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

"Flying Dragon Gang? No interest." Zhuang Yu refused without hesitation.

What a joke! What future can you have following this kind of thug?

What he needs now is a legitimate sect, not this rabble.

After saying goodbye to Li Ergou, Zhuang Yu learned that there was a small sect nearby called Qingfeng Sect, which was recruiting disciples.

He traveled a long and arduous journey and finally arrived at the foot of Qingfeng Sect's mountain.

At this time, a large number of people had gathered in front of the mountain gate, all of whom had come to participate in the entrance examination.

Zhuang Yu looked around and found that most of the people were in groups of three or five, while he was all alone.

Moreover, the people around him looked at him with disdain and contempt.

"This kid, with his delicate skin and fair complexion, looks like a pampered young master. He actually dares to participate in the entrance exam? He's really overestimating himself!"

"Exactly! Judging from his appearance, he probably won't even pass the first hurdle!"

The surrounding chatter reached Zhuang Yu's ears, making him feel a sense of pressure.

He understood that these people were all from nearby villages or small families, and that he, a powerless transmigrator, had to put in more effort than others if he wanted to establish himself in this world.

Just then, a burly young man walked up to Zhuang Yu and said provocatively, "Kid, you're here to take the entrance exam too?"

Zhuang Yu looked up and saw that the young man had thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a high nose bridge; he was clearly not a good person.

“That’s right,” Zhuang Yu replied calmly.

"Hmph, you? You think you're worthy?" The young man sneered disdainfully. "My name is Zhang Dashan. You'd better remember my name, because I'll teach you a lesson during the assessment!"

Zhuang Yu sneered inwardly. This guy is really arrogant!

"Zhang Dashan, right? I advise you to save your energy, or you'll end up getting slapped in the face, which wouldn't look good." Zhuang Yu retorted without backing down.

"You're asking for it!" Zhang Dashan roared and threw a punch at Zhuang Yu.

Zhuang Yu dodged Zhang Dashan's attack with a swift movement.

"Is that all you've got? You think you can teach me a lesson?" Zhuang Yu mocked.

Enraged, Zhang Dashan attacked Zhuang Yu again, but Zhuang Yu deflected all his attacks.

Those around them, seeing this, began to discuss it amongst themselves.

"This kid is quite capable!"

"I never expected him to be able to dodge Zhang Dashan's attack!"

Seeing that he couldn't break through after a long attack, Zhang Dashan became even more furious. He roared and used his ultimate move.

"Kid, take this!"

Just then, a clear voice rang out: "The assessment has begun!"

An elderly man dressed in a blue Taoist robe, with an air of otherworldly wisdom, slowly walked over. He was Elder Zhao of the Qingfeng Sect.

Elder Zhao glanced at everyone and said in a deep voice, "The first round of assessment will test spiritual power!"

Zhuang Yu's lips curled up slightly, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes... "It seems the show is about to begin," he muttered to himself.

Elder Zhao held a crystal-clear spirit stone in his hand and gestured for everyone to come forward one by one to be tested.

Zhang Dashan couldn't wait and was the first to rush forward, his face full of pride.

He placed his hand on the spirit stone, which glowed faintly, displaying a pale green light.

"Early stage of Qi Refining, barely qualified," Elder Zhao announced expressionlessly.

Zhang Dashan's smug smile froze. He had wanted to make a good impression on everyone, but he only managed to barely pass.

When it was Zhuang Yu's turn, the people around him cast contemptuous glances, as if they were waiting to see him make a fool of himself.

Zhuang Yu didn't take it seriously, walked to the spirit stone, and gently placed his hand on it.

The spirit stone instantly burst forth with dazzling golden light, so bright that it even overshadowed the test results of everyone else.

Everyone was shocked; the intensity of this light was at least at the late stage of Qi Refining!

Elder Zhao's eyes flashed with surprise as he re-examined Zhuang Yu. "Late stage of Qi Refining! Not bad."

Zhang Dashan's face turned ashen as he stared at Zhuang Yu in disbelief. He never imagined that this "pretty boy" he had looked down upon would possess such powerful spiritual energy.

Those who had previously mocked Zhuang Yu were now completely silent, their faces burning with embarrassment.

After the first round of testing, the second round—a quiz on cultivation knowledge—immediately followed.

The person in charge of the assessment was a Qingfeng Sect disciple named Senior Sister Sun. She was beautiful, but arrogant, and her gaze swept over everyone with a hint of disdain.

"Now I'm going to ask a few questions, and those who answer correctly will advance."

Senior Sister Sun's questions were tricky and strange, and many people scratched their heads but couldn't answer them.

"What is 'Tao'?" Senior Sister Sun asked the first question.

Someone answered, "The Dao is the way to immortality." Senior Sister Sun sneered, "Superficial!" Another person answered, "The Dao is the rule of heaven and earth." Senior Sister Sun still shook her head, "One-sided!"

