Some things can be endured, but some things cannot. Chen Mingyue, unable to bear it any longer, saw Ning Beichen still cultivating and had to tiptoe out alone.
Upon arriving outside, Chen Mingyue looked around, saw no one, and quickly found a deserted courtyard, squatting behind a large rock to relieve herself.
Meanwhile, Ning Beichen, who was cultivating inside, heard a faint noise. He immediately stopped cultivating, opened his eyes, and found Chen Mingyue missing.
"Where did this woman Chen Mingyue run off to?"
Just as Ning Beichen muttered this, he suddenly heard Chen Mingyue's scream from outside.
"Not good! It's Chen Mingyue."
Ning Beichen immediately got up, leaped a few times, and with a bang, kicked open the door, rushing outside rapidly. With a few more leaps, he found Chen Mingyue.
"Chen Mingyue! What happened?"
Ning Beichen landed in front of her and asked.
"It hurts, it hurts so much, Ning Beichen, something is trying to burrow into my brain."
Chen Mingyue said, looking extremely pained.
"Not good, it's an omen!"
Ning Beichen's expression changed drastically. He placed his palm on Chen Mingyue's head and could only vaguely sense something trying to force its way into her brain, just like his situation in prison before.
"Bo Ruo Bo Luo Mi..."
Ning Beichen immediately began reciting the Diamond Sutra, as it was the scripture he had used to prevent the omen's invasion before.
As the Diamond Sutra echoed, its梵音 struck her soul. Chen Mingyue's head felt like it was exploding. She quickly covered her ears with her hands, screaming incessantly.
Although Ning Beichen couldn't bear to see her in such agony, he knew even better that if the omen wasn't forced out of her, Chen Mingyue would surely die.
"Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was in Shravasti, at the Jetavana, the monastery of Anathapindika, together with a great assembly of twelve hundred and fifty monks. At that time the World-Honored One, upon finishing his meal, put on his robes and took his bowl..."
Ning Beichen's lips moved, his palm pressed on Chen Mingyue's head, and the other pressed on his own chest. He continuously recited the Diamond Sutra, uttering the梵音 effortlessly.
If anyone possessed the Buddha's wisdom eye, they would have seen countless Buddha images standing in the void, chanting the supreme Diamond Sutra with clasped hands, just like Ning Beichen.
"Stop chanting, Ning Beichen, stop chanting, I'm in so much pain!"
Chen Mingyue repeatedly beat her head with her hands, her expression contorted with pain and ferocity as she pleaded with Ning Beichen.
However, Ning Beichen ignored her desperate pleas. His lips moved, and the梵音 continued to echo, like a lingering divine melody.
"Shut up!"
"You shut up!"
"Get out! Get out! Get out!"
Chen Mingyue let out a voice that was not her own, roaring at Ning Beichen.
"Get out of my friend's body, or I will turn you to ashes!"
Ning Beichen's palm remained on Chen Mingyue's head, and a Buddhist wheel appeared above them.
"Die, I want you to die..."
That metallic voice kept roaring, as if from hell, attempting to influence Ning Beichen's mind.
But how could Ning Beichen be swayed by it? Seeing that the omen was stubborn, he continued to chant the Diamond Sutra.
Chen Mingyue, unable to break free from Ning Beichen's grip, alternated between begging him for mercy, roaring fiercely, and threatening Ning Beichen with her own life.
Yet, Ning Beichen's will was firm and unshakeable. No matter how the omen threatened, tempted, or feigned weakness, Ning Beichen paid no heed.
It was unclear how long had passed before the omen was finally extinguished by the梵音, and Chen Mingyue was able to return to normal.
"Ning Beichen, I... what happened to me? My... my head hurts so much!"
"You were invaded by an omen, but don't worry, I have eliminated it with the Diamond Sutra."
Seeing Chen Mingyue restored to her senses, Ning Beichen finally removed his hand from her head and said.
"Omen!"
Chen Mingyue cried out in shock.
Fragmented images of Ning Beichen using the Diamond Sutra to repel the omen appeared in her mind. Chen Mingyue finally understood how dangerous her situation had been just moments ago.
"Ning Beichen, thank you for saving me."
Chen Mingyue said emotionally.
"You're welcome. Don't go out alone again. It's not safe here. If anything happens, remember to tell me."
Ning Beichen told her.
"I know, I won't do it again."
Chen Mingyue was still shaken.
The two returned to the room and continued to rest.
However, to prevent another omen invasion of Chen Mingyue, Ning Beichen decided to teach her the Diamond Sutra, so that if such a thing happened again, she could recite it herself.
Subsequently, Ning Beichen stopped cultivating and lay down on the floor fully clothed to rest.
A night passed.
There were no further omen invasions, and Chen Mingyue had memorized the Diamond Sutra.
Finally, on the morning of the second day, after eating and drinking their fill, Ning Beichen and Chen Mingyue decided to leave the outer perimeter and explore the interior.
Fortunately, the entrance to the inner part of the ruins was marked on the crude map left by the Chen family ancestor. Although the ancestor's drawing skills were poor, the locations were generally accurate.
Before long, they arrived at the spot marked on the map. However, all they found was a hundred-meter high wall, with no apparent way to enter. The surroundings were the same.
"Did the Chen family ancestor and the others just climb over the wall to get in?"
Ning Beichen looked at Chen Mingyue with a peculiar expression.
Chen Mingyue's expression was similar to Ning Beichen's, suggesting they were thinking the same thing.
Since that was the case, there was nothing else to say; they could only climb over.
A hundred-meter high wall would be difficult for Chen Mingyue to scale without tools, but for Ning Beichen, a Grandmaster, it was no problem at all.
However, for safety's sake, Ning Beichen decided to go up first to scout. If there was no danger, he would then help Chen Mingyue up.
Facing the hundred-meter wall, Ning Beichen lightly tapped his toes on the wall a few times and easily leaped over, making Chen Mingyue envious. She probably knew that even her own ancestor didn't possess such an ability.
Ning Beichen landed on the top of the wall and looked around. He sensed no danger, and then he threw down a rope, pulling Chen Mingyue up.
Standing on the parapet, they looked down to see some buildings below. In the distance, it was pitch black, and they could see nothing, nor could they determine if there was any danger.
However, since they had come this far, neither Ning Beichen nor Chen Mingyue were people who would easily give up.
"I'll go down first."
Ning Beichen said to Chen Mingyue, then leaped down with a light stride. After he checked and confirmed there was no danger, he gestured for Chen Mingyue, who was on the parapet, to come down.
Jumping down, however, did not require Ning Beichen's help; Chen Mingyue could do it herself.
"Ning Beichen, do you think there's any Breakthrough Pill here?"
Chen Mingyue's gaze swept over the surrounding buildings, her eyes alight with fervor.
If she could obtain a Breakthrough Pill, she would be able to become a Grandmaster. This was also why the members of the Grandmaster Alliance spared no effort to send their most outstanding juniors in.