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

The atmosphere on the stage was tense and ready to fight.

The final bell finally rang. Zhuang Yu's opponent, Senior Brother Ling Xiao, was surrounded by surging spiritual energy, like a sharp sword drawn from its sheath, its edge fully revealed.

His eyes were sharp, and a confident smile played on his lips, as if victory was assured.

Zhuang Yu took a deep breath and suppressed the restless spiritual energy within his body.

Ling Xiao launched the first attack, his figure as fast as lightning, his long sword turning into a silver light, straight for Zhuang Yu's face.

The sword energy was sharp and fierce, accompanied by a whistling wind, as if it were about to tear the air apart.

Zhuang Yu dared not be careless, and with a light step, he barely dodged the attack.

Ling Xiao's attacks came like a storm, wave after wave, giving Zhuang Yu no chance to catch his breath.

Each collision produced a deafening sound, leaving the disciples around the arena dumbfounded and terrified.

Wang Yao sat in the audience, her hands clenched tightly together, her nails almost digging into her flesh.

She watched the battle on the ring with bated breath, her heart pounding in her chest.

Brother Zhuang Yu, you have to win!

She prayed silently in her heart.

Zhuang Yu gradually felt his strength waning. Ling Xiao's attacks were simply too fierce, and his spiritual energy was being greatly depleted, with some wounds beginning to appear on his body.

But he did not give up; he gritted his teeth and persevered.

Seeing that Zhuang Yu was at his limit, Ling Xiao's eyes flashed with disdain.

He swung his longsword, and an even more powerful sword aura shot straight towards Zhuang Yu.

At this critical moment, a flash of inspiration suddenly appeared in Zhuang Yu's mind.

He suddenly raised his head, a resolute glint in his eyes.

"Brother, be careful!"

Zhuang Yu's lips curled into a strange smile, and he shouted, "Heavenly Evolution Sword Technique, break!" A vast spiritual power surged from his dantian, instantly forming a swirling storm of sword energy around him.

This storm of sword energy, with overwhelming force, met Ling Xiao's attack head-on.

The two powerful forces collided, producing a deafening explosion.

The protective array surrounding the arena trembled violently, as if it would collapse at any moment.

The air was thick with smoke and dust, obscuring everyone's vision.

Wang Yao's heart was in her throat. She tried hard to see what was happening on the stage, but she couldn't see anything.

“Brother Zhuang Yu…” she murmured softly, her eyes filled with worry.

As the smoke and dust cleared, the scene on the arena gradually became clear.

Zhuang Yu and Ling Xiao stood motionless in place.

Ling Xiao's face was pale, a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, and the long sword in his hand was broken in two.

His eyes were filled with shock and disbelief. He never imagined that he would be forced into such a situation by a disciple who was only in the early stage of Core Formation.

Zhuang Yu, on the other hand, remained calm. Although he had some injuries, his breathing was still steady.

He slowly raised his right hand, and a dazzling golden light was flashing in his palm.

"Senior brother, you flatter me," Zhuang Yu said calmly.

Ling Xiao took a deep breath, suppressing his resentment, and cupped his hands, saying, "Junior Brother Zhuang, you are superior in skill. I am completely convinced of my defeat."

Elder Zhang leaped onto the arena and announced, "Zhuang Yu wins this sect competition!"

The entire arena erupted in cheers, with the disciples jumping for joy and applauding Zhuang Yu's victory.

Wang Yao jumped up excitedly, her face beaming with a bright smile.

As Zhuang Yu stepped off the stage, Wang Yao immediately went to greet him and asked with concern, "Brother Zhuang Yu, are you alright?"

Zhuang Yu smiled and shook his head, saying, "I'm fine, just a minor injury."

He turned to look in the direction of the Hall of Honor, his gaze deep.

The memorial tablets of outstanding disciples from all generations of the sect are enshrined there, and it is his next target.

"Let's go, let's go collect our rewards." Zhuang Yu took Wang Yao's hand and walked towards the Hall of Honor.

The guardian watched Zhuang Yu approach, a barely perceptible hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. He slowly spoke, "To enter the Hall of Honor, one needs to..."

Zhuang Yu's attack, though seemingly simple, actually contained the essence of the Heavenly Evolution Sword Technique.

He accurately seized the flaw in Ling Xiao's move and struck it down.

Ling Xiao was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the edge of the arena, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"The outcome is decided!" Elder Zhang announced loudly, his voice echoing across the square for a long time.

