alone. That left only Fang Chen and Little Immortal Honglian. The other core disciples assumed the two were Dao companions and tactfully refrained from asking to join them.

"Fellow Daoist Fang, is there anywhere you'd like to go?" Little Immortal Honglian asked while observing the surroundings.

"I'm not familiar with the Major Immortal Realm. Didn't you read Discourse on the Immortal Realm's Past and Present? Is there anywhere worth visiting in the Han Mountain Temple?" Fang Chen asked.

"Anywhere worth visiting..." pondered Little Immortal Honglian.

She thought for a moment, then her eyes suddenly brightened. She said, "I read that in the Han Mountain Temple, there's a very famous Immortal Origin District. The Major Immortal Realm has a long history and was once the richest land in immortal essence. Perhaps we can find something good there. Are you interested?"

"Immortal Origin District?" mused Fang Chen. "Back when I was still in the Qi Refining Realm, I used to play with Immortal Origin Stones for a while. If you know the way, let's go take a look."

He had visited the Immortal Origin District of Grand Qian before, but that had only sold low-quality stones. Later, at the Daotai Mountain in the Nanqing Constellation, he found an Immortal Origin District and obtained the Yang Corrosion Flame. An Immortal Origin District in the Major Immortal Realm had a very good chance of holding decent treasures.

Little Immortal Honglian smiled faintly. "Then let's visit it. I knew you'd be interested. After all, you used to like playing with top-grade spirit stones."

***

Several days later, after asking a few passersby and following clues from the ancient texts, she finally brought Fang Chen to the largest Immortal Origin District in the Han Mountain Temple. It was bustling with noise and excitement. Cultivators and immortals mingled together.

From above, the entire Immortal Origin District resembled a massive Eight Trigrams formation. The outermost ring housed cultivators of the Lower Four Realms. Further inward were cultivators of the Middle Three Realms. Further still were cultivators of the Upper Three Realms. In the fourth zone, first-transformation immortals became common. The Immortal Origin Stones sold there were of much higher quality, and transactions were settled in immortal crystals.

Little Immortal Honglian sighed softly. "As expected of the largest Immortal Origin District in the Han Mountain Temple. Even low-level cultivators come here to buy Immortal Origin Stones."

Fang Chen noticed that after arriving here, her smile was more frequent than usual. She looked genuinely happy.

"Fellow Daoist Hong, you seem quite fond of Immortal Origin Districts," Fang Chen pointed out.

Her face flushed faintly, and she nodded. "I find Immortal Origin Stones rather fun to play with. But one must exercise restraint. Becoming obsessed can damage one's foundation."

Just then, in the distance, a Middle Three Realms cultivator let out a miserable cry. Overcome with fury, he nearly fainted on the spot.

He had just cracked open an Immortal Origin Stone only to find it empty. It had likely cost him a significant number of spirit stones.

Little Immortal Honglian chuckled and pulled Fang Chen into the market, strolling from stall to stall.

She had brought plenty of low, middle, and even high-grade spirit stones. Like someone browsing snack stalls, she casually bought and opened a few Immortal Origin Stones. Almost all were losses, but she enjoyed herself nonetheless.

She opened another one, empty again, and glanced at Fang Chen. "Fellow Daoist Fang, why aren't you buying any?"

Fang Chen smiled. "I'm not interested in these. I'll buy one or two in the inner zone later."

She laughed. "A little gambling adds spice to life. Don't underestimate these low-quality stones. Losing doesn't hurt as much."

Before long, they reached the fourth zone. Here, immortals were common, though not exclusively. Some Upper Three Realms cultivators wandered about to observe, even if they couldn't afford half an immortal crystal.

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out nearby.

"I lost again! Your shop is outrageous! I've opened ten Immortal Origin Stones, and I don't even get a single thing! I paid fifty immortal crystals and got nothing!"

Looking over at the source of the voice, they found Xu Kun and two other core disciples of the Enlightenment God Palace.

Xu Kun was fuming, cursing the shopkeeper, while the other two core disciples wore helpless expressions.

The shopkeeper, being only at the first transformation, didn't dare argue with the third-transformation Xu Kun. He could only smile apologetically. He eventually gave Xu Kun a free Immortal Origin Stone to calm him down.

Little Immortal Honglian's lips curved upward. "Looks like quite a few people from the Enlightenment God Palace enjoy Immortal Origin Stone gambling."

She led Fang Chen toward them. But hardly had they taken a few steps then they heard Xu Kun's miserable wail again, clearly suffering another crushing loss.

Unwilling to accept it, he prepared to buy more, much against the advice of his two companions.

"Wait," said Fang Chen suddenly.

He stopped and pulled Little Immortal Honglian toward another stall.

"What is it?" asked Little Immortal Honglian, looking puzzled.

"Someone's watching the three of them. Might be a Fallen Immortal," Fang Chen transmitted quietly.