Seven Mysterious Spaces: My Rise to Power in the Cultivation World

"You filthy beggar, if you dare to approach my young lady again, I'll break your legs!" A rough shout jolted the ragged Zhuang Yu out of his daze.

He clutched the back of his head, which was throbbing slightly, and realized that he was in a completely unfamiliar place: streets paved with bluestone slabs, antique buildings, and people coming and going in strange clothes.

A sense of foreboding washed over him: he had transmigrated!

Zhuang Yu, a seasoned otaku from the 21st century, wakes up to find himself in this strange world of cultivation.

He was penniless, had no relatives or friends, and, more importantly, knew nothing about the world.

The strange looks he received from those around him seemed to be reminding him: You are an outsider.

Time was of the essence; he had to figure out the situation as soon as possible and survive in this dog-eat-dog world.

He tried hard to recall the cultivation novels he had read before his transmigration, and learned that the cultivation levels started from Qi Refining, then Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul... and so on, all the way to becoming an immortal.

To gain a foothold in this world, one must acquire cultivation resources as soon as possible and improve one's strength.

Zhuang Yu searched around the village for information, trying to understand this world.

He discovered that this place was called "Beginner Village," the place where cultivators began their journey.

The air was filled with a thin layer of spiritual energy, which made him even more certain that he had entered a real world of cultivation.

"If I want to survive in this world, I must start cultivating as soon as possible!" Zhuang Yu made up his mind.

Just then, a shifty-eyed man with a pockmarked face approached, rubbing his hands together and wearing a fawning smile.

"Young man, you look unfamiliar. Are you new here? My name is Li Ergou, and I'm the most well-informed person in the village. If you don't understand anything, just ask me!"

Zhuang Yu's mind went on high alert; this Li Ergou was clearly no good.

However, being new to the place, he did need a guide.

So, Zhuang Yu asked calmly, "I want to know, how can I quickly improve my cultivation level?"

Upon hearing this, Li Ergou's eyes darted around, and he lowered his voice mysteriously, saying, "Young brother, I see you have extraordinary bones; you're a natural cultivator! I have an ancestral manual here that can help you quickly improve your cultivation. As long as..." He rubbed his five fingers together, his greedy gaze landing on Zhuang Yu, "...as long as you give me all the money you have, this manual is yours!"

Zhuang Yu sneered inwardly, "He really is a liar!"

Just as he was about to refuse, he suddenly felt a strange movement in his mind.

He instinctively closed his eyes and found himself in a mysterious space... When he opened his eyes again, he had an ancient book in his hand.

He looked at Li Ergou, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips. "Is that so? I'd like to see just how amazing your secret manual really is."

Seeing that Zhuang Yu seemed somewhat interested, Li Ergou promoted the book even more enthusiastically: "This is a treasure passed down from my ancestors, and I don't usually tell just anyone about it! With this manual, you can quickly improve your cultivation and become a respected immortal cultivator!"

Zhuang Yu chuckled inwardly; this clumsy trick could only fool the natives of this world.

He comes from the information-saturated modern society; what kind of scams hasn't he seen?

In his eyes, Li Ergou's acting skills were simply child's play.

"Really? That sounds impressive." Zhuang Yu feigned surprise, flipping through the ancient book in his hand, a sly glint in his eyes. "But why do I feel like the words on this book were just written?"

Li Ergou's expression changed, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, "This...this is because my ancestors used special ink, and it will show up over time!"

"Oh? Is that so?" Zhuang Yu looked at him with a half-smile. "Then tell me, what's the name of this manual?"

Li Ergou stammered for a long time, unable to give a coherent explanation. The onlookers began to whisper and point at him.

"I think you're just lying!" Zhuang Yu raised his voice and threw the ancient book on the ground. "What's written on this isn't any cultivation method at all, it's just some random scribbles!"

Li Ergou's lie was exposed in public, and he became furious. He pointed at Zhuang Yu and cursed, "You stinking beggar, how dare you ruin my good deed!" He then rushed forward to hit Zhuang Yu.

Zhuang Yu was prepared, dodging Li Ergou's attack by sidestepping, and then kicking him to the ground. "With your pathetic skills, you think you can hit me?"

