Before the bandit could react, pain in his heart forced him to release Ning Beichen.
However, at this moment, the bronze ancient sword in Ning Beichen's hand sliced across his neck. A bloody head fell to the ground, its eyes wide open, staring in disbelief.
Previously, he had encountered many powerful enemies, but because he cultivated his body, he always managed to escape death.
This time, however, his good fortune ended. He had encountered a foe who, while not possessing high cultivation, was full of tricks.
Who could have imagined that a cultivator merely in the Mortal Transformation realm would practice techniques far beyond that level?
Neither the Pine Mountain Sword Art nor the dimensional attacks belonged to this tier.
Thus, killing opponents of a higher level, Ning Beichen declared himself capable.
Luo Yingying was already an expert, and her cultivation was no less than theirs. Therefore, she showed no mercy when killing.
Before long, Ning Beichen and Luo Yingying had bathed in blood, while the remaining bandits fled in disarray.
In retrospect, Ning Beichen had overestimated their strength, while these bandits had underestimated Ning Beichen's.
"Is that all?"
Ning Beichen watched the fleeing bandits, too lazy to pursue them, as he couldn't catch up.
"Let's go, we need to leave this place of trouble as soon as possible."
Ning Beichen ignored the escaping bandits and said to Luo Yingying.
Luo Yingying nodded. Having survived their escape from the abyss black hole, they were already fortunate. There was no need to court further trouble.
More than ten days later, Ning Beichen and Luo Yingying returned to the human cultivator settlement and found the old man.
"Here are the Starfall Stones you wanted. Can you tell me the news now?"
Ning Beichen generously produced fifty thousand Starfall Stones and threw them in front of the old man.
"Of course."
The old man, clutching the fifty thousand Starfall Stones, counted them repeatedly and said to Ning Beichen with a smile.
"Six months ago, Chen Xingyun appeared in the thunderclouds west of the Starfall Sea. Whether you can find him depends on your luck."
"However..."
"I advise you not to go. In the thunderclouds of the Starfall Sea, even Venerables cannot withstand it. You will only be delivering yourselves to death."
The old man warned Ning Beichen.
"You're selling news from half a year ago? Isn't that a bit shameless?"
Ning Beichen's eyelid twitched, and he said with great dissatisfaction.
If his master had truly appeared in the thunderclouds of the Starfall Sea half a year ago, but now more than half a year had passed, who knew if his master was still there.
The old man's face flushed, but he declared righteously.
"Be content. In the entire world, only I have news of Chen Xingyun. However, I can give you one more piece of news: Chen Xingyun has not yet left the thunderclouds of the Starfall Sea."
Hearing that his master had not left brought Ning Beichen some relief, but he was very curious why his master would go to the thunderclouds.
"Do you know why Chen Xingyun went there?"
Ning Beichen asked.
"Do you think I'm a worm in his stomach? How would I know why he went to the thunderclouds? Even Venerables dare not approach that place. Anyone who enters is almost certain to die."
The old man rolled his eyes at Ning Beichen and replied.
"However, it is rumored that it is related to cultivators undergoing tribulation. As for whether it's true, no one knows."
"Tribulation?"
Ning Beichen was immediately surprised.
"Can anyone in this world truly undergo tribulation?"
Ning Beichen asked, shocked.
Although many movies and novels featured scenes of tribulation, in reality, Ning Beichen had never seen it, nor had he encountered any description of tribulation in any books.
Therefore, Ning Beichen had always believed tribulation to be fictional and nonexistent in reality.
"Don't ask me, I don't know."
The old man said to Ning Beichen.
"Didn't you say you knew everything, that you had all the information?"
Ning Beichen said with some dissatisfaction.
"That's just a saying. No one in this world knows everything. At least I provided you with the information you needed, didn't I?"
The old man said to Ning Beichen.
"This is not enough."
Ning Beichen stared at him and said.
"You need to give me two more pieces of news for free to justify this price."
This was fifty thousand Starfall Stones, and Ning Beichen felt it was not worth that price.
"Alright."
This time, the old man did not refuse with any objections but readily agreed. He likely had inflated his initial price, as it didn't require that many Starfall Stones.
Although Ning Beichen could easily obtain millions of Starfall Stones, they were all from looting the fallen. The major portion was found on a deceased Venerable. If he were to mine them, let alone millions, even ten thousand would be difficult.
Therefore, fifty thousand Starfall Stones was definitely not a small price, and very few people could afford it.
"I want to know where the stone coffin in the Starfall Sea is?"
Ning Beichen asked him.
"The stone coffin in the Starfall Sea? Heh, if you go to the thunderclouds, you'll see that thing."
The old man grinned, revealing his yellow teeth, as this was not really news. Many people knew about it, but no one dared to go to the thunderclouds to retrieve it.
"What is the use of this stone coffin?"
Ning Chao then asked his second question.
"Legend has it that the stone coffin contains some treasure that does not belong to this world."
The old man said.
"What do you mean by 'treasure that does not belong to this world'?"
Ning Beichen continued to ask.
"For example, some higher-level cultivation techniques, treasures, weapons, or medicines."
The old man said, counting on his fingers.
"Higher level?"
"What does that mean? Are there other levels?"
Although Ning Beichen knew some things, he decided to feign ignorance.
"Heh, do you really think the Mortal Transformation realm is the entirety of the world?"
The old man glanced at Ning Beichen, as if mocking his ignorance.
"Isn't it?"
Ning Beichen ignored his mockery and continued to probe for more secrets from him.
"Of course not. The world you see is merely hell in the eyes of others."
The old man stopped mocking Ning Beichen and said with a hint of self-deprecation.
"Hell?"
Ning Beichen was very confused, and Luo Yingying was also puzzled.
While the Mortal Transformation realm wasn't paradise, it certainly wasn't hell.
"Hell is just a metaphor. In the mouths of people from higher-level worlds, the Mortal Transformation realm is called the Sinful Abyss, where everyone here are exiles and sinners."
The old man's tone became somewhat indignant.
"If you say so, there are higher levels of existence. Where are those higher levels? How powerful are they, and why don't they attack us?"
Ning Beichen fired off three questions at once.