The disciples watching the battle erupted in thunderous applause and cheers. They had witnessed a miracle: a disciple in the early stage of Core Formation had defeated the renowned senior disciple.

At this moment, Zhuang Yu's name resounded throughout the entire sect.

He stood in the center of the ring, bathed in the gaze of the crowd, and an unprecedented sense of accomplishment welled up within him.

He was fighting not only for himself, but also for Wang Yao and to prove himself.

Generous rewards were laid out before Zhuang Yu: precious cultivation manuals exuding an ancient and mysterious aura; rare elixirs emitting a refreshing medicinal fragrance; and powerful magic weapons gleaming with dazzling light.

These rewards are not only an affirmation of his abilities, but also an aid on his future cultivation path.

Surrounded by the crowd, Zhuang Yu walked toward the sect's Hall of Honor.

The Hall of Honor Guardian, a tall, thin, and stern-faced old man, although somewhat disdainful of Zhuang Yu's "unorthodox methods," had to admit his strength.

"Engrave your name on the stone tablet." The guardian's tone was calm, but a hint of barely perceptible admiration flashed in his eyes.

Zhuang Yu took the carving knife, took a deep breath, and carefully carved his name on the stone tablet of the Hall of Honor.

Golden light emanated from the stone tablet, illuminating the entire Hall of Honor.

At this moment, his name became one with the history of the sect, becoming an eternal legend.

Wang Yao excitedly threw herself into Zhuang Yu's arms, tears of happiness blurring her vision.

"Brother Zhuang Yu, you are my pride." She choked up, her voice soft yet full of deep affection.

Zhuang Yu hugged her tightly, feeling the warmth and love, and a sense of satisfaction welled up in his heart.

This is not only the joy of victory, but also a response to her silent support.

However, at this tender moment, Wang Yao's expression suddenly changed. She grabbed Zhuang Yu's hand and said in a trembling voice, "Brother Zhuang Yu, your hand..." Zhuang Yu looked down and saw that a strange black mark had appeared on the back of his hand, which was originally smooth. It looked like a maggot clinging to a bone and exuded a cold aura.

The mark seemed to have a life of its own, slowly spreading towards his arm.

The sudden turn of events made Zhuang Yu's heart sink, and an ominous premonition welled up in his mind.

He immediately circulated his spiritual power, trying to dispel the strange mark, but found that the mark was as if it had taken root, unbreakable. On the contrary, with the injection of spiritual power, it spread even faster.

"This is... demonic energy?" Elder Zhang, standing to the side, exclaimed in shock with a grave expression.

As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding air instantly turned icy cold, and a powerful demonic aura swept in, enveloping the entire square.

The disciples, who had been cheering, suddenly changed their expressions and scattered in terror.

Despite the excruciating pain coursing through his body, Zhuang Yu pushed Wang Yao away and said in a deep voice, "Yao'er, go quickly! It's dangerous here!" Although Wang Yao was worried about Zhuang Yu's safety, she still retreated to a safe place with tears in her eyes at Elder Zhang's urging.

In the center of the square, Zhuang Yu faced this sudden crisis alone.

The black marks had spread across his entire arm, and the intense pain made it almost impossible for him to move.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the restless demonic energy within his body, a resolute glint in his eyes.

Just then, a cold voice echoed in the sky above the square: "Hehehe... I never expected that you would possess such a pure spiritual body. It's truly a blessing from heaven!" A dark figure descended from the sky and slowly landed in front of Zhuang Yu.

This was an old man dressed in black, with a withered face. His eyes gleamed with a scarlet light, and his entire body exuded a suffocating demonic aura.

"Who are you?" Zhuang Yu asked sharply, enduring the pain.

The old man in black gave a sinister smile: "Who am I? Heh... you'll find out soon enough. But before that, I need to take your spirit to help me complete my final transformation!"

"Want my spirit body? Let's see if you have the ability!" A cold glint flashed in Zhuang Yu's eyes.

In the distance, Wang Yao watched Zhuang Yu surrounded by demonic energy, her heart filled with anxiety.

She knew that Zhuang Yu was facing a life-or-death test.

"Brother Zhuang Yu..." She clenched her fists tightly, praying silently in her heart.

At this moment, Zhuang Yu suddenly remembered the legend of that ancient ruin...

He looked at Wang Yao, his eyes resolute: "Yao'er, wait for me."