In this world, the path of a cultivator is an act of stealing from yin and yang, seizing creation, and defying the heavens. The path of cultivation is fraught with thorns. Every leap across a realm signifies a transformation of life itself, a comprehensive sublimation of strength, lifespan, and divine abilities.
Mortal Realm – Building the Dao Foundation
Qi Condensation (Lianqi – 煉氣境)
Levels: Nine levels in total (1st to 9th).
Description: The beginning of cultivation. By guiding worldly spiritual energy into the body, one tempers the flesh and opens the meridians. Cultivators at this realm have extraordinary senses, greatly increased strength, and can cast some basic spells and talismans, but have not yet completely broken away from the mortal domain.
Lifespan: Approximately 120 years.
Sect Status: Outer Sect Disciples, Inner Sect Disciples.
Foundation Establishment (Zhuji – 築基境)
Levels: Divided into Early, Mid, Late, and Great Perfection stages.
Description: After reaching the Great Perfection of Qi Condensation, one highly compresses the spiritual energy within the body to build a "Dao Foundation" in their Dantian. This marks the distinction between mortal and immortal; success means truly stepping onto the path of immortality. Spiritual energy transforms into true essence, which is vigorous and pure, allowing one to fly on swords and cast more powerful spells.
Lifespan: Approximately 250 years.
Sect Status: Core Disciples, Deacons.
True Being Realm – Forming the Golden Core
Golden Core (Jindan – 金丹境)
Levels: Divided into Early, Mid, Late, and Great Perfection stages.
Description: By combining the body's true essence with the soul's will, one condenses a perfect and flawless Golden Core upon the Dantian's Dao Foundation. As long as the Golden Core is not destroyed, the true spirit is immortal. Even if the physical body is destroyed, one can seize another's body to be reborn. Strength undergoes a qualitative leap. They are the mainstay of a sect and can be addressed as a "True Being" or "Perfected Person."
Lifespan: Approximately 500-800 years.
Sect Status: Elders, Peak Lords of various peaks.
King Realm – Breaking the Core to Form the Soul
Nascent Soul (Yuanying – 元嬰境)
Levels: Divided into Early, Mid, Late, and Great Perfection stages.
Description: The Golden Core shatters, and the primordial spirit transforms into a "Nascent Soul" identical to oneself, which sits within the Dantian. The Nascent Soul can leave the body and roam the heavens and earth, casting all sorts of incredible divine arts. Cultivators at this realm can begin to communicate with the power of heaven and earth, able to trigger celestial phenomena with a single thought. They are considered overlords or ancestor-level figures. (The Blackwater Profound Serpent is at this realm).
Lifespan: Approximately 1500 years or more.
Sect Status: Grand Elders.
Legendary Realm – Reaching the Heavens
(The following realms have not been seen publicly in the Southern Domain's cultivation world for several hundred years and mostly exist in ancient records.)
Spirit Transformation (Huanshen – 化神境): The Nascent Soul interacts with heaven and earth, its spirit roaming the great void, beginning to comprehend the laws of the world. Every action is accompanied by the power of laws, and one's words become law, nearing the state of a "god."
Void Refining (Lianxu – 煉虛境): The primordial spirit merges with the void, gaining insight into the secrets of space. One can shrink the ground to an inch and even tear the void for short-distance travel. Their strength is unfathomable.
Body Integration (Heti – 合體境): The physical body, primordial spirit, and the laws of heaven and earth merge into one, becoming indistinguishable. One's self becomes the manifestation of a law. Their mana is boundless, and they can be reborn from a single drop of blood.
Mahayana (Dacheng – 大乘境): The pinnacle of the cultivation path. One's understanding of the "Dao" has reached a state of perfection. Their mana reaches the heavens and permeates the earth as they begin to prepare for the final "Heavenly Tribulation."
Tribulation Transcendence (Dujie – 渡劫境): This is not strictly a realm but the final trial for a cultivator. One triggers the Heavenly Tribulation and accepts the ultimate baptism of the laws of heaven and earth. Success means shattering the void and ascending to the Immortal Realm to enjoy eternal life; failure means both body and soul are annihilated, turning to dust.
[Special Record · The Unknowable Realm]
Realm Name: ???
Levels: Unknown
Description: This realm is not recorded in any known classic and is suspected to be an existence independent of this world's cultivation system. Its only known practitioner seems to have perfectly bypassed all cultivation bottlenecks and heavenly tribulations.
Ability Characteristics:
Profoundly skilled in the arts of "karma avoidance" and "seeking fortune and avoiding disaster."
Possesses a supreme understanding of various life-saving, escaping, hiding, and disguising spells.
Can solve all troubles (including those at the Nascent Soul level) in an extremely spirit-energy-conserving and inconspicuous manner.
After solving a trouble, will usually complain that the process wasted their precious time for drinking tea and daydreaming.
Threat Level Assessment: According to the soul memory of a certain Blackwater Profound Serpent who wishes to remain anonymous—"Absolute."
Sect Status: Ninth Peak (Lesser Peak) — Chief Senior Brother.