Extracting all things: My attributes grow infinitely.

After leaving the cave, Jiang Chuan did not rush on his way. He took a map he had bought from the Myriad Immortals Mirror and looked at the surrounding area.

The Immortal Alliance headquarters covers an area spanning tens of thousands of miles.

Further outwards lies a remote area inhabited by independent cultivator families, where most mortal settlements are also located.

He quickly selected a suitable area:

Qingmu Ridge.

According to the map, this area has little spiritual energy and scarce resources, and few cultivators venture here. However, there are some ordinary villages and towns around it, which is perfect for him to carry out his plan.

With the goal set, Jiang Chuan immediately sped up.

His figure transformed into a streak of blue light, speeding southeastward along the contours of the mountain ridge.

Before he had finished drinking half a cup of tea, his brows suddenly furrowed slightly.

Someone is following them.

The feeling wasn't strong, and it only lasted for a brief moment. If it weren't for his keen senses, he wouldn't have noticed anything amiss.

Moreover, the other party quickly concealed their weakness, and when he went to investigate again, the traces had vanished without a trace.

"This person's stealth skills are superior to mine..."

A thought flashed through Jiang Chuan's mind.

who is it?

He had just arrived at the Immortal Alliance and had not made many acquaintances, nor had he publicly displayed his wealth, so he should not have attracted any ill-intentioned individuals.

That was the first thing that came to his mind.

Could it be the thugs that the senior member of the Qingjie Association mentioned, who specifically targets newcomers?

No... If it were that group, they would have made their move long ago. This place is far from the Immortal Alliance headquarters, so even if they did make a move, no one would notice.

So there's only one answer left.

Cui Chenghua.

"He sent people here, probably to keep an eye on me and see what I'm going to do... It must be about the Tu family."

Jiang Chuan sneered inwardly, but his expression remained unchanged. He pretended not to notice and continued flying south.

After flying for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a dense primeval forest appeared ahead. Ancient trees reached for the sky, their canopies blocking out the sun, making the forest as dark as dusk.

Jiang Chuan's gaze slowly swept over them.

It is here.

His figure suddenly accelerated, like a streak of blue lightning plunging into the depths of the dense forest, disappearing in a few flashes among the layers of branches and leaves.

A kilometer away.

Ma Yuankui was lying motionless on the trunk of an ancient tree, like a gecko.

His body was covered by a very faint grayish-white halo, which sealed his aura, body temperature, and even spiritual energy fluctuations within his body.

This is his signature skill, the "Concealing Breath and Transforming Shadows Technique".

When this technique is cultivated to perfection, one can conceal one's aura to the point that it is almost completely in line with the surrounding environment. Not to mention cultivators of the same level, even experts in the Qi Condensation Realm would find it difficult to detect one's presence unless they deliberately probe for it.

"Um?"

Ma Yuankui frowned.

After entering the forest, Jiang Chuan's figure suddenly disappeared from his senses.

"Trying to get rid of me?"

A hint of disdain appeared on Ma Yuankui's lips. With a swift movement, he vanished into the forest like a gray ghost.

He has immersed himself in this breathing concealment technique for more than 20 years. What terrain has he not tracked?

You think a mere primeval forest can stump him?

however.

When he had chased into the forest for less than three hundred feet, he suddenly stopped.

wrong.

It's too quiet.

Although most of the birds and beasts in the forest were scared away by his presence, there should still be some insects chirping and birds singing.

But now, the surroundings were so quiet you could hear a pin drop. His pupils contracted, and almost instinctively he wanted to back away.

Just then.

A detached voice came from behind him.

"Fellow Daoist, you've followed me all this way; it must have been tiring."

Ma Yuankui felt a chill run down his spine and suddenly turned around.

Jiang Chuan had appeared less than ten feet behind him, standing with his hands behind his back, looking at him expressionlessly.

Ma Yuankui inwardly cried out in alarm. His mind raced, and he cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, trying to make his tone sound as natural as possible:

"Fellow Daoist, please don't misunderstand. I just happened to be passing by and didn't intentionally follow you..."

Jiang Chuan interrupted him in a calm tone: "This road leads to Qingmu Ridge. The spiritual energy is thin and resources are scarce. There are almost no spiritual treasures within a thousand miles. Don't tell me that you, a Body Tempering cultivator, came here to see the scenery."

Ma Yuankui's smile froze on his face.

He did indeed overlook that.

