The cultivation cosmos is a grand, hierarchical structure composed of various interconnected worlds, each layered according to size, complexity, and the completeness of their governing laws. At the lowest level are the Small 3,000 Worlds (小三千世界, Xiǎo Sānqiān Shìjiè), followed by the Middle 3,000 Worlds (中三千世界, Zhōng Sānqiān Shìjiè), and then the Big 3,000 Worlds (大三千世界, Dà Sānqiān Shìjiè). Above these are the Great Worlds (大世界, Dà Shìjiè), and standing at the pinnacle of this cosmic order is the Eternal World (永恒世界, Yǒnghéng Shìjiè), the most perfect and enduring realm in the vast universe.
Each hierarchical level of the worlds maintains a numerical balance: one Middle World typically governs up to 3,000 Small Worlds, forming a collective with shared but distinct laws and energies. Similarly, one Big World encompasses 3,000 Middle Worlds, and one Great World contains 3,000 Big Worlds. The Eternal World, at the summit, presides over as many as 3,000 Great Worlds, making it the ultimate realm, unscathed by the catastrophic cycles that plague the lower realms.
Formation and Ascension of Worlds:
These worlds don't exist in isolation; they are bound by complex networks and energetic ties that allow beings to ascend from one level to the next. Each type of world contains all the rules and laws of its subordinate realms, making higher worlds more complete, stable, and expansive.
Small Worlds (小世界, Xiǎo Shìjiè): These are the most fragile and variable. Some Small Worlds lack external Qi (气, Qì), forcing their inhabitants to rely solely on inner Qi for martial arts. Others possess magic or advanced technology in place of Qi, leading to worlds that focus on technological evolution, sometimes even reaching interstellar capabilities. Many Small Worlds have incomplete or broken laws, limiting cultivators' progress. Ascension to a higher world is often necessary to overcome these limitations.
Middle Worlds (中世界, Zhōng Shìjiè): Significantly larger and more complex, these worlds integrate the rules and energies of their 3,000 subordinate Small Worlds. Ascension to a Middle World offers cultivators access to more complete laws and richer Qi. However, this path can be fraught with difficulties, including environmental calamities or barriers set by inhabitants of the Middle World.
Big, Great, and Eternal Worlds: The hierarchical nature continues as Big Worlds contain the laws of the Middle Worlds beneath them, and so on. Each successive level offers more stability, completeness, and access to higher forms of cultivation, but also presents greater challenges for ascension.
Natural Formation of Worlds:
Worlds naturally evolve through a process that begins with Small Worlds. Groups of up to 3,000 Small Worlds amalgamate their laws and energies, creating a Middle World. However, many factors can halt this progression:
Lack of Vital Energy: Without a steady influx of Qi or other essential energies, worlds cannot evolve further.
Conflicts and Catastrophes: Wars and natural disasters can deplete a world's resources, stalling its development.
Unstable Laws: Imperfect or contradictory laws within a world can prevent it from advancing to a higher state.
Heavenly Dao Restrictions: The Heavenly Dao (天道, Tiāndào), the governing force of cosmic laws, may place limitations that inhibit the world's growth.
Creation of Personal Worlds:
Only beings who have attained the Great Luo Golden Immortal Realm (大罗金仙, Dàluō Jīnxian) can open and create their own worlds. The potential of these worlds depends on the creator's power. Most such worlds are far from the Eternal World's perfection. For instance, the legendary "Flood Desolation Continent" (洪荒大陆, Hónghuāng Dàlù), said to be created by Pangu, is merely a pseudo-eternal world.
When a world is newly created, its Heavenly Dao can form naturally, governing the world with unconscious laws, or a soul can be appointed to become the conscious Heavenly Dao. In both cases, the Heavenly Dao and the creator can grow stronger as the world evolves.
Paths to Ascension for Created Worlds:
Two methods can elevate a created world to the level of an Eternal World:
Proving the Supreme Dao (证道, Zhèngdào): The creator must achieve enlightenment or fulfill a cosmic destiny to elevate their world.
Nourishment by the Strong (强者的养分, Qiángzhě de Yǎngfèn): The world can be cultivated using the flesh, blood, and souls of powerful beings. This method accelerates the world's evolution, enhancing its laws and stability.
For example, in the case of Xi He (羲和, Xī Hé), when she reached the Convergence Realm (合道, Hé Dào)—a realm far surpassing the Great Luo Golden Immortal—she opened her own world. Although it was just shy of becoming a pseudo-eternal world, she accelerated its evolution by absorbing the remains of powerful beings that fell during the great calamity on the Flood Desolation Continent. This act not only enhanced her world's potential but also granted her significant feedback in the form of power, increasing her cultivation.
The intricate hierarchy of worlds serves as both a ladder and a barrier for cultivators, guiding their journey through countless ascensions while reminding them that even the vast cosmos is shaped by rules, struggles, and the relentless pursuit of perfection.