'Fundamentals of the Celestial Path'
Li Yuemei had said that this was the book with the main basic information about cultivation, the most comprehensive one that all those from wealthy families possessed.
So, he opened the book, and in moments, he became completely focused on it, forgetting everything around him.
In the beginning, it said, "This book contains practical fundamentals and basic explanations for those seeking to tread the spiritual path. Only those with talent, understanding, and determination are fit for this path."
He then read with all his attention and began to understand more about cultivation.
Spiritual cultivation is a practice that aims at the refinement and understanding of the world, whether through physical, spiritual, or mental enhancement.
It involves specific techniques to comprehend and manipulate spiritual energy, namely, Qi, which exists absolutely everywhere and in everything that exists.
Spiritual cultivation is divided into nine known realms, each with its own specificities. Those who tread this path progress through these realms, refining their physiques and awakening innate elemental abilities, controlling and manifesting anything they have the talent for.
Cultivation aims to reach increasingly advanced states and eventually transcend the physical limitations to achieve a state beyond mortals.
The first cultivation realm is called the Body Refinement Realm. In this realm, ordinary humans need to undergo physical practices to strengthen and prepare their bodies to contain the power of Qi in their dantian, establishing a solid foundation.
Techniques of refinement are necessary for this. This realm consists of nine minor phases, ranging from the 1st to the 9th. The strength of those who reach the 9th phase of the Body Refinement Realm is already well above that of ordinary humans, and their life expectancy can reach one hundred and fifty years.
After this comes the Innate Affinity Realm. In this realm, cultivators absorb spiritual Qi into their bodies, concentrating it in their dantian.
In this realm, the body, dantian, and mind of cultivators undergo a slight transformation. Everyone in this world is born with an innate talent for something—maybe a low or terrifying talent—but everyone possesses some.
After Qi is absorbed by the cultivator for the first time during cultivation practice, practitioners may experience intuition or responses from their bodies to some element of nature present in spiritual Qi. Feeling this connection is an indication of entering the realm, and also an indication of one's greatest affinity and the path the cultivator should follow.
Depending on the talent for such an affinity, small abilities may manifest spontaneously, or practitioners may feel sensations related to that affinity. For example, they may feel a strong connection with the wind, have a strong attraction to looking at the water, or have visions of swords in their minds. These manifestations depend on the cultivator's affinity.
Like the Body Refinement Realm, the Innate Affinity Realm also has nine phases. In these phases, practitioners prepare the body for more advanced manifestations of the path the cultivator will follow. Spiritual Qi is concentrated in their dantian until it can no longer bear it. Life expectancy can reach up to two hundred years.
After that is the Innate Manifestation Realm. In this realm, unlike the previous two, a specific cultivation technique is required for the cultivator's affinity.
Then, with the help of the specific cultivation technique, all the spiritual Qi in the dantian is completely transformed into the Qi that the cultivator has an affinity for, such as sword Qi or water Qi.
In this realm, it is possible to channel and use the energy in the dantian to manifest techniques and innate abilities using the Qi of a particular affinity that the cultivator possesses. In this realm, life expectancy can reach up to three hundred years, and it is also divided into nine phases.
Next is the Spiritual Realm. In this realm, the focus is on the cultivator's mind, no longer limited to physical advances but expanding consciousness. In this realm, the cultivator unlocks their spiritual sense, which can be used for countless things, such as alchemy and formations, if they have the necessary talent.
Moreover, after awakening the spiritual sense, it becomes much easier to understand the affinity the cultivator is following, thus improving their strength to a much greater level. Like the previous realms, it also has nine phases, and life expectancy is approximately five hundred years.
After this are the Lord, King, and Emperor realms. In these realms, cultivators need to increasingly understand their affinity and the cultivation path they are on. From this point on, talent is not only required for affinity but also excellent understanding.
These realms differ from the previous ones. Each realm has three phases: the initial phase, the middle phase, and the advanced phase. When they are a step away from the next realm, they are called people at the peak of the realm. They can also be called quasi-Kings or quasi-Emperors, for example.
The life expectancies of the Lord, King, and Emperor realms are, respectively, one thousand years, three thousand years, and five thousand years.
After that, there is the Saint Realm. The Saint Realm represents the last realm before complete transcendence in the last known realm and represents the pinnacle of cultivation on the world.
In this realm, the cultivator's understanding of their affinity has to be extremely terrifying, and only people with exceptional talents can reach this realm. Usually most people with some talents die in the Emperor's realm, never managing to reach the Saint Realm.
In this realm, the cultivator's Qi undergoes a transformation, turning into energy of an extraordinarily pure level. Their strength is far above all other realms, and it is considered that, for Saints, all those below are ants. They can live up to ten thousand years.
And then there is the last and most incomprehensible and mysterious realm. Not much is known about this realm, but to reach it, one must understand a Law and be at the peak of the Saint Realm.
In this realm, cultivators transcend many human limitations and can survive outside the planet. These beings are no longer considered normal people like all others. Their strength is completely incomparable, and because of this, the world's dao does not tolerate and rejects them.
"And because of that, they are called Transcendent…" The young man in the cave said with a slight satisfied smile.
He had finished reading the book and now understood about cultivation and why everyone wanted to follow this path.
Although he already knew that he was extremely strong, a faint spark of curiosity about this and what came after it ignited somewhere in his mind that he had not yet realized. The faint light that came from the snowflake on his forehead for an imperceptible moment did not hide his desire.