hé lǐ fán yì zhí gū shēn yī rén bèi kùn yú níng yuǎn chéng bù tóng 。
和李凡一直孤身一人被困于宁远城不同。
Unlike Li Fan, who was trapped alone in Ningyuan City, the other cultivators could explore the陨仙境 together.
qí tā xiū shì men ， shì kě yǐ xiāng yuē gòng tóng tàn suǒ yǔn xiān jìng de 。
其他修士们，是可以相约共同探索陨仙境的。
They just needed to add a corresponding medium during the ritual, allowing them to reach a peculiar space between reality and illusion before entering the陨仙境.
zhǐ xū zài jìn xíng yí shì de shí hòu ， jiā shàng xiàng yīng de méi jiè ， biàn kě zài jìn rù yǔn xiān jìng zhī qián ， xiān yī bù dào dá mǒu chù jiè yú xū shí zhī jiān de qí tè kōng jiān 。
只需在进行仪式的时候，加上相应的媒介，便可在进入陨仙境之前，先一步到达某处介于虚实之间的奇特空间。
In this space, they could exchange information and even trade items with each other. Special arrays were usually set up in these spaces, combining固化法阵 (ritualized array) and 精神连接增幅法阵 (spirit connection amplification array), enabling groups of four cultivators to explore the陨仙境.
xiū shì men kě yǐ zài zhè kōng jiān nèi hù xiāng jiāo liú qíng bào ， shèn zhì bǐ cǐ jiāo huàn wù pǐn 。
修士们可以在这空间内互相交流情报，甚至彼此交换物品。
These spaces were called 先遣境 (Preliminary Realm). The earliest ones were created by a Great Daoist cultivator for convenience, inviting friends to explore together. Over time, due to their usefulness, other cultivators began imitating them.
kōng jiān nèi yì bān hái huì pèi bèi xiāng yìng de tè shū zhèn fǎ 。
空间内一般还会配备相应的特殊阵法。
After thousands of years, numerous 先遣境 emerged. Some were public and open to all cultivators, vast enough to accommodate tens of thousands at once, requiring only a small fee each visit. Others were private, with the medium known only to the owner, preventing unauthorized entry through rituals.
zhè ge zhèn fǎ róng hé le yí shì gù huà fǎ zhèn 、 jīng shén lián jiē zēng fú fǎ zhèn 。 yīn ér kě yǐ shí xiàn zuì duō sì rén wéi yī zǔ de yǔn xiān jìng tàn suǒ xiǎo duì 。
这个阵法融合了仪式固化法阵、精神连接增幅法阵。因而可以实现最多四人为一组的陨仙境探索小队。
The essence of an 先遣境 was to create a spatial rift connecting the陨仙境 and the real world as a transit point. These spatial rifts were unstable, necessitating maintenance every few decades at considerable cost. Only true Great Daoist cultivators could afford and be willing to maintain them continuously.
xiū shì men jiāng cǐ lèi kōng jiān ， chēng zhī wèi xiān qiǎn jìng 。
修士们将此类空间，称之为先遣境。
Over time, some of these 先遣境 fell into disuse due to the deaths of their creators. Some individuals then sought out these abandoned 先遣境, refurbished and redecorated them, selling them for a high price, despite often requiring hundreds of thousands of contribution points. However, it was still more cost-effective than building new ones.
jù shuō ， zuì zǎo de xiān qiǎn jìng ， shì yī wèi hé dào dà néng xiū shì wèi le fāng biàn yāo qǐng hǎo yǒu 、 gòng tóng tàn suǒ yǔn xiān jìng ér dǎ zào de 。
据说，最早的先遣境，是一位合道大能修士为了方便邀请好友、共同探索陨仙境而打造的。
Thus, some cultivators were willing to buy these 先遣境.
hòu lái yīn wèi shèn shì biàn lì de yuán gù ， zhú jiàn bèi qí tā xiū shì suǒ xiào fǎng 。
后来因为甚是便利的缘故，逐渐被其他修士所效仿。
---
xiàn zài ， jīng guò jǐ qiān nián de fā zhǎn ， dàn shēng le shù liàng zhòng duō de xiān qiǎn jìng 。
现在，经过几千年的发展，诞生了数量众多的先遣境。
Given the maintenance costs of an 先遣境, if one had too many and couldn't sell them, they might become a burden or even result in losses. To offset this, some people started renting out unused 先遣境 for a small annual fee instead of a large upfront payment.