Seeing this, the people around cheered and scorned Li Ergou. Realizing the situation was turning against him, Li Ergou got up and slunk away.

Zhuang Yu dusted himself off and was about to leave when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind him...

A gust of wind swept by, and Zhuang Yu instinctively dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding a fierce palm strike.

Three fierce-looking men appeared in front of him, each with broad shoulders, thick waists, and a face full of scars.

The burly man leading the group glared fiercely at Zhuang Yu: "You dare to ruin our boss's plans? You've got a death wish!"

Zhuang Yu had a bad feeling; it seemed that Li Ergou had accomplices!

He looked around, searching for a way to escape.

This is the edge of the beginner village, sparsely populated, and there's no one to call for help.

How could an ordinary person in modern society be a match for these thugs?

No, I have to find a way to escape right now!

In desperation, Zhuang Yu reached into his pocket for a warm, smooth jade pendant, the only item he had when he transmigrated.

He instinctively gripped the jade pendant, and a strange energy surged into his body. In a flash, he found himself in a mysterious space.

The space was small, but it was full of spiritual energy, with an ancient book floating in the center.

Zhuang Yu stepped forward, picked up the book, and saw four large characters written on the cover: "Basic Qi Cultivation Techniques".

He opened the book, which contained detailed cultivation methods, perfect for a novice like him who was just beginning to refine Qi.

God help me too!

Zhuang Yu was overjoyed and quickly memorized the contents of the cultivation technique.

He was immersed in the joy of acquiring the cultivation technique when he suddenly heard a cold voice: "What are you doing?"

Zhuang Yu looked up and saw a young girl in a blue dress standing not far away. She had a beautiful face but cold eyes.

It was the same girl I had seen in the crowd earlier.

"I...I found a cultivation manual." Zhuang Yu was excited and wanted to share his joy with her. "Look, this 'Basic Qi Cultivation Manual' is very suitable for us in the early stages of Qi cultivation..."

However, the girl only glanced at him coldly before turning and leaving, leaving behind a nonchalant remark: "None of my business." Zhuang Yu reached out his hand, wanting to call her back, but ultimately let go.

He watched the girl's departing figure, his heart filled with mixed emotions... This girl's name is Wang Yao?

Zhuang Yu watched Wang Yao's disappearing figure, pondering to himself.

This aloof girl seemed indifferent to everything, yet she possessed an indescribable resilience.

In this unfamiliar world of cultivation, he was like a lone boat, drifting aimlessly.

"Hmph, since I'm here, I might as well stay! I, Zhuang Yu, am not one to give up easily!" He clenched his fist, a resolute glint in his eyes.

The existence of the mysterious space gave him a sense of confidence.

Although the Basic Qi Refining Technique was only a basic cultivation method, it was a godsend for him.

He must improve his strength as soon as possible in order to survive in this dog-eat-dog world.

With this in mind, Zhuang Yu sat cross-legged and began to cultivate according to the records in the "Basic Qi Cultivation Manual".

The spiritual energy flowed along his meridians, nourishing his body, and a warm current spread throughout his entire body.

He knew that this was just the beginning and there was still a long way to go.

After leaving the mysterious space, Zhuang Yu found himself still on the edge of the beginner village.

The crisis he had just experienced seemed like a dream, but the spiritual energy flowing through his body truly reminded him that it was all real.

He must find a suitable sect as soon as possible in order to obtain more cultivation resources and protection.

"Kid, I see you have extraordinary talent; you're a natural cultivator!" A greasy voice suddenly rang out.

Zhuang Yu turned his head and saw a shifty-eyed man with a pointed mouth and monkey-like face staring at him with a sly smile.

This man was none other than Li Ergou, who had previously swindled him out of his money.

Zhuang Yu sneered inwardly. This guy actually dared to show up again!

"What do you want to do?" Zhuang Yu asked warily.

Li Ergou rubbed his hands together and said with a fawning expression, "I see you're a newbie too, why not join our 'Flying Dragon Gang'? Our boss is a Foundation Establishment stage expert. Follow him, and I guarantee you'll live a life of luxury!" Zhuang Yu's heart skipped a beat. The Flying Dragon Gang?