Board Thread:Dark Souls II/@comment-68.101.12.61-20140526024602/@comment-3492791-20140526025151

Using a bonfire ascetic causes all enemies within the influence of that bonefire to become the next NG+ difficulty. For example if you are in NG+3 and use an ascetic in Dragon Aaerie, the enemies there will be as powerful as if you were playing NG+4. If you continue to progress into Dragon Shrine, the enemies there will still remain as NG+3.