Fang Chen had already heard them mention the term Fallen Immortal earlier. Now that Xie Aman brought it up again, he immediately asked, "Senior Sister, what exactly is a Fallen Immortal?"

The old woman leading the way showed a slight change in expression. She glanced back at Fang Chen before continuing.

"Ninth Brother, you've only just joined the Enlightenment God Palace long enough. You should set aside some time to study properly." Chen Enxue rolled her eyes. "In the Scripture Pavilion, you'll find Records of the Nine Mortal Realms Immortal Ambition, Discourse on the Immortal Realm Past and Present, and On the Unbroken Yin Yang. These three books cover the Nine Mortal Realms, the Immortal Realm, and the Underworld. They've been passed down through generations of seniors, with additions made from time to time. Ninety percent of all events throughout history are recorded in them."

Fang Chen nodded solemnly. "I'll read them when I return."

Seeing his serious attitude, Chen Enxue said no more and began explaining the origins of Fallen Immortals on Xie Aman's behalf. "These Fallen Immortals do not walk the orthodox Immortal Paths. They cultivate crooked, heretical methods, using others' immortal essences as medicine, their souls as food, and their flesh as garnish. To put it plainly, they like eating immortals."

Hearing it phrased that way, Fang Chen suddenly realized that Fallen Immortals resembled the great Yin Demons in the Underworld who had lost their sanity. Those great Yin Demons also relied on devouring Yin Lifespan to maintain their immortality. Yet in doing so, they lost their reason. Even those who barely retained a shred of awareness were no longer who they once were.

However... once cultivators reached the level of an Immortal, advancement required following a specific Immortal Path. Without a path, a cultivator could never progress further. So how could Fallen Immortals reach the ninth transformation?

"Fallen Immortals appeared after the Three Realm Upheaval," Chen Enxue continued. "At first, there was no such term. Until one day, a renowned immortal sect suddenly went mad. The immortals of that sect began devouring other immortals. Their realms advanced rapidly. Even the sect master, an eighth-transformation Ancient Immortal who had been unable to break through, forcibly entered the ninth transformation after devouring more than a dozen peers of the same level.

"From that point on, the Major Immortal Realm fell into chaos once more. Already grievously weakened, it suffered terribly."

Fang Chen was surprised. "Third Senior Sister, are you saying... Fallen Immortals can reach the ninth transformation without an Immortal Path?"

Wasn't that similar to True Demons? True Demons had no path restrictions either. There could be countless ninth-transformation immortals among them. If Fallen Immortals appeared after the Three Realm Upheaval, they might very well be awakened demon race members reincarnated later on. Alternatively, perhaps the demon race had taught their cultivation methods to immortals who originally walked orthodox paths.

Chen Enxue continued, "Correct. That is the advantage of Fallen Immortals. That's why the Immortal Realm was split into two. To avoid being devoured, some immortal sects fled here. With the help of various ninth-transformation immortals, they established the Blood Gate to block Fallen Immortal incursions.

"It was from that time onward that the once-close relationship between the Immortal Realm and the Mortal Realm gradually faded. The Ancient Immortal Roads laid out in various regions lost their original purpose and could no longer guide Immortal Seedlings to ascend.

"We should be grateful to those ninth-transformation immortals of that era. Had they not acted, if the Fallen Immortals entered the Minor Immortal Realm and from there reached the Nine Mortal Realms, it would have sparked another catastrophe."

Nanming Ruyue said softly, "Third Senior Sister, I don't understand something. With the combined strength of the Nine Mortal Realms and the Minor Immortal Realm today, is it still impossible to eliminate the Fallen Immortals?"

Fang Chen mused, "Even if the Major Immortal Realm's foundations were damaged, it should still be far richer than the Minor Immortal Realm. To let such a territory fall to the Fallen Immortals seems wasteful."

The others exchanged glances, their expressions somewhat strange.

Little Immortal Honglian chimed in, "The strength of Fallen Immortals far exceeds ours. Over countless years of accumulation, no one knows how many ninth-transformation Fallen Immortals they have. If we cannot even determine the enemy's strength, launching a war recklessly could lead to irreparable consequences."

"Looks like you've been studying diligently, Junior Sister Hong. I assume you've finished Discourse on the Immortal Realm Past and Present." Chen Enxue laughed. "So it's not that the Nine Mortal Realms and the Minor Immortal Realm are unwilling to reclaim the Major Immortal Realm—it's that they cannot determine the Fallen Immortals' true strength and dare not act rashly."

Fang Chen understood. If it were him, he would act the same way. Without knowing the enemy's true strength, he would not act.

"Third Senior Sister, if the Major Immortal Realm is now entirely ruled by Fallen Immortals, who do they devour?" Fang Chen suddenly asked.

The old woman leading them seemed intrigued. She glanced at Fang Chen and spoke in her hoarse voice, "Young one, do you imagine the Major Immortal Realm to be a desolate wasteland by now?"

Fang Chen cupped his hands. "I ask for your guidance, Senior."

If she asked it that way, the truth must be the opposite.

"The Major Immortal Realm is more prosperous than you imagine. It is as much as it once was. The lower-level immortals don't even know Fallen Immortals exist," explained the old woman, sneering. "They believe the existence of the Minor Immortal Realm is a betrayal. They do not realize they themselves are livestock in others' eyes, ready to be slaughtered at any moment."

Chen Enxue smiled faintly. "The ordinary immortals there think the Minor Immortal Realm seeks to sever ties and unite with the Nine Mortal Realms to build a new Immortal Realm. They've long regarded us as enemies. If they discovered we came from the Minor Immortal Realm or the Nine Mortal Realms, they would strike even more ruthlessly than the Fallen Immortals."

Fang Chen gradually grasped the situation in the Great Immortal Realm. The Fallen Immortals held power but concealed everything. Those who weren't Fallen Immortals knew nothing. They believed the Minor Immortal Realm was plotting against them.

Fang Chen looked at Chen Enxue. "What about the demonic beasts and demon fiends there?"

"Oh, those creatures are also a headache for the immortals there. The Fallen Immortals are actively trying to eradicate them as well," Chen Enxue replied.

"The Fallen Immortals eliminate them as well?"

"If they all originated from the same source, say the demon race, why would they fight among themselves?"

Fang Chen felt something was missing from his understanding.

After about a dozen breaths, the two Immortal Boats gradually stopped before the Blood Gate.

The old woman looked at Xie Aman and said, "According to today's timing, this Blood Gate corresponds to the Han Mountain Temple of the Major Immortal Realm."

Through the crimson barrier, Fang Chen faintly saw a shifting scenery within.

This gate isn't stationary... it's constantly moving?

"Senior Sister, which region are we heading to this time?" Chen Enxue asked.

"The Han Mountain Temple," answered Xie Aman.

She smiled faintly, nodded to the old woman, and fed immortal essence into the Black Dragon Boat, driving it straight into the crimson barrier.

Fang Chen felt as if a layer of flowing water passed over him. When he turned back, the crimson curtain was gone.

"Fellow Daoist Hong, since you've read so many ancient texts, you should know how we return to the Minor Immortal Realm, right?" Fang Chen transmitted quietly.