It seems that there are 9 realms of cultivation or atleast that's how many have been recorded.
The Realms are, Physique Refinement Realm, Source Channeling Realm, Source Infusion Realm, Physique Transformation Realm, Soul Formation Realm, Law Comprehension Realm,Domain Realm, Pseudo-Emperor, Emperor.
Each Realm is further divided into 9 states.
However, some prodigies can access the mythical "10th" state or perfection in each realm.
It's said that being able to achieve perfection in any realm can allow one to have the potential to become Emperor.
An Emperor level being is a terrifying god-like being who can utilise the fundamental laws of the universe.
A mere wave of hand from an Emperor could kill countless weak Domain-Realm existences.
Mortals are fragile and weak.
Where as a Cultivator slowly embarks on the Path of Emperor to become immortal and the strongest.
Someone in the Physique Refinement Realm could easily bend metal.
Manifest source energy to cut through steel in the Source Channeling Realm.
Break steel with the strength of their body alone in the Source Infusion Realm.
Destroy Mountains with a punch in the Physique Transformation Realm.
Using their soul breaking the shackles bounding mortals to the ground and soaring into the vast sky in the Soul Formation Realm.
Gain an understanding about the laws that keep in the universe in order in the Law Comprehension Realm.
Using said laws to make a domain or even a small world that greatly decreases the opponent's strength and increases one own
in the Domain Realm
Absorb the Essence of Laws which one has a certain mastery over to achieve terrifying strength in the Pseudo-Emperor Realm
Not much is known about how to reach the Emperor Realm only that Pseudo-Emperor's are incomparable to Emperor's
They have devastating strength and are said to have walked out of the cycle of Samasara And can disregard Death and become immortal.
After understanding the vastness of this world i felt both nervous and excited.
Excited to be able to bend the world to my will if i wish to do so.
Yet, still nervous of whether i can truly achieve a state like that in this chaotic world.
No matter, I'm thinking to far into the future.
currently I can't even talk, I'm still a long way from becoming The Strongest.
2 years later, a young chubby child with dashing black hair and clear blue eyes wearing a long black robe is roaming the halls of an orphanage.
He is deeply immersed in a book titled "Realms of Body Refinement."
"Hmm so they are advanced methods of cultivating different aspects of yourself?"
These methods are seperated into two different fields.
Body refiners and Soul cultivators
Body refiners strengthen their body in different ways and fuse ores into parts of the body to strengthen them even further.
Soul cultivators train their soul to a point of being able to use it to affect the soul of dozens of cultivators at the same realm.
As this world is limited in resources and talent many people will walk the path of body refiners.
It does not require many resource's and because of poor talent reaching the soul formation realm is a dream to mortals.
Very few talented prodigies will become soul cultivators.
That, or arrogant cultivators will not refine their body as much believing they can reach the soul formation realm.
Nevertheless, when the harsh reality appears they can only regret and live with it.
There are some who decide to cripple their cultivation so as to build a new foundation as a body refiner.