Li Banfeng was staring at Lu Huowang's left knee.
Lu Huowang's technique was continuous, yet the fire seed on his left knee showed no change in brightness, which was clearly different from when he used the Nameless Fire Rise before.
The power of fire cultivation comes from the fire seed, yet during the usage of his technique, the fire seed on his left knee was not playing any role.
So where is the active fire seed? Without finding these fire seeds, it would be impossible to defeat Lu Huowang.
Li Banfeng continued to observe, when suddenly he heard some commotion in the distance.
"Ha~ chew!"
Li Banfeng frowned, the sound seemed to be coming from Tang Changfa.
The sound startled Lu Huowang, and he shouted at Tang Changfa: "What do you want to do?"
Tang Changfa stood beside the furnace, expressionless, and said: "Just here to watch the excitement."
Lu Huowang glared at Li Banfeng: "I'm telling you, this is a fair contest between us, outsiders can't meddle."
Li Banfeng chuckled: "He didn't interfere, didn't I already tell you? He's just watching the fun."
The two continued their confrontation, meanwhile, Tang Changfa cleared his throat again: "Ahem~ ha~ chew!"
Lu Huowang was startled again, and in his distraction, Li Banfeng extinguished the fire seed on his left knee.
From then on, all six fire seeds on Lu Huowang were extinguished, yet he could still use the fire cultivation technique.
Where exactly are the other fire seeds? Are they behind him?
"Ha~ chew!" Tang Changfa spat another sticky phlegm at the furnace.
Lu Huowang could bear it no longer, shouting at Tang Changfa: "You're disgusting!"
Tang Changfa sneered: "Why so sensitive? I'm just watching, spat twice. What's it to you?"
Lu Huowang had no time to deal with Tang Changfa. The Fiery Thunderclap Skill's duration was short, and once it was over and the fire cloud above dispersed, a thirty-foot fire dragon emerged from the furnace.
This furnace sure could hold a lot!
Li Banfeng figured out where the fire seeds were.
Taking advantage of the fire cloud not yet forming, Li Banfeng delivered a kick to the furnace.
Lu Huowang rushed to stand in front of the furnace.
Li Banfeng executed the Trample Over Thousands of Rivers, and Lu Huowang, avoiding the use of the Nameless Fire Rise, took it with his body, ending up with bloody holes all over.
As Li Banfeng prepared to kick again, Lu Huowang waved his hand: "No more, I give up!"
"Really giving up?" Li Banfeng paused his foot mid-air, not stomping down.
Lu Huowang nodded: "You got me by my Achilles' heel, a bet's a bet, nothing more to say."
What was Lu Huowang's Achilles' heel?
The weakness lay within this furnace. Lu Huowang was a First Layer fire cultivator, not particularly high in cultivation among the Local Deities, but well-known.
In his many clashes with other Local Deities, he rarely faced defeat, the secret being this furnace.
The furnace not only stored a vast amount of fire source but also fire seeds.
With one fire seed for each cultivation layer, he had a total of eleven fire seeds, six on his body, five in the furnace.
When others attacked Lu Huowang, they often overlooked the furnace, which stored vast amounts of fire sources. Coupled with five fire seeds, it could continuously unleash techniques, combining with the traits of fire cultivation to form a two-on-one strategy.
This was baffling. Fire seeds are characteristic of fire cultivation, how could they be transferred to a furnace?
Especially such a simple stone-constructed furnace, difficult to imagine being such a sophisticated item.
Li Banfeng swiftly broke through Lu Huowang's tactics, thanks in part to Tang Changfa's hint.
But how did Tang Changfa know Lu Huowang's tactics? Could the two have known each other before?
Judging by Tang Changfa's indifferent expression, it didn't seem like he was meeting an acquaintance.
Li Banfeng said to Lu Huowang: "Since you've conceded, hand over the territory's Contract Book to me!"
Lu Huowang looked at Li Qi, not expecting Li Qi to actually want the Contract Book; he thought Li Qi would become friends with him and let it go.
That was just wishful thinking.
If he'd won the battle, would he have spared Li Qi? Would he have given up He Yuxiu's territory?
During the fight, Lu Huowang struck with lethal intent, aiming for Li Banfeng's life, so how could Li Banfeng possibly spare him?
"Alright!" Lu Huowang lifted the furnace from the ground, "I'll take you to find the Contract Book."
The simple stone-constructed furnace could be completely carried away.
There was craftsmanship involved here, seemingly simple yet remarkably sophisticated.
Li Banfeng followed Lu Huowang into the wilderness, but Tang Changfa, feeling uneasy, wanted to follow. Li Banfeng gestured for Tang Changfa to wait in place.
The two walked over thirty miles in the wilderness, and Lu Huowang pointed at an old poplar tree ahead: "The Contract Book is beneath the tree."
Li Banfeng said: "Dig it out yourself."
"Are you too scared to dig it?"
Li Banfeng nodded: "Indeed, I'm a bit afraid you'll play dirty."
Lu Huowang placed the furnace beside him and bent down to dig a hole under the tree.
After a moment of digging, Lu Huowang retrieved a jar: "The Contract Book is inside."
Li Banfeng said: "Open it up and see."
"You open it yourself!" Lu Huowang tossed the jar to Li Banfeng.
At that moment, a puff of blue smoke emerged from the furnace.
A fire snake slithered out of the furnace, while the jar Lu Huowang threw was about to reach Li Banfeng's hands.
But Li Banfeng did not catch the jar; he dodged it instead.
The fire snake reached the jar, coiled around it, and with a roaring sound, the jar exploded.
Lu Huowang glared viciously at Li Banfeng.
Li Banfeng, hiding at a safe distance and unharmed, had already detected the gunpowder in the jar using the Hundred Flavors Delicate Skill.
"You really dared to gamble, weren't you afraid it wouldn't explode?"