yǒu de xiān qiǎn jìng shǔ yú gōng zhòng xìng zhì ， duì suǒ yǒu xiū shì kāi fàng 。
有的先遣境属于公众性质，对所有修士开放。
With affordable public 先遣境 available, few cultivators were interested in renting. To attract customers, these individuals posted numerous advertisements on the【寻仙】(Seek Immortality) platform.
kōng jiān guǎng kuò ， kě yǐ tóng shí róng nà shàng wàn xiū shì 。
空间广阔，可以同时容纳上万修士。
Li Fan was just one who had been attracted by such information.
měi cì zhǐ xū yào zhī fù yī xiǎo bǐ fèi yòng ， jiù kě qián wǎng 。
每次只需要支付一小笔费用，就可前往。
"Interesting," Li Fan thought as he created a fake account named 【明月宫主】to conceal his identity. He then contacted one of the信息发布人 (information providers).
ér yǒu de xiān qiǎn jìng shǔ yú sī rén xìng zhì dì 。
而有的先遣境属于私人性质的。
This person, called 【紫缈仙尊】(Purple Miao Immortal Sovereign), was unknown whether they were actually a Great Daoist cultivator or just another fake account.
méi jiè zhǐ yǒu xiān qiǎn jìng de zhǔ rén zhī dào 。 wài rén bù jīng yǔn xǔ ， shì wú fǎ tōng guò yí shì jìn rù de 。
媒介只有先遣境的主人知道。外人不经允许，是无法通过仪式进入的。
"Zimiao Fellow Daoist, what's the rental price for these 先遣境?" Li Fan asked.
xiān qiǎn jìng de běn zhì jiù shì kāi pì yī chù lián jiē yǔn xiān jìng yǔ xiàn shí shì jiè de kōng jiān liè xì ， zuò wéi zhōng zhuǎn zhī yòng 。
先遣境的本质就是开辟一处连接陨仙境与现实世界的空间裂隙，作为中转之用。
Not long after, he received a reply: "The prices vary based on the size of the 先遣境. The minimum is 8,000 contribution points annually, with higher ones reaching tens of thousands."
kōng jiān liè xì shì bù wěn dìng de 。
空间裂隙是不稳定的。
The tone was cold and emotionless.
yīn ér měi gé gè jǐ shí nián shí jiān ， jiù yào duì xiān qiǎn jìng jìn xíng wéi hù jiā gù 。
因而每隔个几十年时间，就要对先遣境进行维护加固。
Li Fan continued, "Only Golden Core Realm consciousness can support exploring the陨仙境. Does this rule still apply to these 先遣境? Can cultivators in the Dantian or Foundation Establishment Realms enter?"
chéng běn xiāo hào bù dī 。
成本消耗不低。
"Is it for your juniors' convenience? Rest assured, an 先遣境 is not part of the陨仙境 but a separate spatial rift. There are no consciousness requirements; as long as you have any consciousness, you can enter through the ritual."
zhǐ yǒu zhēn zhèng de dà xiū shì ， cái yǒu néng lì yǔ yì yuàn ， qù yì zhí wéi chí xiān qiǎn jìng 。
只有真正的大修士，才有能力与意愿，去一直维持先遣境。
Seeing Li Fan's genuine interest, Zimiao Immortal Sovereign became slightly more enthusiastic.
shù qiān nián de shí guāng ， zhè xiē xiū shì zhōng bù fá yǒu zhōng tú yǔn luò de 。
数千年的时光，这些修士中不乏有中途陨落的。
He explained: "If performing the ritual means forcefully drawing part of our consciousness into the陨仙境, an 先遣境 sets up a spatial rift earlier in the process. Different media correspond to different spatial coordinates."
