The newly emerged monsters were fast and could turn invisible, making them difficult to deal with.
However, none of them could escape Ning Beichen's mystical eyes.
To Ning Beichen, these invisible monsters appeared as glowing suns. Before they could launch a sneak attack, they were all swiftly slain by him.
"Yingying, at your six o'clock, about a hundred meters away."
Ning Beichen said to Luo Yingying.
"Received."
With a single sweep of her sword, Luo Yingying killed the invisible monster.
Yet, there was something she couldn't quite comprehend: how could Ning Beichen detect these invisible monsters?
Every time he pointed out their locations, he was one hundred percent accurate, without fail.
But this was not the time to dwell on such questions. With Ning Beichen's coordination, these invisible monsters could not withstand their attacks.
Unbeknownst to Ning Beichen, deep within the black abyss of the Falling Star Sea, what the cultivators feared most were not stone giants, but these unseen creatures. Countless human cultivators had met their end at the hands of such beings.
Ning Beichen and Luo Yingying discovered many skeletal remains in the area. Neither of them was squeamish and began to loot the corpses.
Indeed, many storage artifacts were found on these remains, and they contained quite a few valuable items. After a thorough selection, they even found a significant amount of Starfall Stones.
As they journeyed onward, aside from various monsters, they also found numerous skeletons, broken swords, empty medicine bottles, and other remnants, testifying to the brutal battles fought by their former owners.
No matter how great, how remarkable, how strong, or how high their cultivation level might have been in life, they were now reduced to a pile of bones, dying in a foreign land with no one to collect their remains.
This also made Ning Beichen and Luo Yingying more cautious, fearing they might suffer the same fate.
Seeing these skeletons, Ning Beichen's worry for his master grew.
Though his master was powerful, even the most skilled swimmers could drown. Furthermore, there was the possibility of malicious interference.
"Don't worry too much. Your master, who could teach you to be so outstanding, must be at least as capable as you are."
This time, Luo Yingying didn't mock him but offered gentle comfort.
"I know. I'm just worried he might encounter an accident. I don't want anyone to get hurt, including you. If anything happened to you, I would be deeply saddened and heartbroken."
Ning Beichen said.
"Don't worry, I'm always by your side."
Luo Yingying clasped his hand. During this time, she understood the immense pressure Ning Beichen was under, though he never spoke of it.
Slowly, Ning Beichen leaned his head on her shoulder.
Sometimes, men are not unwilling to be tired; they simply cannot afford to be, bearing burdens weighing a thousand pounds.
However, Ning Beichen soon regained his composure. No matter how difficult, the path ahead must be trod. He could not, and would not, stop.
After a difficult trek, the two finally arrived at the mining mountain marked on the map.
The sight of the colossal mountain, whose peak was lost in the clouds, truly awed them.
However, this so-called mining mountain was entirely encased in stone, incredibly hard, and difficult to even scratch with blades. It was likely that the Starfall Stones were not on the exterior but within the mountain's core.
Ning Beichen and Luo Yingying had intended to dig a hole to enter, but after hours of effort, they had only managed to excavate a pit less than ten meters deep. They finally gave up, realizing they needed another method to access the mountain's interior.
Fortunately, they soon discovered an entrance to the mountain's core in a particular spot, much to their delight.
It made sense. The map was found on those two individuals; there had to be an entrance, or else where would they have gotten so many Starfall Stones?
However, peering into the cave entrance, they saw only pitch darkness within, accompanied by strange noises. It was clear the place would not be peaceful.
It was only logical; if Starfall Stones were easy to mine, this place would have long been occupied by human cultivators. Therefore, something terrifying must reside within.
Yet, they had no choice but to enter. They had traveled with great hardship to reach this place and would not leave empty-handed.
So, they had to go in, but they needed to be prepared.
There was no such thing as perfect preparation; they could only be as careful as possible and consider every angle.
However, they began to argue about who would enter first.
Ning Beichen felt that as a man, he should naturally take the lead in dangerous situations.
Luo Yingying, on the other hand, believed her cultivation was higher than his, so if any danger arose, she could withstand it better than Ning Beichen.
Finally, unable to reach an agreement, they decided to enter together.
They both stepped into the cave entrance simultaneously. It was pitch black inside. Ning Beichen took out two high-powered flashlights, gave one to Luo Yingying, and they turned them on as they ventured into the cave.
Although using flashlights would reveal their positions, compared to the creatures living within the mine, they at least wouldn't have to worry about sneak attacks and could see their surroundings clearly, avoiding being blinded.
In this area, their senses could only detect a void of darkness; they couldn't perceive anything else.
Not long after they entered, both Ning Beichen and Luo Yingying spoke in unison.
"Be careful, something's coming at us!"
Following their words, they both reacted, drawing their swords in readiness.
Under the bright beam of the flashlight, they saw a dark mass rapidly charging towards them.
Without hesitation, Ning Beichen and Luo Yingying attacked, regardless of whether it was human or monster.
Since the shadow was coming directly at them, they didn't need any fancy maneuvers. Both swords were aimed at the dark mass.
However, to their surprise, their swords passed right through the shadow.
"Be careful!"
Ning Beichen shielded Luo Yingying, shouting a warning.
As the shadow approached, Ning Beichen saw it was a substance like asphalt.
"Yingying, step back, it's a Devourer!"
Upon seeing the creature, Ning Beichen felt a sense of familiarity.
What neither he nor Luo Yingying had expected was to find a Devourer within the mine.
Whether they were unlucky or lucky was uncertain.
Unlucky, naturally, to have encountered something they shouldn't have. Lucky, perhaps, because Ning Beichen was this creature's nemesis, explaining why their attacks were ineffective.
The asphalt-like, humanoid Devourer lunged at Ning Beichen, clinging to him like a fly trap, attempting to restrain him.
However, it was unaware that Ning Beichen had deliberately let it attack him, lest it escape.
Once the Devourer attached itself, Ning Beichen immediately used the power of his technique, "Crossing the Sea of Suffering to the Other Shore," instantly annihilating the Devourer.