Are the system laws softer or harder? Can powers destroy worlds?
Is your power system influenced by previous Story Formations?
Does it rely on complex calculations of Heaven and Earth? Does power typically come at a severe cost? Or is power found easily at one's fingertips, when once commanded it is eager to serve?
Is your power system influenced by previous Story Formations?
No.
Does it rely on complex calculations of Heaven and Earth?
The environmental factors are irrelevant for the usage of the power except for rare cases and for cultivating.
Does power typically come at a severe cost?
What is considered 'severe cost'? Does that mean it affect one's life, their cultivation, or lifespan? None of the power or technique in my system damages one's own cultivation because such thing is deemed defective power and was already put to extinction.
Power and technique also do not affect one's life. These kinds of plot point are too fickle and are prone to be plotholes or deus ex machina which means they were closer to author's arbitrary whim than actual plot element. So no.
There are, however, a range of techniques that use one's lifespan as fuel to perform far stronger effects but they are forbidden to teach to those who are still far from learning Rejuvenation.
Or is power found easily at one's fingertips, when once commanded it is eager to serve?
They are definitely easy to command if you are sufficiently experienced enough with practice and have high enough cultivation prowess (which in turn just means a high experience in practice of using the power).
Affinity: Every cultivator has a basic affinity to an element that determines his or hers later on powers. There are cases when a cultivator has multiple elements but more than 2 is rare. Two cultivators can work together to combine their affinity if they are close in levels and are used to each other. There are special affinities that are usually distinct family powers and inherited by blood.
Body Refinement: 9 Stages. 1 Stage is completed when the cultivator refines his/her complete body to the same level. It usually goes by body parts, arms, legs, torso, head, chosen by the cultivator himself how to process. There can be cases, when one is advanced in one body part, weak in the others, but those cause problems and usually the cultivator doesn't get far in training.
Ren's Body Refinement: 9 Stages. The cultivator advances his/her body at once per stage, no individual body parts being refined, only the whole body. She discovered the energy points inside the body, that before this, only were utilized and trained in the Harmony Realm. Taking advantage of it, her method includes them integrating into the refinement process, giving the cultivator more power and access to minor spells.
Energy Points: 9 in total.
One in each of the hollow of the knee
One in the abdomen
One in each elbows
Two in the chest (Left and Right side)
One in the neck
One in the head
Advancing to the next realm: After going through a tribulation the body gets further refinement pushing it through its boundaries. The standard cultivation results in cultivators, who can push for breakthrough at any level, prompted, their body parts ARE at the same level. Their level determines how many lightning strikes they need to endure from the Tear. Ren's version is different and more difficult. Those who train in it can only advance after reaching the 9th stage. Then they endure three, concentrated strikes, refining their body and energy veins.
Mixing the two methods: Those who start out with Ren's can not switch anymore. If they try it would result in issues, completely ruining their chances to advance, ever. Those who started out can switch to Ren's method, only, doing so takes time. It is determined how late they join, if above 4th or the 5th realms when switching, it is problematic and may take decades to convert their previous works even if they advance fast. Lower levels can convert quickly but it is the best if starting out with it.
Harmony Realm: 3 stages.
Inner Harmony: This is the basic stage, those who arrived here by the basic method are cultivated to gain complete control and harmony with their own bodies. Ren's method causes the cultivator to when he or she advances she is already almost at the peak of the first realm, as they refined their energy points earlier.
Outer Harmony: This stage is for the cultivators to harmonize with their surroundings and gain control over the powers of nature. Their inherent affinity was at a stage where it affected nature’s own forces, coexisting in a symbiotic relation resulting in acting in sync with the cultivator. If they reached the 2nd stage naturally. The other option was usually chosen by those who are stuck at the 1st stage and did so, out of desperation or because they were obsessed with control over everything. It was not a symbiotic relation but it was a forceful and dominant act where the cultivator took control over nature’s forces and used it her or himself. A lot of times if the person tried to use more and more, way above his proficiency or strength, nature itself would revolt, resulting in a strong backlash and maybe even in serious injury or death.
This is why reaching Outer Harmony had no tribulation for those who reached it naturally. They were able to say, they reached true harmony with nature yet those who took the more forceful approach had to survive nature’s wrath, a strong tribulation. The power they could wield and command may be more stronger and violent but also more dangerous because of the constant danger of nature’s backlash. Some even called them Disharmony Cultivators as it went against everything the other road of cultivation represented.