zhè xiē yǔn luò xiū shì kāi pì chū de xiān qiǎn jìng dà duō dōu zhú jiàn bèi fèi qì 。
这些陨落修士开辟出的先遣境大多都逐渐被废弃。
"Can one only enter an 先遣境 while within the玄黄界 (Xuanhuang Realm)? Are the small worlds or caves attached to it still within range?"
yú shì ， yǒu de rén biàn dǎ qǐ le zhè xiē fèi qì xiān qiǎn jìng de zhǔ yì 。
于是，有的人便打起了这些废弃先遣境的主意。
"Since you haven't left the玄黄界, you are under the influence of the陨仙境. Therefore, there's no issue."
tā men jiāng zhè xiē wú zhǔ de xiān qiǎn jìng sōu xún chū lái ， jiǎn dān zhěng xiū 、 chóng xīn zhuāng shì yī fān 。
他们将这些无主的先遣境搜寻出来，简单整修、重新装饰一番。
After receiving confirmation, Li Fan felt a bit intrigued but didn't rush to reply. He instead contacted two other information providers.
zhī hòu zài gāo jià mài chū 。
之后再高价卖出。
Their responses were consistent: 8,000 contribution points annually was the minimum price.
suī shuō zhè xiē xiān qiǎn jìng de jià gé gāo áng ， wǎng wǎng xū yào jǐ shí wàn gòng xiàn dù 。
虽说这些先遣境的价格高昂，往往需要几十万贡献度。
"Seems they've already reached an agreement," Li Fan thought before contacting Zimiao Immortal Sovereign again.
dàn bǐ qǐ zhòng xīn dǎ zào ， yī rán huá suàn le xǔ duō 。
但比起重新打造，依然划算了许多。
---
suǒ yǐ shì yǒu xiū shì yuàn yì gòu mǎi de 。
所以是有修士愿意购买的。
The response came quickly this time. As soon as he sent his request, he received a reply with detailed descriptions of hundreds of 先遣境 with varied landscapes.
ér yòu yīn wèi wéi chí xiān qiǎn jìng shì xū yào chéng běn de ， ruò shì shǒu zhōng de xiān qiǎn jìng shù liàng duō le ， ér yòu yì zhí mài bù chū qù 。
而又因为维持先遣境是需要成本的，若是手中的先遣境数量多了，而又一直卖不出去。
To ensure these 先遣境 were rented out, Zimiao Immortal Sovereign had spared no effort. The scenery within each spatial rift was unique—mountains in the vast clouds, islands in the boundless sea, and ancient sect ruins shrouded in mystery.
fǎn dào huì chéng wéi le zì jǐ de yī zhǒng fù dān ， shèn zhì kě néng huì kuī běn 。
反倒会成为了自己的一种负担，甚至可能会亏本。
"If you're not satisfied with a particular 先遣境's landscape but like it otherwise, I can remodel it," Zimiao Immortal Sovereign added. "Of course, that would come at an increased cost."
suǒ yǐ zhè xiē rén xiǎng zhe chéng běn zhuǎn yí ， gàn qǐ le zū lìn xián zhì xiān qiǎn jìng de mǎi mài 。
所以这些人想着成本转移，干起了租赁闲置先遣境的买卖。
Li Fan chose one without rushing to confirm. He asked cautiously: "Can outsiders be prevented from entering after renting the 先遣境?"
bù xū yào yí cì xìng zhī fù jù é gòng xiàn dù 。
不需要一次性支付巨额贡献度。
"Ritual media act as encrypted spatial coordinates. Generally, consciousness bodies entering the陨仙境 without the medium's guidance cannot enter private 先遣境," Zimiao Immortal Sovereign explained.
zhǐ yào měi nián jiǎo nà xiē xǔ wēi bù zú dào de gòng xiàn dù ， jiù kě yǐ huò dé xiān qiǎn jìng de shǐ yòng quán 。
只要每年缴纳些许微不足道的贡献度，就可以获得先遣境的使用权。
"But accidents can happen; such incidents have occurred in the past."
yǒu jià gé dī lián de gōng zhòng xiān qiǎn jìng kě yǐ shǐ yòng ， yuàn yì zū xiān qiǎn jìng de xiū shì ， zì rán shì shǎo zhī yòu shǎo 。
有价格低廉的公众先遣境可以使用，愿意租先遣境的修士，自然是少之又少。
"However, only once." Zimiao Immortal Sovereign assured him.
