The path of cultivation is a solitary climb against the will of heaven, against one's nature, and against the illusions of the world. To cultivate is not merely to grow stronger—but to become something that should not exist.
This is the path of ten realms. Each one deeper, darker, and more irreversible than the last.
---
1. Body Tempering Realm
Before one can control power, the body must be reforged.
Through pain, pressure, and repeated destruction, the bones are strengthened, the muscles hardened, and the flesh made resilient.
This realm forms the physical foundation—without it, all else is illusion.
---
2. Qi Awakening Realm
The energy of the world—Qi—flows through all things.
In this realm, the cultivator awakens their ability to sense and absorb Qi, allowing for internal energy storage and basic manipulation.
A cultivator at this stage can no longer be considered ordinary.
---
3. Meridian Unsealing Realm
The body possesses meridians: channels of power blocked from birth.
To progress, the cultivator must endure agonizing processes to clear these paths.
Each meridian unlocked increases potential. Each failure risks madness or death.
---
4. Foundation Establishment Realm
This realm determines everything.
A weak foundation limits future strength. A flawed foundation ensures ruin.
Cultivators refine their internal systems—Qi Sea, meridians, dantian—into stable, unshakable structures.
This stage is where most falter.
---
5. Soul Condensation Realm
Here, one begins to cultivate the soul.
A visible change marks this stage: the eyes grow deeper, the mind heavier, and emotions begin to detach.
Soul attacks and mental defenses become possible. The cultivator starts to separate from humanity.
---
6. Core Manifestation Realm
A true cultivator forges a core—an eternal seed of power that exists within their dantian.
Formed from pure Qi and compressed essence, the core radiates influence.
The body and soul begin to orbit it, reshaped by its gravity. A single mistake in this realm can destroy everything.
---
7. Spirit Refinement Realm
Cultivation turns inward.
The cultivator confronts their own spirit: regrets, delusions, obsessions.
This is where many go mad. Those who refine their spirit emerge with perfect clarity—or permanent distortion.
---
8. Void Step Realm
The boundary between physical reality and conceptual space begins to blur.
The cultivator can distort space, walk on air, vanish in a step.
Presence becomes illusory. Attacks cannot be followed with the eye.
They are neither here nor there—only action and result remain.
---
9. Half-Saint Realm
They surpass mortality.
Life expectancy extends beyond centuries.
Their will shapes environments. Their existence disrupts balance.
Kings bow to them. Sects tremble at their displeasure.
Yet they are still incomplete.
---
10. Saint King Realm
These are the final monarchs of the mortal world.
With a thought, they shatter mountains. With silence, they erase legacies.
But when they reach the peak—one by one—they vanish.
None know where they go. None dare ask.
The heavens remain silent.