Li Yan spent some more time probing the entire cave. The space itself was not very large, and after that, he found no more hidden mechanisms.
Only the yellow sand constantly flowing down the cave walls—Li Yan could find neither its source nor its destination. This also told him that the cave was far from simple.
Whether his divine sense probed upward or burrowed deep underground, it was quickly cut off by an invisible force. Even with the strength of his divine sense, he could not break through the barrier.
After giving it some thought, Li Yan still used a spell to burrow into the bottom of the cave. Yet after descending only a short distance, he seemed to reach the edge of the yellow sand and could no longer force his way out.
Afterward, whether he used escape arts or launched forceful attacks with spells, he could not break through the stone wall beyond the yellow sand.
Li Yan then tried dismantling it according to formations and restrictions, employing many methods to no avail. He even took out the Heaven-Stealing Kerchief to probe all around, but in the end, it was still fruitless...
"This is not a space created by formations or restrictions. Could it be a protective space formed by the special Heavenly Dao laws of Black Flame Mountain for the black qi it nurtured?"
Standing amid the flowing yellow sand that filled the sky, Li Yan finally arrived at this answer amid his uncertainty. Otherwise, he had no way to explain what lay before him.
Back in the cave, Li Yan did not leave immediately. Instead, he looked at the corpse of the silver-robed cultivator on the ground.
"Whoever you are, whether your soul was utterly destroyed by someone or you entered reincarnation long ago, let me