When it was Zhuang Yu's turn, he pondered for a moment and replied, "The Dao is the law governing the operation of all things in the world, the embodiment of natural law, and the pursuit of truth in everyone's heart. It exists not only between heaven and earth, but also in the heart of every person."

This answer combined modern scientific understanding with the knowledge of the cultivation world, which surprised Senior Sister Sun slightly. She did not expect that this seemingly ordinary young man could give such unique insights.

Zhuang Yu answered the next few questions fluently, demonstrating an amazing amount of knowledge.

However, Senior Sister Sun dismissed Zhuang Yu's answer with disdain, believing him to be talking nonsense. A cold smile curled at the corner of her lips. "You..." She pointed at Zhuang Yu, about to speak...

Senior Sister Sun pointed at Zhuang Yu, a cold smile playing on her lips. "You... spouting nonsense! How could a mortal like you possibly understand the path of cultivation? I think you're just pretending to know what you don't!" She deliberately raised her voice so that everyone around could hear her sarcasm.

The competitors around him whispered amongst themselves, their eyes filled with mockery as they looked at Zhuang Yu. Zhang Dashan even burst out laughing without any attempt to hide his laughter, "Haha, I knew this kid was just putting on an act! Now he's been exposed!"

Senior Sister Sun proudly raised her chin, about to announce that Zhuang Yu was unqualified, when a deep voice suddenly rang out: "Junior Sister Sun, your understanding of 'Dao' doesn't seem to be deep enough either."

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that Elder Zhao had somehow appeared at the back of the crowd. His eyes were sharp and his tone carried a hint of displeasure.

Senior Sister Sun's expression changed, and she quickly bowed, saying, "Elder Zhao, this disciple knows her mistake." Elder Zhao walked up to Zhuang Yu, carefully examined him, and said in a deep voice, "Your understanding of 'Dao,' although different from traditional cultivation concepts, has its own unique insights, showing that you are not someone who pretends to know what you don't." He turned to Senior Sister Sun, his tone stern, "The purpose of the assessment is to select talent, not to make things difficult for others. As a disciple of the Qingfeng Sect, you should set an example, not bully others."

Senior Sister Sun lowered her head in shame, not daring to say another word.

The competitors around him fell silent, their mocking voices vanishing instantly, replaced by envious and awe-inspiring gazes.

Elder Zhao announced that Zhuang Yu had passed the second round of assessment and publicly praised his unique thinking and potential.

These words were undoubtedly the greatest affirmation for Zhuang Yu, and made those who had previously looked down on him feel extremely regretful.

Although Zhuang Yu passed two rounds of assessments, he knew that the later assessments would be even more difficult.

He gazed into the depths of the small sect, where clouds and mist swirled and palaces loomed in and out of view, and thought to himself, "This is just the beginning..." He felt an invisible force watching over him, as if silently guiding him forward.

He clenched his fist, his gaze resolute. "I'll see just how far this path of cultivation can take me!" Suddenly, he felt a gentle tug on his sleeve. Turning around, he saw Wang Yao looking at him with concern, a hint of unease in her eyes. She whispered, "Young Master..."

Zhuang Yu gently patted Wang Yao's hand to reassure her, then turned to look again into the depths of the clouds. The magnificent palace loomed in and out of sight, like a lurking beast, exuding an awe-inspiring aura.

The victory in the two rounds of assessments did not make him complacent; instead, it made him feel even greater pressure.

He knew this was just the beginning; the real challenges were yet to come.

Although the Qingfeng Sect is a small sect, its entrance examination is extremely strict. It is said that the final test is extremely dangerous, and a slight mistake could lead to death.

He touched the mysterious jade pendant hidden in his sleeve, thinking to himself, "I hope you can lend me a hand."

Zhang Dashan snorted coldly from the side, his eyes filled with jealousy and resentment.

He had thought Zhuang Yu was just a attention-seeking clown, but he never expected that Zhuang Yu would actually pass the first two rounds of assessment.

He clenched his fists secretly, plotting how to give Zhuang Yu a "good time" in the final round.

His cold gaze swept over Zhuang Yu, a cruel smile curving his lips as he muttered to himself, "Just you wait, I'll make you regret this..."

Suddenly, a melodious bell rang out, echoing through the valley, announcing that the third round of assessments was about to begin.

Elder Zhao's voice rang out again, loud and authoritative: "All disciples who have passed the first two rounds of assessment, please follow me!" Zhuang Yu took a deep breath, suppressed his trepidation, and stepped forward to follow.

Wang Yao followed closely behind him, her eyes filled with worry.

Just as Zhuang Yu was about to step into the assessment area, Elder Zhao suddenly stopped, turned back and gave him a meaningful look, and slowly said, "The final test, life or death is in the hands of fate..."