Cultivation

Cultivation is the practice of absorbing a powerful energy constantly flowing through the universe called spiritual energy, and refining it into a condensed energy called qi. Then, using this qi to refine the body, use powerful techniques, and become stronger through breaking through to new realms.

[ Mortal Realms | Immortal Realms | God Realms | Beyond Realms ]

## How to Cultivate

### Absorption

Absorption is the first step in the cultivation process. The spiritual energy in the world prickles against the skin of the cultivator. Through the use of a cultivation technique, this spiritual energy is absorbed into the skin like it’s oxygen being breathed in.

All cultivation techniques are unique, and not every cultivator uses the absorption style techniques. Some cultivators steal cultivation, absorb life force, or have unique techniques.

### Meridians

The meridians are a circuit of ‘gates’ throughout the body. There are 36 meridians in total, but only 18 need to be unlocked in order for a cultivator to officially be capable of cultivating. 18 meridians unlocked is the average, and if more are unlocked then they can be considered a genius.

It is extremely rare for all 36 meridians to be unlocked, and in some cases extreme geniuses create their own meridians.

Spiritual energy moves through the meridians, and the more meridians unlocked the faster the spiritual energy moves through the body towards the dantian.

### Dantian Refining

The dantian is a space in the abdomen which is linked to all the meridians. Once the 18 prime meridians are opened, the spiritual energy can enter the dantian and you can officially start cultivating.

The dantian is a constantly rotating mass of powerful innate energy. Because it is constantly rotating, the spiritual energy that enters will be pulled along and the impurities contained within it shall be expelled.

The remaining wispy energy is only 10% of the original spiritual energy, and floats towards the middle of the dantian. There, it will condense into droplets of liquid called qi. The qi then drops down, out of the dantian into another space.

### Divine Sea

The divine sea is a massive space where droplets of qi settle and are stored, creating a vast sea of qi. The qi here won’t ever dissipate, but other beings can invade the divine sea and corrupt the qi inside, causing a cultivator to be weakened. However these techniques are rare.

Once the qi is stored inside the divine sea, it can be used for breaking through.

### Attacking the Boundary

There exists a boundary around the dantian that keeps its power at a limit. However, the boundary can be weakened. Qi can be activated from the divine sea and sent back into the dantian to attack the boundary around it, weakening it.

The qi that attacks it will be dissipated, and each droplet brings small change. However when massive amounts of qi from the divine sea attack together, the boundary will quickly be weakened.

The boundary has three stages: Material, Ethereal, Shadow. Once the boundary is at the shadow stage, heavenly tribulation can be initiated.

### Heavenly Tribulation

Named due to its mysterious properties, the heavenly tribulation is an event that can be triggered by cultivators once the boundary is at the shadow stage. The sky will turn dark, thunder will roar and a cascading lightning wall befall upon the cultivator.

This lightning known as heavenly lightning will coarse through the meridians, attacking them constantly, and enter the dantian where it will then attack the dantian and the boundary.

Heavenly tribulation is incredibly dangerous. If not well controlled, it can damage or even destroy the meridians, or even shatter the dantian. That is why cultivators must be completely confident that they can take on the tribulation, otherwise they might become crippled or die.

It is possible to refine the heavenly lightning in the dantian, but this is extremely dangerous as it isn’t like spiritual energy- it can’t be transformed into qi, instead it will be sent straight to the divine sea which it will attack. Cultivators will either be seriously injured, or they can manipulate the heavenly lightning to invigorate their divine sea and improve the quality of their qi.

If everything goes right, the boundary will be shattered.

### Breakthrough

Now that the boundary is shattered, the dantian will rapidly grow in size and power. The innate energy that makes up the dantian will flow through the meridians and body, completely refining it and changing the cultivator’s physique to become stronger.

The divine sea will also be refined, so more qi can be stored. The innate energy itself will also be improved, meaning it can transform spiritual energy into purer and more powerful qi.

But the danger isn’t over. The innate energy is mysterious, and if too much of it is used then the cultivator can never recover. That’s why cultivators can only break through one realm at a time- if they attempt to break through two, then their innate energy will vanish and they’ll die.

Now that the breakthrough is over, the cultivator enters the next realm. The boundary will reappear, bigger and stronger than before, and the cycle of cultivation must continue.