Through the time Harmony experts appeared and the realm got established, few people appeared who took the forceful approach, mostly because 9 out of 10 perished in the initial tribulation. Those who succeeded sooner or later found themselves killed by their own powers as they got stronger but were unable to control it. It was thought to be a dead end, a short few centuries with extra strength before the inevitable demise of the cultivator by his or her own powers. Until one individual broke the mold and reached Perfect Harmony, someone who went by the name of Zelig. Nobody knows how he did it as he never told anyone but since then everyone knew… It can be done.
Perfect Harmony: The last stage of the Harmony Realm. Cultivators here form a perfect cycle with their bodies and with nature in harmony. Their body transforms into that of a Demigod. To break through they need to raise their comprehension, the mental state of their existence, more precisely advance their souls.
To reach this stage one must truly be in harmony not just with nature but with himself. If there is any doubt in a person’s mind, conscious or subconscious, that would bar them from advancing to this stage. If this stage is reached, the cultivator can start merging his or her energy points into a demigod crystal. After finishing the merge he or she needs to gain control over it which is the hardest part as it depends on the cultivators' own mind and will.
Demigod Realm: The cultivator merges his or her own energy points into one, combining all of them inside his body. This can only be done at the Perfect Harmony realm where the body is capable of handling this task. After doing so, a Demigod crystal is formed and if it can be controlled by one successfully in every aspect, the cultivator advances into the Demigod Realm. The fusing of the energy points falls solely on the cultivator, there can’t be a technique or method to follow, one needs to do this by him or herself as everybody’s body is different. After this the cultivator has two options. Filling it up until it evolves into a perfect form, evolving him or her into a God. Or, starts to break it down and fuse the pieces into his or her body, taking steps towards being an Immortal.
Immortal Realm: The soul and the body is completly fused, becoming one. They can only die if they are destroyed in both body and soul at the same time. Usually reached by cutting their own cores apart multiple times, thorughout long years.
God Realm:There are two types of Gods, Natural and Uplifted. The first ones took the “Last Tribulation”, shedding their original, “mortal” body when forming their Godcore and recreate their fleshly body in the process. Those who can’t sustain their souls with their core quickly die and disappear. Uplifted Gods are weaker as they never go through the last step, relying on a natural born God to help them and uplift them to Godhood. This takes its toll on the God, doing the deed, permanently weakening their powers.
Demonic Cultivation:The demonfolks advance naturally. Their bodies form a demoncore that absorbs energy automatically and as a demon ages, he or she evolves naturally. The demon’s core acts like a Demigod’s core. The difference is when a demon forms a demoncore and fills it first, they receive a tribulation. Surviving it makes them able to turn into human form. Everytime their core is filled, a tribulation descends, and expands the core’s capacity. When they are at a stage equivalent of the Perfect Harmony, they have a harder time taking control of their demoncores. As it is filled to the brim with energy, it makes it exponentially harder to control it. But if one succeeds the demon evolves once again.
Demon Core:The source of power for demonfolks. Similar to humans power source in the later stages.
God Core: Core of Gods. Not yet explored further, but a powerful item, the power source of a God and the housing of their souls.
Awakening:
Except for beasts who born naturaly awakened, each races have a chance to have a space formed inside their bodies called spiritual world. Inside this spiritual world there a crystal seed who can be awakened when reaching adulthood which are 18 for humans. The crystal seeds, once awaken, develop a special ability who can be one of these five types : Manifestation, Transformation, Elemental, Reinforcement, and Mental. There are case of double awakening resulting in having two crystal seeds and two ability, but it's a rare case.
Cultivation:
Once a crystal seed was awakened, it would begin to transform, gradually becoming a crystal tree with roots. The crystal tree represented a cultivator. It represented their cultivation, their state of mind as well as their ability. Once the crystal seed is awaken, cultivator need to gather the energy of the universe called crystal essence through their bodies into the spiritual world to help the crystal seed to grow into a crystal tree. During this process, the gathered crystal essence can be used to strengthen the body through the cultivation by forming a path that circulate into the whole body and end in the spiritual world.
Evolution and Evolution Paths:
Once a crystal tree couldn't absorb any more crystal essence, the cultivator had to try to breakthrough those limits and cross the last 'barrier' that separates them from the next rank. Depending on a cultivator's talent, the barrier that separates them from the next rank could be breakthrough in a matter of hours, while others might not succeed even after several years.
