Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

Chapter 970 533: Shapeshifting and External Forms

This person enjoys stoking the stove, keeping the flames roaring; based on this, Li Banfeng speculated on his identity.

Lu Huowang, the local deity of the New Land, is quite well-known.

He Haiqin mentioned that this person has long coveted the New Land that Li Banfeng acquired from the Inner State.

The local deity of the New Land usually doesn't exceed the Cloud Top Second Layer in cultivation level. If Lu Huowang wants to make a move here, Li Banfeng wouldn't mind a fight, but first, he needs to understand which Taoist Sect he belongs to.

Judging from the name, this person could either be a Fire Cultivator or a Craftsman Cultivator; he built a stove here with stones, definitely not just for warmth.

So, what other uses could this stove have?

Lu Huowang seemed sincere, noticing Li Banfeng constantly gazing at the stove, he proactively introduced it: "This stove is for storing the Fire Source. I'm a Fire Cultivator, and a Fire Cultivator's techniques are constrained by the Fire Source,

For example, you are a Traveling Cultivator, as long as you have strength, you can use 'Trample Over Thousands of Rivers' countless times, but I can't do that. I have a technique called 'Flames Rise High', which is particularly consuming of fire. I used it once today, and the Fire Source is nearly exhausted, so I can't use it a second time,

but with this stove, I'm not afraid. I store the Fire Source in there, use the stove once, and I can use the technique once more. Doesn't that double the technique?"

Is this person really that straightforward?

We haven't even started fighting, and he's already disclosed his card to me?

Is he telling the truth?

It's hard to distinguish between true and false. Li Banfeng wasn't familiar with Fire Cultivators, but Lu Huowang did indeed mention the characteristics of Fire Cultivators, which are indeed limited by the Fire Source.

At the Ink Shop, Chu Shaoqiang had previously brought in a Fire Cultivator, but that Fire Cultivator mainly fought with Greenwater Beggar and He Jiaqing. Li Banfeng noted part of the battle scenes back then, and through reviewing books and consulting others, he learned that dealing with Fire Cultivators hinges on extinguishing their Fire Seed.

There are three ways to extinguish the Fire Seed: First, extinguish from afar, favored by Water Cultivators and Mud Cultivators, using techniques on the Fire Seed without getting close, extinguishing it.

This combat technique is the most reliable. Once the Fire Seed is extinguished, it can't be reignited for several days, which is why Fire Cultivators avoid fighting Water Cultivators and Mud Cultivators.

Second, forcefully seize it up close. Green Flower used this method, relying on the ability to not fear burning. Once up close, forcibly take away the Fire Seed. This method is costly, but it also inflicts significant damage on the Fire Cultivator.

A Fire Seed taken by force is akin to being uprooted from the Fire Cultivator, requiring months to recover.

Third, grind down through attrition. Although the Fire Seed can release the Fire Source, it cannot do so indefinitely. When nearing depletion, the Fire Cultivator must stop using that Fire Seed; otherwise, once the Fire Seed is entirely extinguished, it would take several days to reignite.

Li Banfeng could use all three combat techniques and, by intermixing and combining them, could develop additional tactics.

The key issue is whether Lu Huowang is indeed a Fire Cultivator.

Mistakenly judging the opponent's Taoist Sect often leads to disastrous outcomes. Many have suffered losses from Li Banfeng in this regard, and Li Banfeng himself certainly does not want to suffer losses from others.

"Both contract books are here, and the wager is clear, Li Qi, do you dare to bet with me?" Lu Huowang laid the two contract books for winning and losing in front of Li Banfeng.

Li Banfeng nodded: "I agree."

As soon as the words fell, both prepared for battle simultaneously.

Li Banfeng stepped toward Lu Huowang first.

Amidst flying sand and stones, Lu Huowang did not dodge, and flames surged immediately from his body.

This is one of the most entangling techniques of Fire Cultivators, called 'Unnamed Fire Rise.' The technique's principle is very simple: in a short time, turn the Fire Cultivator's body into flames, allowing attacks to pass through and remain unharmed, while also using the flames to retaliate.

Now, Li Banfeng used 'Trample Over Thousands of Rivers.' This kick has a terrifying power, and the lethal force of the splattering sand and stones is quite considerable.

Yet Lu Huowang's body transformed entirely into flames, with only the Fire Seed maintaining its physical form. He protected the Fire Seed with a movement technique, leaving 'Trample Over Thousands of Rivers' almost harmless.

This is a body protection technique unique to Fire Cultivators, difficult to mimic using Magical Treasures and Spiritual Objects, allowing the determination that Lu Huowang is indeed a Fire Cultivator.

After 'Trample Over Thousands of Rivers' failed, Li Banfeng swiftly distanced himself, switching to the Passing Glance Technique.

Lu Huowang slapped the stove, and a fire dragon over three meters long flew out. Wherever Li Banfeng ran, the fire dragon chased, ensuring Lu Huowang could always keep his line of sight locked on Li Banfeng.

The Passing Glance Technique did not succeed, and Lu Huowang had already started counterattacking. Bits of firelight flickered in the wild underbrush beneath Li Banfeng's feet.

This is a Fire Cultivation Technique called 'Sparks Cause Widespread Fire.'

These little sparks are born from the technique.

Don't be fooled by their small size; the power is quite astonishing. Li Banfeng evaded swiftly; if his foot was slightly slow, the sparks could ignite his shoes and pants, in a blink, spreading all over him.

Fortunately, Li Banfeng's Short Step was quick enough; although the sparks flickered incessantly, they never harmed him.

But these little sparks could set the dry grass on the ground ablaze, and suddenly, a raging fire arose, quickly spreading, soon encircling Li Banfeng in a sea of flames.

'Sparks Cause Widespread Fire' specifically targets cultivators who are swift and have a large area of activity.

Sparks appear unpredictably, used to limit the opponent's speed, and reckless Traveling Cultivators and Martial Cultivators suffer heavy damage by stepping on sparks.

'Cause Widespread Fire' refers to the sparks igniting everything flammable around, using the spreading fire to limit the opponent's range of movement.

Trapped in a sea of fire, Li Banfeng seemed in a grim situation; with no room for sprinting underfoot, Short Steps were becoming increasingly difficult, yet Li Banfeng remained unflustered.