The Five Foundational Paths Before stepping into the first realm, a cultivator must choose or inherit a cultivation method — not merely a technique, but a living philosophy that dictates how they breathe, absorb qi, refine it, and grow.
Each path is more than a practice: it is a worldview, shaping the cultivator's strengths, weaknesses, trials of the heart, and the destiny that lies ahead.
Heaven-Defying Path The Road to the Heavens fighting the Heavens, harder to pass due to more troubles, but with their growth burning like the sun, a never-ending flame, In Qi which roars into explosive growth, those who practice and follow this path burn brighter than the sun, yet even they have a date to expire, each gain tears at lifespan, not too much to where it is impossible to be strong. Still, it is a path which is hard to go through, their emotions are their biggest weakness, shall they be arrogant would it spark unstable qi, flaming in their body like being burned alive, anger causes a growth in power but shall it be despair would they be brought to their lowest, but if their anger does not fade would it cause their own demise and make them lose rationality, A road to exile... Or the path of the one who reached the Heavens and was only stopped by the one beyond the Gods. Many vanish for the fact that they go mad, or fade into nothing, only being told as tales of warning.
- Fyodor (Chapter 12), Shirou, Ryuken Zarathushtra (Chapter 4), Jinhai
Earth-Natural Path The nature path, flowing cleanly like rivers, moves around them; the ground changes and curves, their path smooth but slower than the Heaven-defying. They endure, knowing how to handle pain, their physical bodies more fit for nature and able to sense the world around them more easily, their ears naturally stronger, and their eyes cleaner. Not strained, able to focus for longer than many. The followers cultivate the peace of the heart, merging their breath into the wind and soil, becoming one within the world. Yet, the danger lies within the silence. Those who forget their humanity lose their soul; they are no longer those who feel and only strive to grow stronger. They lose their balance and their growth stops, but this can be easier to subvert because they are open-minded and question themselves more often than not. Their roots rotting if not, to walk the path is to embody the earth itself, steady, fertile, vulnerable to the drought of the spirit, but dangerous and unpredictable.
- Kaida (All Chapters), Veliona (Chapter 9), Wenxu (Chapter 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, etc), Vairo Zarathushtra, Reinhard (Elder - Chapter 20)
Soul-Rooted Path The path is inwards, to their own soul, their abilities already to attack the soul of enemies, unlike needing soul condensing for it, their spirit is both a weapon and a shrine, Dreams are their trials, their tribulation, they do not take the heavens because in their sleep is their weakest, and yet their most dangerous. Willpower tempered against fear, sorrow, and the temptation of desire. A cultivator who endures and survives with an unshakable mind, able to split their awareness across many forms, phase through the walls unless blocked by those stronger. But the soul is fragile; should it be hit with more harm, they must remain vigilant and agile. Grief may fracture it, terror may split it in half. And joy could override it. Those who falter risk becoming their own graven reflection, their essence unraveling into demons.
- Lucien, Isaac, Murphy (Chapter 26), Osami
Beast-Blood Path They bind themselves to their pets or animals, taking the primal instinct and fighting with their beast, two tribulations, one for the cultivator the other for the animal, of which is called an evolution rite, starting at the edge of Foundation Establishment to Core Formation, they fight their ancestors, to find new ways to fight instead of simply attacking to help them grow. However, a loss could cause damage to the beast. Yet, it is a double-edged blade; the rage can cause hunger for revenge, a primal instinct to protect, and the cultivator may lust for the blood of the enemy. Grief shall overcome reason, dragging the cultivator down to the madness and becoming instinctual. While the pet is the only thing left to bring them back, they hunt. Since all cultivators were mainly humans, they were persistent predators, so they could go days without stopping and wait for their enemies to slow down. And humanity itself could be the ultimate sacrifice.
- Amaris Zarathushtra, Selene
Void-Born Path The path of silence, emptiness, and absence, cultivators do this by grasping by letting go, they are silent, it is similar to stoicism, they embrace the silence, stripping away connections to the self and the world, until only the void is left, a nihilistic nothingness which is unending and uncaring. In this stillness, truths are unveiled. It is blunt but honest, unseen by many mortals or even immortals. They see the whispers between dimensions and can interact with the energy and matter that hold reality together. They can see the patterns of fate, yet the void is merciless and unfeeling. Loneliness corrodes, and despair gnaws; the hollow echo of existence beckons after one dissolves completely. Many vanish into the nothingness and Khaos. The name is only in the shadows and for the other Void Born. The road to exile, where each step could be a trap to the endless abyss.
- Akari Zarathushtra, Kaida, Ren, Wilhelm, Alaric, Reinhardt (Chapter 25)