Cultivation Terms

Cultivation Levels

Core Formation Stage

Core formation is as it sounds, it is the time a Cultivator forms his inner core.

Primary (a cultivator's first level after their roots have awakened and they begin cultivating.)

Secondary

Tertiary (the core forms once the cultivator has broken through the end of this stage. It is considered to be the first barrier for a cultivator and if they cannot break through this stage, they will not live much longer than a mortal.)

Body Tempering Phase

Body tempering is the transformation of the body, making it stronger, sturdier, physical impurities completely removed and ageing lessened considerably. Once this phase is complete, a cultivator can expect a very long life and no need to eat food, diamond like skin in both toughness and clarity. No longer likely to contract illness, plus all five senses greatly improved. Any physical impairment would also be fixed.

Each level has a low, mid and peak sub level. Each sub level is like reaching another initial level.

Quaternary

Quinary

Senary

Mind Tempering Phase

This is tempering of the mind; greater intelligence and reasoning, greater memory, much quicker of thought and greater mental senses; i.e. to danger, to atmospheric changes, to general moods. Any mental impairment or imbalance, in theory, would also be fixed, but in Ren Zexian's world, this has yet to be proven.

Each level has five sub levels. We'll call them stars as this term is used in at least one of my favourite cultivation novels!

Septenary

Octonary

Nonary

Soul Tempering Phase

Soul Tempering Phase is considered the true path to immortality. In a middle realm, it is as rare as Phoenix teeth to reach this stage, however it is believed that there are those able to complete this path and reach the Heavens.

Each level has seven sub levels, making this the hardest phase to conquer.

Denary

Onodenary

Duodenary

Roots and levels of roots

Roots represent peoples abilities, so they are mostly elemental. However, I have added more well known abilities in the mix and have placed what Ren Zexian calls them and what Earthlings would rename them.

Major roots have the most control over their elements and can 'create' their element from 'thin air'. Transforming their element (eg water into ice, soil into sand) is also in the scope of their abilities.

There are five major roots being Wood, Fire, Earth, Water and Metal.

Minor roots are not as powerful as major roots, partially as they only encompass a part of the ability found in Major roots. They also are considered to derive from major roots. For example Water is the major root, Ice is a minor root. Water root owners can create and manipulate water including turning it to steam or ice. Ice root cannot control water, just manipulate it, but they can change existing water to either steam or ice. The name does not mean they can just deal with ice.

Examples of minor roots; Grounding/gravity, lightning, ice, sand, rock, air, plant, spirit, fog, sword/steel, dark, light...

Tertiary Roots are also called body roots or physiques. In Ren's old world these are considered waste roots. These roots affect only the user. So the water equivalent of 'mist', their owners can perhaps breathe under water and not get wet in rain. Hence in 'strength' terms it is considered a bit useless.

Examples of body roots; Blessed, thunder/sonic, spark/static, smoke, diamond, curse, iron, mist, bone, feather/speed, stone/power, star, lava...

There are naturally exceptions to the rules such as Dexter's lightning and LTLAC Leon's Star root.

Mutated roots are major, minor or body roots that have transformed in the cultivators body before awakening. A commonly known mutation is Water root into Healing.

Twinned roots are two complimentary roots that work in a harmonious manor making up for the lack caused by having more than one active root. Although there are many complimentary combinations, not all are considered twinned. Cole's roots coexist well, but are not twinned (for example). However, Ren Zexian has extremely rare Entwinned (three harmonious) roots, which gave him the ability to rise above the limitations of having multiple roots.

Conflicting roots are two roots that naturally oppose each other causing the overall ability of the cultivator to come across as weak. Lightning and earth, for example, are opposing. As Earth is a major root, it would appear as weak, while Lightning, a minor root, is completely suppressed. Training and cultivation techniques can overcome this initial issue to a degree. However those with conflicting roots will generally find cultivating more difficult than others with two other roots.

Volatile roots are a very rare condition, considered to be due to having wide roots with little resistance when conducting spiritual energies, allowing the cultivator to rapidly advance in cultivation. However, rather than be a help, this can cause the inner sea of the cultivator to destabilise due to sudden surges in power. This often results in the cultivator having to stop in their advancement or risk a very violent ending.