"That is a world beyond our reach. As for how powerful they are, let me put it this way: a single strike from them could easily destroy the entire Fade-to-Mortal world. In their eyes, we are like dust."
The old beggar said to Ning Beichen.
"Have you met beings from a higher plane? Otherwise, how would you know so much?"
Ning Beichen immediately seized on a key point in his words.
"Let's not talk about that. Alright, I've given you the information you wanted. Our transaction is complete. If you need more intelligence next time, you can find me."
The old beggar clearly didn't want to discuss this with Ning Beichen and ushered him out.
"Wait, do you know anyone named Luoyue?"
Ning Beichen suddenly remembered the unfulfilled wish of the skeleton and quickly asked the old beggar.
"Luoyue?"
"Go to Hongyue City and look for her."
After saying this, the old beggar directly dismissed him, not saying another word to Ning Beichen.
Ning Beichen had no choice but to leave with Luo Yingying. He had gained enough information for today.
However, there was no good news; instead, he had only received bad news.
There were leads for both his master and the stone coffin, but both pointed towards the ten-deaths-no-life Lei Yun layer.
Now they faced a problem: whether to go or not.
If they didn't go, they couldn't retrieve the stone coffin, couldn't account to Zhuge Jin, and Liu Yilin and the others would remain unsafe.
Moreover, his master was inside, giving Ning Beichen yet another reason he had to go.
But if they went, it was a place of certain death, and they might not return alive.
When Ning Beichen looked at Luo Yingying, he saw her glaring fiercely at him with her eyes.
"Ning Beichen, I know what you're planning. Let me tell you, don't even think about sneaking off to the Lei Yun layer by yourself. No way!"
"Yingying, the Lei Yun layer is a place of certain death..."
"I don't care. If you go, I go too. You said we would share life and death together. I am your sect leader, and you are not allowed to refuse!"
Luo Yingying said with a firm tone.
"Alright, destiny is in the heavens. Then we will venture into the Lei Yun layer together."
Ning Beichen said, moved.
"However, before we venture into the Lei Yun layer, I need to improve my cultivation by one realm, and Yingying, you also need to improve your cultivation and strength as much as possible."
"Mm."
Luo Yingying nodded in agreement with Ning Beichen's idea.
Only by diligently improving their strength would they have a chance to survive.
As for life and death, she hadn't thought too deeply about it.
Ning Beichen learned that within this human outpost, there was a place specifically for cultivation. Cultivating there would increase speed, likely due to some array formations.
However, cultivating there came at a steep price: one hundred Starfall Stones were required for ten days of cultivation.
Fortunately, Ning Beichen was not short of money now. He immediately paid for one month of cultivation for both himself and Luo Yingying.
Upon entering, Ning Beichen and Luo Yingying immediately felt it was worth it.
The energy within was ten times more potent than outside, explaining why they said cultivation there would yield twice the results.
Ning Beichen and Luo Yingying each occupied an independent space and began to cultivate.
The reason Ning Beichen and Luo Yingying chose to pay for cultivation there wasn't solely for the increased speed; they also needed a safe place to enter seclusion. No place could be safer than this.
Ning Beichen and Luo Yingying sealed their respective cultivation spaces and began to cultivate with their Starfall Stones.
This place already had a speed-enhancing effect, and with the addition of Starfall Stones, their cultivation speed was about to skyrocket.
On the twenty-eighth day of Ning Beichen's seclusion, a powerful and vast energy emanated from him. If anyone were present, they would be incredibly shocked.
This was because this power was not something that could be possessed by the ordinary realm.
Ning Beichen opened his eyes to see two piercing beams of light shoot out from them.
However, the light in his eyes quickly retracted. At this moment, Ning Beichen did not appear sharp and imposing, but rather appeared very restrained.
"So this is the extraordinary realm!"
Ning Beichen muttered to himself, appearing quite excited.
"Let's test my strength."
Ning Beichen stood up and walked to the testing area, where some targets were placed for cultivators to test their combat power.
Ning Beichen did not use his full power, simply punching a target casually.
*Bang!*
Ning Beichen's fist hit the target, but it didn't even sway.
"Interesting."
Ning Beichen looked at the target, then fully channeled his power, unleashing a punch of "Great Collapse."
*Boom!*
A crack appeared on the target. After enduring for a while, the target finally shattered.
"This target's quality is too poor."
Ning Beichen couldn't help but shake his head and complain, seeing that his "Great Collapse" punch had shattered the target.
If the people managing this place knew, they would likely cry injustice.
These targets could withstand the full force of an extraordinary realm cultivator without breaking; they were by no means fake goods of poor quality.
Ning Beichen walked to another target, drew his ancient bronze sword, and with a casual swing, the target was cleaved in two.
"Usurious merchants! They charge so much money and can't even afford decent targets for people to use."
Ning Beichen sheathed his ancient bronze sword, grumbling under his breath, and then ended his cultivation and left the place.
Outside, he saw Luo Yingying waiting for him.
Upon seeing Ning Beichen emerge, Luo Yingying quickly walked over to inquire about his progress.
"Ning Beichen, have you broken through?"
Ning Beichen nodded in reply.
"By luck, I only succeeded on the twenty-eighth day."
Ning Beichen said with some shame.
"It's good that you succeeded. But why can't I sense your cultivation?"
Luo Yingying asked, puzzled.
Previously, she could clearly sense Ning Beichen's cultivation. But now, Ning Beichen made her feel confused. No matter how she tried to sense him, she couldn't detect his cultivation level.
It felt as if Ning Beichen was a mist she couldn't see through. This kind of situation only occurred with powerful individuals whose cultivation was far superior to hers.
But Ning Beichen had only just broken through, while she had broken through an unknown amount of time before him.
Logically, since they were in the same realm, she shouldn't be unable to sense his cultivation.
Unless he had some treasure that shielded her senses, or he was using some secret art to hide his cultivation.
But Ning Beichen possessed neither.
"I don't know what's going on. Perhaps it's related to the cultivation technique I'm practicing?"
Ning Beichen himself was not very clear.
"Forget it. If I can't sense it, I can't sense it."
Luo Yingying no longer dwelled on the issue.
Not long after Ning Beichen and Luo Yingying left, the owner of the cultivation dojo was seen looking at the pile of shattered stone tablets on the ground, near tears.