wèi le xún zhǎo gù kè ， zài zhè 【 xún xiān 】 shàng ， tā men tóu fàng le bù shǎo xuān chuán xìn xī 。
为了寻找顾客，在这【寻仙】上，他们投放了不少宣传信息。
"We provide at least ten media for each 先遣境. More can be added if needed."
lǐ fán gāng gāng yě jiù shì bèi zhè xiē xìn xī suǒ xī yǐn jìn lái de 。
李凡刚刚也就是被这些信息所吸引进来的。
Hearing this, Li Fan nodded slowly before sending his chosen 先遣境: "I want to rent this one."
“ xiān qiǎn jìng ， yǒu diǎn yì si 。” lǐ fán sī niàn zhuǎn dòng ， shēn qǐng le yí gè xū jiǎ zhàng hào ，【 míng yuè gōng zhǔ 】， yòng lái yǎn shì shēn fèn 。
“先遣境，有点意思。”李凡思念转动，申请了一个虚假账号，【明月宫主】，用来掩饰身份。
"One year minimum rental with a three-month deposit and monthly payments. If you need to renew, pay the annual fee at this time," Zimiao Immortal Sovereign said smoothly.
suí hòu yǔ qí zhōng yī wèi xìn xī fā bù rén lián xì qǐ lái 。
随后与其中一位信息发布人联系起来。
Li Fan asked, "Are there any discounts for long-term rentals?"
zhè rén jiào zuò 【 zǐ miǎo xiān zūn 】， bù zhī shì bú shì zhēn de hé dào xiū wèi ， hái shì yě gēn lǐ fán yī yàng ， shì xū jiǎ zhàng hào 。
这人叫做【紫缈仙尊】，不知是不是真的合道修为，还是也跟李凡一样，是虚假账号。
Zimiao Immortal Sovereign paused: "We can negotiate."
“ zǐ miǎo dào yǒu ， zhè zū lìn xiān qiǎn jìng ， jù tǐ jià gé shì duō shǎo ？”
“紫缈道友，这租赁先遣境，具体价格是多少？”
"For ten years, I'll give you a 95% discount."
lǐ fán wèn dào 。
李凡问道。
"For twenty years, it's a 90% discount."
mò guò duō jiǔ ， duì fāng jiù huí fù guò lái 。
没过多久，对方就回复过来。
"Over twenty years, an 80% discount!"
“ gēn jù xiān qiǎn jìng de guī mó dà xiǎo ， jià gé yě gè yǒu bù tóng 。 zuì dī bā qiān gòng xiàn dù měi nián ， gāo de shàng wàn 。”
“跟据先遣境的规模大小，价格也各有不同。最低八千贡献度每年，高的上万。”
"I'll rent for thirty years," Li Fan said confidently.
Unlike Li Fan, who was trapped alone in Ningyuan City, the other cultivators could explore the陨仙境 together.
They just needed to add a corresponding medium during the ritual, allowing them to reach a peculiar space between reality and illusion before entering the陨仙境.
In this space, they could exchange information and even trade items with each other. Special arrays were usually set up in these spaces, combining固化法阵 (ritualized array) and 精神连接增幅法阵 (spirit connection amplification array), enabling groups of four cultivators to explore the陨仙境.
These spaces were called 先遣境 (Preliminary Realm). The earliest ones were created by a Great Daoist cultivator for convenience, inviting friends to explore together. Over time, due to their usefulness, other cultivators began imitating them.
After thousands of years, numerous 先遣境 emerged. Some were public and open to all cultivators, vast enough to accommodate tens of thousands at once, requiring only a small fee each visit. Others were private, with the medium known only to the owner, preventing unauthorized entry through rituals.
The essence of an 先遣境 was to create a spatial rift connecting the陨仙境 and the real world as a transit point. These spatial rifts were unstable, necessitating maintenance every few decades at considerable cost. Only true Great Daoist cultivators could afford and be willing to maintain them continuously.