Qingmu Ridge is such a desolate place that ordinary cultivators would never set foot there. Even if he wanted to fool them, he couldn't come up with a reasonable excuse.

But he was a seasoned veteran, and after a brief moment of embarrassment, his smile only grew wider.

"Fellow Daoist, you jest. I am..."

"Alright."

Jiang Chuan interrupted him again, his voice tinged with impatience, "I'm not interested in beating around the bush. Just tell me, who sent you?"

Ma Yuankui's smile remained, but his eyes had turned completely cold.

He straightened up, no longer pretending, and his tone became more casual: "Since you've already discovered it, I won't hide it anymore."

He was confident and fearless. Both of them had reached the peak of body tempering. Even if Jiang Chuan was stronger than him, it wouldn't be so easy for him to kill him.

Ma Yuankui stated frankly, "I was indeed following you, but no one instructed me to do so. I was merely curious about your background. Since you've discovered me, I'll leave. Our cultivation levels are similar, and neither of us would gain the upper hand in a fight. It's better for us to back down and pretend this never happened..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

Jiang Chuan moved without any warning or a word of nonsense. A dazzling crimson-gold divine halo suddenly bloomed behind his head.

The Starry Sky Mirror!

The twelve beams of light simultaneously erupted with dazzling deep blue arcs of electricity, crackling and leaping around his body, while the amplifying power of the Azure Emperor form surged into his limbs and bones like a tidal wave.

Attack power and speed instantly double!

Ma Yuankui's reaction was also remarkably swift.

The moment the halo behind Jiang Chuan's head lit up, he sensed something was wrong. He flipped his hands over at the same time, and a palm-sized bronze shield appeared in his left hand, while his right hand held a short, jet-black dagger.

The bronze shield swelled in the wind, instantly enveloping him completely. The shield surface shimmered with an earthy yellow halo, radiating a heavy aura.

At the same time, he retreated rapidly, his footwork unpredictable, leaving a trail of afterimages on the ground with each step, his whole being like a wisp of drifting gray smoke.

"Fellow Daoist! I told you I meant you no harm! Are you really going to attack me!?"

Ma Yuankui shouted sternly as he retreated.

Jiang Chuan turned a deaf ear.

His right hand clenched loosely, and a short spear with blood-red patterns appeared in his palm. Under the infusion of the Supreme Yang True Fire, the blood-red patterns on the spear turned into a scorching reddish-gold color, and the surrounding air distorted violently under the high temperature.

He took a step forward, and the ground beneath his feet suddenly exploded, with spiderweb-like cracks spreading in all directions. He shot out like a cannonball.

That's incredibly fast!

It's so fast that it's impossible to see with the naked eye!

Ma Yuankui only felt a blur before his eyes, and before he could even see an afterimage, an extremely scorching aura rushed towards him.

He subconsciously held the bronze shield artifact in front of him, frantically pouring all his true energy into the shield, causing the earthen-yellow light barrier to suddenly thicken several times over.

however.

Jiang Chuan had no intention of attacking him head-on.

His figure suddenly turned in mid-air, like a ghost, and circled behind Ma Yuankui. The blood-patterned short spear in his hand, carrying terrifying heat, pierced straight towards Ma Yuankui's back.

Ma Yuankui's pupils contracted sharply. He hurriedly tried to turn around and block, but it was too late.

boom!!!

The moment the blood-patterned short spear collided with his protective true essence, a deafening roar erupted.

The Supreme Yang True Fire, like a ferocious beast that preys on its prey, tore apart his protective true essence almost instantly upon contact, the spear tip piercing his back and emerging from his chest.

The scorching fire flowed down the spear and into his body, instantly burning his internal organs to ashes.

"Well……!"

Ma Yuankui spat out a mouthful of scalding blood, looked down at the spearhead protruding from his chest, his eyes filled with disbelief and horror.

Both are examples of perfect body tempering.

How is that possible...!

Before he could finish thinking, Jiang Chuan had already drawn his spear, turned around, and slapped him on the top of the head with his left hand.

Extract everything!

A crimson-gold chain pierced straight into his body, draining all his life force.

[Extraction successful! Obtained—Four Elements Spiritual Roots!]

【Four Elements Spiritual Roots】

Grade: Medium

[Note: This item is formed from the four elements of metal, wood, water, and earth. Its cultivation efficiency is relatively low, and there are bottlenecks in breaking through realms.]