The Dantian* can hold both internal energy and True qi. However, True Qi is of much higher quality.
*[For beginners: It's an ethereal organ located near the abdomen]
Mortal Martial Artists are weaker and have smaller potential than cultivators because of the difference between life levels. Cultivators are no longer simple mortals, since they are on the path to "immortality."
People who want to cultivate must have a mystical root, some people have it innately and others get it by reaching the Harmony Realm of mortal martial arts or higher. Most people stop at this realm.
Mystical Roots are all equal, even those that are acquired. However, some people's minds are brighter to cultivate and so they progress quickly. There are many possible reasons for this, such as the way the person grew up or their martial experience.
Mortal Martial Realms (I wrote this part for fun, it won't be too important):
-Third Rate Fighter (Thugs and inexperienced fighters)
-Second Rate Warrior (Trained fighters, goes through dantian opening)
-First Rate Warrior (Good fighters, stronger than most)
-Peak (Also called 'Warrior Peak', mastered their martial arts)
-Transcendent (Also called Masters or Experts, customized their martial arts to better suit themselves, can circulate their internal energy without restraints and condense it outside their bodies, can use weapon aura)
-Harmony Realm (Or Unrestrained Realm. By going through body metamorphosis, they can use their internal energy much more efficiently and can replenish it faster, their understanding of martial arts is no longer bound by the concept of arts, and they focus more on defeating the opponent efficiently, wasting no internal energy and stamina in their moves. From this realm onwards, the martial artist can form their mystical root. Can fight against Tenth Layer Qi Refining Cultivators who don't have mystical artifacts)
-Profound Realm (By establishing their mental states in their bodies, the perfect balance between body, mind, and internal energy is achieved. There's no longer any mortal poison and illness that can affect them. Their whole life experience is sublimated in the supreme state for martial arts. Can fight against weaker Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivators)
-Life and Death Realm (By going through another body metamorphosis, the martial artist reaches the peak of mortality, where the internal energy along with their body and mind is sublimated and transformed to a higher level, more suitable to use in fights and healing. Their body no longer ages, but they can only live up to 150 years unless they become cultivators. Can fight against cultivators at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm.)
(Immortal) Cultivation Realms:
NOTE: To break through any Major Realm from the Golden Core upwards, one needs to enter a special dimension, called the "Tribulation Dimension." There, cultivators won't be affected by the real world while confronting their tribulation.
I plan to deeply write about each realm, so it won't just be another "stacking qi/exp" to level up/breakthrough. But I won't be explaining everything here, so go read the chaps! :D
1-) Dantian Opening (Or Second Rate Warrior of Mortal Martial Arts)
2-) Qi Refining (Has ten layers.)
3-) Foundation Establishment (Divided into Initial Layer, Middle Layer, and Peak Layer.)
4-) Golden Core (Divided into Initial Layer, Middle Layer, and Peak Layer. It's by reaching this Realm that the cultivator's lifespan will increase significantly for the first time, enabling him/she to live up to three hundred years.)
5-) Nascent Soul (Divided into Initial Layer, Middle Layer, and Peak Layer. One can live up to five hundred years.)
(Between the Nascent Soul and Dao Enlightenment Realms, there's an abysmal chasm. It's such a difference that even hundreds of Peak Layer Nascent Soul Realm practitioners would be unable to harm a single hair of an Initial Layer Dao Enlightenment Realm cultivator.)
6-) Dao Enlightenment (Divided into Initial Layer, Middle Layer, and Peak Layer. One can live up to a thousand years. For many peak cultivators, this is the true beginning of Immortal Cultivation and the path to the Great Dao, and the Realms below it are just a kind of preparation. In fact, if a mortal gains enough enlightenment he/she might directly enter this Realm without the need to go through tribulations.)
7-) Void Return (Divided into Initial Layer, Middle Layer, and Peak Layer. One can live up to ten thousand years.)
8-) Tribulation Transcending (Has ten layers. Lifespan isn't increased and because of this one of the tribulations is the depleting life span, all cultivators who reach the tenth layer will be on the brink of death because of their depleting life span, and need to urgently reach the Mahayana realm to rejuvenate.)
9-) Mahayana (Divided into Initial Layer, Middle Layer, and Peak Layer. One can live up to a hundred thousand years but needs to ascend within a thousand years or they will turn into Banished Ones, who are simply slightly stronger than Peak Layer Mahayana Realm experts but have no life span increase, they will forever be unable to ascend.)
---Ascension---
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