Appendix A: Cultivation Base and Other System Classifications

Cultivation Base and Other Systems 

Welcome to the start of Volume 0! It was brought to my attention that I'm barely 20 chapters into this thing and certain system-related aspects are already pretty sprawling. So, I'm writing this in order to clarify how my cultivation system works. I will also update this chapter with information on various other classification systems as they become relevant. 

Cultivation Base Levels 

Cultivation base levels in CAASC are divided in three different ways: Ranks, Realms, and Stages. There are nine Ranks in total, each containing nine Realms, and each Realm is further divided into nine Stages. 

Each Rank is named differently, and each Realm also has its own unique or semi-unique name. Realms are routinely referred to both by their unique name, and by the Rank they belong to along with their position within that rank. For example, a cultivator midway through Earth Rank may refer to themselves as being at the "5th Earth Realm", or they may just as easily say that they are at the "Core Solidification Realm." 

The Rank and Realm names so far are as follows: 

Earth Rank 

I: Dantian Formation 

II: Dantian Solidification 

III: Dantian Illumination 

IV: Core Formation 

V: Core Solidification 

VI: Golden Core 

VII: Aura Formation 

VIII: Aura Strengthening 

IX: Aura Aspect

Spirit Rank 

I: First Suppression 

II: Soul Barrier Formation

III-IX: ????????? 

Heaven Rank: ????????? 

Divine Rank: ????????? 

Ancient Rank: ???????? 

Mythic Rank: ????????? 

Immortal Rank: ??????? 

???????? Rank 

???????? Rank 

More Realms and Ranks will be revealed as they are in the story. The same Rank names also apply to the Grades of both weapons, protective treasures, and techniques. For techniques, the Grade is pretty much just an indication of complexity and effectiveness. For equipment, a weapon two Grades above a cultivator's Rank will range from impractically difficult to genuinely impossible to use (in usual cases), and any protective equipment will be weakened in the case of a user being one Rank below its grade, and inert in the case of two or more. 

Weapons of one grade above can be used, but an Earth Rank cultivator will not be able to bring out the full potential/power of a Spirit Grade weapon, and so on. 

Academy Ranking System 

The Academy's 4-year curriculum is divided into two years of lower classmen, and two years of upperclassmen. For lower classmen, the same instructor is their primary teacher for both years, and their class rank does not affect which class, A-D, they attend. Each year always admits exactly 100 students as a form of regulating how many from Earth enter the Mortal Heaven at a time, and each class contains an even distribution of 25 students. 

After second year, students are assigned to a senior class based on rank. The bottom 30 students enter Class 3, the next 30 enter Class 2, the rest up to Rank #11 enter Class 1, and the top 10 enter the special Inner Court class, which is taught jointly with both years. 

Once a student enters the Inner Court class, they cannot be relegated except in extraordinary circumstances. However, students in classes 1-3 can be routinely promoted or relegated at the start and of senior year. In order to be eligible for the Special Elite Sect Entrance Exam tests, a student must graduate in at least Class 1.