Over time, some of these 先遣境 fell into disuse due to the deaths of their creators. Some individuals then sought out these abandoned 先遣境, refurbished and redecorated them, selling them for a high price, despite often requiring hundreds of thousands of contribution points. However, it was still more cost-effective than building new ones.
Thus, some cultivators were willing to buy these 先遣境.
---
Given the maintenance costs of an 先遣境, if one had too many and couldn't sell them, they might become a burden or even result in losses. To offset this, some people started renting out unused 先遣境 for a small annual fee instead of a large upfront payment.
With affordable public 先遣境 available, few cultivators were interested in renting. To attract customers, these individuals posted numerous advertisements on the【寻仙】(Seek Immortality) platform.
Li Fan was just one who had been attracted by such information.
"Interesting," Li Fan thought as he created a fake account named 【明月宫主】to conceal his identity. He then contacted one of the信息发布人 (information providers).
This person, called 【紫缈仙尊】(Purple Miao Immortal Sovereign), was unknown whether they were actually a Great Daoist cultivator or just another fake account.
"Zimiao Fellow Daoist, what's the rental price for these 先遣境?" Li Fan asked.
Not long after, he received a reply: "The prices vary based on the size of the 先遣境. The minimum is 8,000 contribution points annually, with higher ones reaching tens of thousands."
The tone was cold and emotionless.
Li Fan continued, "Only Golden Core Realm consciousness can support exploring the陨仙境. Does this rule still apply to these 先遣境? Can cultivators in the Dantian or Foundation Establishment Realms enter?"
"Is it for your juniors' convenience? Rest assured, an 先遣境 is not part of the陨仙境 but a separate spatial rift. There are no consciousness requirements; as long as you have any consciousness, you can enter through the ritual."
Seeing Li Fan's genuine interest, Zimiao Immortal Sovereign became slightly more enthusiastic.
He explained: "If performing the ritual means forcefully drawing part of our consciousness into the陨仙境, an 先遣境 sets up a spatial rift earlier in the process. Different media correspond to different spatial coordinates."
"Can one only enter an 先遣境 while within the玄黄界 (Xuanhuang Realm)? Are the small worlds or caves attached to it still within range?"
"Since you haven't left the玄黄界, you are under the influence of the陨仙境. Therefore, there's no issue."
After receiving confirmation, Li Fan felt a bit intrigued but didn't rush to reply. He instead contacted two other information providers.
Their responses were consistent: 8,000 contribution points annually was the minimum price.
"Seems they've already reached an agreement," Li Fan thought before contacting Zimiao Immortal Sovereign again.
---
The response came quickly this time. As soon as he sent his request, he received a reply with detailed descriptions of hundreds of 先遣境 with varied landscapes.
To ensure these 先遣境 were rented out, Zimiao Immortal Sovereign had spared no effort. The scenery within each spatial rift was unique—mountains in the vast clouds, islands in the boundless sea, and ancient sect ruins shrouded in mystery.
"If you're not satisfied with a particular 先遣境's landscape but like it otherwise, I can remodel it," Zimiao Immortal Sovereign added. "Of course, that would come at an increased cost."
Li Fan chose one without rushing to confirm. He asked cautiously: "Can outsiders be prevented from entering after renting the 先遣境?"
"Ritual media act as encrypted spatial coordinates. Generally, consciousness bodies entering the陨仙境 without the medium's guidance cannot enter private 先遣境," Zimiao Immortal Sovereign explained.
"But accidents can happen; such incidents have occurred in the past."
"However, only once." Zimiao Immortal Sovereign assured him.
"We provide at least ten media for each 先遣境. More can be added if needed."
Hearing this, Li Fan nodded slowly before sending his chosen 先遣境: "I want to rent this one."
"One year minimum rental with a three-month deposit and monthly payments. If you need to renew, pay the annual fee at this time," Zimiao Immortal Sovereign said smoothly.
Li Fan asked, "Are there any discounts for long-term rentals?"
Zimiao Immortal Sovereign paused: "We can negotiate."
"For ten years, I'll give you a 95% discount."
"For twenty years, it's a 90% discount."
"Over twenty years, an 80% discount!"
"I'll rent for thirty years," Li Fan said confidently.