This is the most basic of the basic picture of the cultivation system. And there is much to be explored.
***
Unlike Earth, the world they were in, the Immortal World, had a force of energy that was omnipresent throughout heaven and earth—World Essence.
A force of energy that was so absurdly strong and nourishing on its own that it made the whole world much stronger than places like Earth.
From its foundation itself, it made everything stronger.
But at the same time, this power was very chaotic if someone tried to touch upon it. Like fire, warm and cozy at a distance and burning at touch. Just to a far more extreme level.
It was absolutely not meant for mortals to manipulate or even glean into. A single speck of it can cause a human to blast into nothingness.
However, usually, it was omnipresent yet nonexistent at the same time and didn't interact with lifeforms unless they interacted with it on their own. Nonetheless, throughout the ages, lifeforms have found ways to control even such chaotic power.
By absorbing inferior qualities of the World's Essence into oneself, a creature could grow stronger and more adapted to it. Little by little, they get used to the inferior powers until, one day, they become capable of absorbing the actual World Essence directly into their bodies.
They split the World Essence into five inferior qualities of itself:
Colorless Essence, Bronze Essence, Iron Essence, Silver Essence, and Gold Essence. Beyond Gold Essence laid the ultimate level of Essence: World Essence, also known as Purple Essence.
And by absorbing the most inferior, cultivators start on their journey and become stronger and stronger to a level of power that was beyond Ethan's imagination.
They grow closer and closer to controlling the true World Essence, the foundation of the world itself. And then, they become capable of using it for real.
...
If you become capable of absorbing World Essence directly into your body, you can reach the level of a Mortal God. Surpassing mortal boundaries.
That was a being who was beyond anything Ethan could grasp now!!
Excitement growing, he read a bit more. How do the people even cultivate?
Cultivators use special techniques or equipment to tame the chaotic World Essence and turn it into its most basic form, called Colorless Essence.
By absorbing Colorless Essence, they create a glowing ring of energy around their heads, which is termed a Colorless Halo—a sign of the power they wield behind their mortal appearance.
When a person has one Colorless Halo, they're known as a Colorless Halo Stage Cultivator. If they manage to form three Halos around their heads, they are at the peak of that stage.
The next step is to imbue Bronze Essence to one of their Colorless Halos, which then makes their Colorless Halo evolve into Bronze Halo, also Evolving their bodies into Bronze Halo Cultivators.
Then, Iron, Silver, and Gold. This process of refining and enhancing their Essence continues until they can handle manipulating the pure World Essence itself.
When their Halos are beyond Gold and have a purple tinge to them, that is when they are ready to become Mortal Gods. At that point, they absorb the Final Halos into their physical body and become one with it, becoming a true revered Mortal God.