1. Mortal Root Realm
The foundation of all cultivation.A cultivator awakens their spiritual root, forging the first fragile connection to qi. Most fail at this stage, either because their roots are crippled or because heaven denies them talent. Without awakening, one remains mortal forever.
Significance: Awakening determines one's future. A Heaven-Grade Root here can dictate destiny, while a Broken Root marks one as trash.
Common Failure: Many die attempting to absorb qi for the first time, their meridians exploding under strain.
2. Essence Vein Realm
Having awakened, the cultivator opens their twelve primary meridians, forming channels where qi can circulate freely. At this stage, techniques gain form, but the body remains fragile.
Progression: The more veins opened, the stronger one becomes.
Note: Cultivators with crippled or chaotic roots often struggle here, as their veins resist qi flow.
3. Spirit Sea Realm
The first great threshold. Here, one condenses their qi into an internal sea of energy. This spirit sea becomes the source from which techniques erupt, vastly increasing combat power.
Common Saying: "A cultivator's worth is measured by the depth of their sea."
Warning: If the spirit sea is unstable, it can collapse, crippling the cultivator forever.
4. Heaven Pulse Realm
Cultivators refine their meridians into heavenly channels, vastly enhancing both physique and elemental affinity. Some are said to grow secondary hearts, pulsing with spiritual energy.
Trait: Those who reach this realm are considered true experts, far above the rabble.
Legend: Heaven Pulse cultivators are said to hear the "whisper of heaven" when meditating.
5. Soul Flame Realm
Here, a cultivator ignites the flame of the soul. Their will fuses with their qi, granting techniques that carry the imprint of their intent. Martial arts become more than movements; they become extensions of the cultivator's spirit.
Key Point: A strong flame can even burn beyond death, leaving behind remnants of will.
Danger: Failing to ignite properly consumes the soul entirely.
6. Dao Foundation Realm
The second great threshold. One lays a foundation for the Dao, carving their own path of understanding. This is where geniuses separate from the mediocre—where one's affinity with the laws of the world reveals itself.
Examples: Fire Dao, Sword Dao, Void Dao.
Foundation Flaw: A cracked Dao foundation can limit one for eternity.
7. Heaven Severing Realm
The stage where cultivators sever their ties to mortal laws. They reject the restrictions of the heavens, forging power that transcends worldly limits. Every strike here carries destructive force beyond comprehension to lower realms.
Saying: "Heaven Severing is to break the leash."
Risk: The heavens strike back, sending tribulations to punish defiance.
8. Void Ascension Realm
At this height, cultivators form a Void Domain—a personal world where reality itself bends. Within their domain, they are gods. Laws of the world may shatter against their will.
Power: They can fly freely, cross continents, and slay armies alone.
Rumor: Some say Void Ascension cultivators vanish into the abyss, never returning.
9. Eternal Tribulation Realm
Few have ever reached this. To step here is to challenge heaven directly, facing endless tribulations until either one is annihilated, or they ascend beyond mortal understanding.
Endgame: Legends speak of those who reached beyond heaven, rewriting fate itself.
Whisper: Perhaps the protagonist's path leads here… or beyond.