Beasts are divided differently than sapient races.
Each rank is divided among 6 stars.
Each star is divided among 10 levels.
A beast equal to a mage apprentice first level is a: first level one star black rank beast
A beast equal to a mage acolyte first level is a: first level second star black rank beast.
The six star is only something that comes about when a low level bloodline beast is surpasing their bloodline, they will have to complete the intire six star if the want to improve their bloodline for their descendants.
The sixth star of a beast can only be faced by the special of the fifth tier of cultivators.
For example
Archmage lvl 1 = six star level one black rank beast.
ArchWizard lvl 1 = six star level one bronze
Supreme Arcanist lvl 1 = six star lvl 1 silver rank beast
cultivators have a total of 50 levels before each ascension. Beasts have 60 levels. Beasts are also normally more powerful than a cultivator of the same level.
Beasts in this world would only have two ways to ascend.
1. Like in other books awaken a more powerful ancestral bloodline allowing them to skip the six star. A more powerful bloodline must already be present.
2. They use resources, battle, and hard work to refine and strengthen and grow their bloodline durring the sixth star. Thereby creating their own unique bloodline. This is more likely to fail but every beast can do it. Once they ascend they can pass this new bloodline on to their descendants