The levels of Phantom Power cultivation include: Phantom Warrior, Phantom Master, Great Phantom Master, Phantom King, Phantom Ancestor, Phantom Emperor, Phantom Venerable. The respective colors for these levels are red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple. Each level is further divided into nine minor levels. The marker for a major Phantom Power level is a Phantom Moon; one Phantom Moon is added with each major level achieved. The marker for the minor levels, on the other hand, is a Phantom Star, with one star per minor level. When you use Phantom Power, your Phantom Moons and Phantom Stars will be manifest, allowing others to deduce your level of Phantom Power by your color and celestial markers.
The levels of Sword Qi cultivation include: Swordsman, Sword Master, Great Sword Master, Sword King, Sword Ancestor, Sword Emperor, Sword Venerable. The corresponding colors for Sword Qi are also red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple. Each level is also divided into nine minor levels. The major level marker of Sword Qi is a blade, while the minor level marker is a small sword.
Phantom Power allows for long-range attacks, while Sword Qi requires close combat. Additionally, once a person cultivates Phantom Power to the level of Phantom Master, they can form contracts with Phantom Beasts, which is why the status of a Phantom Master is higher than that of a Sword Master.
Thinking of Phantom Beasts, a hint of curiosity sparkled in Dugu Qianye's eyes. The Phantom Beasts on Xuanyue Continent differ from the animals on Earth, as they are innately capable of attack. When cultivated to become a Spiritual Beast, they will awaken Spiritual Intelligence, and once they do, they can contract with a Phantom Master. A Phantom Beast cultivated to the level of a Holy Beast gains the ability to speak human language and mimic other forms, while a Super Divine Beast can transform into human shape. Each level has nine minor divisions. A first-level Spiritual Beast is marked by a single triangle star, and a second-level by two triangle stars, and so on; a first-level Holy Beast is marked by a four-point star, a Divine Beast by a five-point star, and a Super Divine Beast by a six-point star. Phantom Beasts have a Demon Crystal on their heads, equivalent to their neural center, which has to be tamed prior to contracting. Moreover, Demon Crystals can also be used in Alchemy and Artifact Refining, thus they are highly sought after. Because Phantom Beasts are difficult to hunt, Demon Crystals are very expensive.
The Cangmang Mountains are known to be inhabited by Phantom Beasts. Many people enjoy venturing into the mountains for the experience and to capture Phantom Beasts. Qifeng City is a small county near the outer edge of the mountains, but as it's the city closest to the Cangmang Mountains, it sees a lot of foot traffic and frequent trade, making it quite prosperous.
In each of the four cardinal directions of Qifeng City are the Mo Family, Qiu Family, Li Family, and Ji Family, four powerful clans that monopolize the economic lifeline of the city.
The Qiu, Li, and Ji Families all developed over hundreds of years from local residents, but the leading Mo Family is from elsewhere, and the Mo Family in this place is just a branch of the main lineage.
The Mo Family in the capital of the Mors Empire has a history of over a thousand years. Being a Phantom Family, they hold a prestigious position within the Mors Empire. A so-called Phantom Family is one in which most members, due to blood relations, have a source of Phantom Power and are capable of cultivating it. Those unable to cultivate Phantom Power or Sword Qi are considered of low status and are assigned to manage the family's remote businesses. However, such individuals are quite rare.
Unfortunately, the protagonist in question is famously known as the good-for-nothing of the Mo Family. Her mother was once the youngest daughter of the former patriarch who, due to her exceptional talent, was everyone's favorite. However, she met her father during an externship, promised herself to him for life, refused a marriage arranged by her family, and left the Mo Family. A few years later, she returned with three-year-old Little Qianye and then disappeared. The father, Dugu Yixuan, has an unknown identity and whereabouts. As for Little Qianye, she was born prematurely, was physically weak, lacked a Phantom Power source, and had blockages between her meridians and cyclones, making it impossible for her to cultivate Sword Qi. At the age of five, during the family's aptitude test, she was diagnosed with a defective constitution and was dismissed with a flick of the patriarch's hand, ending up in Qifeng City for ten years.
In Qifeng City, the name Dugu Qianye was known to all. You might not know the name of the City Lord of Qifeng, but you'd surely know the renowned Dugu Qianye, who, because she was ranked ninth, was called the Useless Ninth by everyone.
Throughout those ten years, Little Qianye was constantly bullied and humiliated. Although she was of the direct Mo lineage, she lacked even the fundamental guarantees of life. At 15, she still looked like a 12 or 13-year-old child, pale and thin, the very picture of malnutrition. Moreover, the disciples of the Mo Family would often beat her for bringing shame to the Mo name. This time, it was the Mo Family's disciples of Qifeng City's Fifth Master, her two cousins Mo Lian and Mo Ju, who came into her courtyard, beat her severely, and left her for dead.
"A useless piece?" Dugu Qianye murmured softly. Her eyes narrowed, and an air of disdain for the world emerged, "Since I've entered your body, let's live well and turn the world on its head! Let those who laughed at us and insulted us see who the real power is! I will fulfill your wishes, find your father and mother. From now on, they are my parents as well."
Dugu Qianye, after regaining some strength, struggled back to her room. It was already evening, and her body was still very weak; she didn't want to lose the life she had just reclaimed.
Dugu Qianye lay in bed for three days, during which only one person came to see her. Mo Feng, a 13-year-old, an offshoot disciple, wore coarse clothes, yet was somehow comforting to behold. He was the only one who had never bullied Dugu Qianye and had often secretly helped her out. Without his aid, Little Qianye would likely have starved to death long ago, without waiting for Dugu Qianye to transmigrate.
Perhaps the incident where the Mo sisters had beaten Dugu Qianye was too severe, leading to their confinement. No one had come to the small courtyard these past few days, which made it convenient for Mo Feng.
"Mo Feng, can I not drink this anymore?" Dugu Qianye looked disdainfully at the pitch-black herbal medicine in front of her, heaven knows that the once resolute killer's least favorite thing was this bitter medicine.
Mo Feng placed the medicine into Dugu Qianye's hand, "No way, you're too badly injured, how can you recover without medicine? This is what I previously dug up secretly at the outskirts of Cangmang Mountain. I know it's not pleasant, but we don't have money. If we did, we could buy elixirs, and you wouldn't have to drink this."
Looking at Mo Feng's face full of guilt, Dugu Qianye didn't know how to handle such a, well, child, she guessed. Anyway, she wanted to heal, so she closed her eyes, steeled her heart, and reluctantly drank the medicine.
"Does Mo Feng recognize herbs?" Dugu Qianye handed the bowl to Mo Feng and asked.
Mo Feng picked up the medicine bowl and rice bowl, without lifting his head, and replied, "Once, when they were injured, a physician was called. I saw him prescribing these herbs, so I secretly memorized them. Rest well, I will come again tomorrow." He finished speaking, ran to the door, peeked out his head to look left and right to make sure no one was there, then took the basket and left.
After Mo Feng had gone, Dugu Qianye continued to lie down. Over these days, she had been reflecting on her past life, thinking of her deceased parents, her sister, and her boyfriend's betrayal, which made her, already a detached person, even more reluctant to trust others easily. Yet this little boy, with his pure gaze and his silent acts of care, had earned her acknowledgment.
Then, she thought of Baili Ruyan and wondered if she had come to this world, just like herself.
"No matter where you are, I will find you. Ruyan, wait for me!"