Cultivation Realms and Lifespan

Here are the cultivation realms of the martial world of Tianyuan. (Note that throughout the story, they will be more detailed. For those wondering why the lifespan is so high, well, I find it more interesting this way, considering there will be other planets in the universe outside of Tianyuan that the main character will explore at certain times.)

1. Body Strengthening

Lifespan: 150~300 years

This first stage involves strengthening the physical body through rigorous training and specific techniques. Practitioners focus on endurance, strength, and resilience, using physical exercises, breathing techniques, and sometimes even special medicines or herbs to enhance their basic physical abilities. However, they are not yet considered true cultivators. It is only after entering the Qi Condensation realm that one is regarded as such.

2. Qi Condensation

Lifespan: can live up to 800 years

Once the body is sufficiently strengthened, cultivators begin to channel and condense spiritual energy, or Qi, within their bodies. This is typically done through meditation and visualizing energy flowing through the body's meridians. At this stage, practitioners start to gain superhuman abilities, such as increased strength, speed, and accelerated healing. However, they cannot yet materialize Qi or fly, and the use of their divine sense is limited.

3. Foundation Establishment

Lifespan: can live up to 4,000 years

This stage is crucial as it involves consolidating and stabilizing the Qi within the body, binding it to vital organs and bones. Cultivators spend years perfecting this stage, using advanced meditation techniques, Qi exercises, and energy regulation practices to strengthen their internal foundation. They can materialize Qi. They also gain a sea of consciousness from this stage, allowing them to more efficiently use their divine sense. Despite limited spiritual energy, they can fly, but generally, most cultivators in this realm use weapons or mounts to avoid wasting their energy.

4. Core Formation

Lifespan: can live up to 10,000 years

Once the foundation is solid, cultivators are ready to form a cultivation core inside their dantian, or energy center. This core acts as a focal point for Qi, allowing it to concentrate and grow more efficiently. To reach this stage, practitioners must undergo trials and challenges to test their determination and ability to master their inner energy. In this realm, one can begin to fly freely as their energy increases, although some still prefer to use weapons or mounts. Cultivators in this realm can materialize energy in many types of techniques and arts and even materialize their avatar of any size they desire.

5. Golden Core

Lifespan: can live up to 15,000 years

At this stage, the cultivation core reaches a higher level of refinement and power, taking on a golden hue that symbolizes its strength and purity. Cultivators become capable of releasing more powerful Qi attacks, traversing hundreds of kilometers in the blink of an eye, and easily shattering mountains hundreds of feet high.

6. Divine Core:

Lifespan: can live up to 30,000 years

In this realm, the golden core is refined to the extreme, transforming into a form or color desired by the cultivator. Beings in this realm can invoke the elements and become one with them. They can refine the void itself, in other words, travel through the void, teleport thousands of kilometers, distort the void and the fabric of space. It is also a crucial realm for a cultivator as their divine core will begin to merge with their soul to form a nascent soul.

7. Nascent Soul

Lifespan: can live up to 60,000 years

At the nascent soul stage, cultivators have transcended the limits of mortal cultivation to explore the depths of their inner being and spiritual essence. It is a period of transition and transformation, where the individual begins to merge with universal energy and expand their consciousness beyond the boundaries of their physical body. In this realm, even if the body is destroyed, the nascent soul will remain conscious and able to escape. They can possess other bodies whose souls have just departed, or they can reincarnate, but they are not sure to retain memories of their past lives.

8. Celestial Realm

Lifespan: can live up to 100,000 years

In this realm, cultivators are no longer considered mere cultivators but quasi-divine beings. They can channel and manipulate the elements at will, create storms, earthquakes, or even calm the unleashed elements according to their will. They can teleport with a simple concentration effort. They no longer age and cannot die of natural causes. In case of injuries, they can regenerate rapidly, healing even from severe wounds. This realm is very important because it is at this moment that one can attempt to form martial will to create a martial spirit.

9. Martial Dominator:

Lifespan: can live up to 250,000 years

Beyond the celestial realm lies the level of Martial Dominator, where cultivators can manifest their martial spirit. A dominator's martial spirit is formed through the knowledge acquired throughout their martial journey. They can also use martial will, which is a kind of power beyond understanding. (Consider martial will as the conqueror's haki in One Piece. I will explain it later.)

10. Divine Transformation

Lifespan: can live up to 500,000 years

The rare individuals who manage to cross the threshold of Martial Dominator can ascend to the level of Divine Transformation. At this stage, they transcend their physical form and become beings of pure energy, capable of moving through dimensions and manipulating reality itself. They become one with their martial spirit and can change their physical form at will. They can create divine weapons and project their weapons.

11. Martial Supreme

Lifespan: can live up to 1 million years

Masters of Divine Transformation may aspire to achieve the status of Martial Supreme. Those who reach this level face the tribulation of lightning. Their entire being begins to sublimate.

12. Martial Saint

Lifespan: can live for a few million years

At the top of the cultivation hierarchy lies the level of Saint Martial. The rare individuals who reach this status are revered as gods among mortals, and their power knows no bounds. At this stage, a small world forms within them. Inside this world, they are the absolute masters. They can even trap people inside their world or even cultivate within. Depending on their strength, time can flow differently compared to reality.

13. Martial God

Lifespan: can live up to 10 million years

Finally, there is the ultimate level of cultivation: that of Martial God. Those who achieve this status transcend existence itself, becoming divine entities capable of creating and destroying entire worlds with a single breath. Their power is infinite, their wisdom is unfathomable, and their presence alone is a force that defies all human understanding. Beings of this realm are guardians of the continent and the small world of Tianyuan.