Once the last barrier was crossed and the next rank reached, the crystal tree need to absorb a catalyst that allow the crystal tree to evolve. If the crystal tree did not undergo any evolution once a cultivator had reached a new rank for a full week, the cultivator would see their crystal essence escape from their spiritual world before their rank start to regress. If their rank regress, they could never progress through the ranks again in their entire life if they.
The catalysts used to evolve a crystal tree could be found in different forms, a natural treasure, equipment, etc... Once a crystal tree absorbs the catalyst, if it is compatible with it, it will transform into a crystal connected to its roots, becoming part of the tree. If the catalyst were incompatible with the crystal tree, it would reject it.
During the evolution, the crystal tree could greatly improve their ability, acquire new abilities, or even add a new effect to the current ability. It was not uncommon for a crystal tree to evolve to possess abilities belonging to several types, even if its foundation did not change.
Due to the need to find a good catalyst for a crystal tree in each breakthrough, Evolution paths have been created during ages to direct the evolution of a crystal tree in the desired direction. The Evolution Paths are rare ressources that common people have hard time to find and are not spread by the human government.
Mortal Realm:
The cultivation are divided into three realms which are divided into five ranks. The Mortal Realm being the first one is divided by the ranks Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Diamond. Cultivation start at rank Iron and with each breakthrough, the crystal tree evolve, enhancing the ability it awaken. During the cultivation of this realm, if a cultivator had a double awakening, there a chance of a Heavenly Tribulation to appear in each of it's breakthrough. The Heanvely Tribulation is created by the laws of the universe and target the cultivator elemental weakness (explained later) during it.
Transcendant Realm:
Second Realm of the cultivation, The Transcendant Realm is divided by the ranks, Lord, King, Emperor, Sovereign and Saint. Same as the previous realm, with each breakthrough, the crystal tree can evolve. Once reaching this realm a cultivator just need to cultivate to sustain itself without the need to eat or breath. The cultivator can use their crystal essence to fly and even move in space.
To breakthrough into this realm, a cultivator need to undergo two to three steps depending on it's choice for it's future cultivation.
The first step is to survive the Heavenly Tribulation and refine the energy of the Heavenly Tribulation. There are several methods to successfully defend itself from a Heavenly Tribulation, such as the use of defensive treasures or formation array. Using the help of another cultivator make the Heavenly Tribulation more stronger.
The second step is to separate one’s consciousness, while one party confront the Heavenly Tribulation outside one’s body, the other party must enter the spiritual world in order to divide a part of its soul to transfer it inside the crystal tree in order to feed the spirit to awaken it.
The more the spirit receives an important part of the soul of the cultivator, the more powerful it will become when its awakening is finished.
Unlike any other soul injury, feeding the spirit with our own soul has only a temporary effect on the cultivators, the spirit being a part of the cultivators and the soul always being in the same body, The recovery of the cultivator's soul will be much simpler.
Once the spirit is fully awakened and the Heavenly Tribulation is complete, the cultivator will have reached the realm of the transcendent.
Although the breakthrough to the Transcendant Realm may end at the second step, there is a third step that is also the most dangerous. This one consists in opening the paths of crystal essence inside the crystal tree that are connected to the spirit.
There are twelve paths in all, these paths can only be opened when breaking through the Transcendent Realm and for each path opened, the strength of a cultivator, its cultivation speed as well as its storage of crystal essence will increase exponentially.
To open its paths, it is necessary to use the energy of the Heavenly Tribulation. Once the awakening of the spirit has begun, the energy must be directed into one of these paths. The spirit that is just beginning to awaken will see this action as an attack and will try to defend itself by creating a mirage of itself inside the spiritual world to attack the cultivator.
This step is dangerous because it requires the cultivator to defend itself against the Heanvely Tribulation, divide its soul to completely awaken the spirit, direct the energy of the Heavenly Tribulation to open the paths of crystal essence and face the mirage created by the spirit.
Divine Realm:
Third and last Realm of the cultivation, The Divine Realm is divided by the ranks, Celestial, Ethereal, Divine, Nascent God and True God. Same as the previous realm, with each breakthrough, the crystal tree can evolve.
Upon breaking through this realm, the cultivator with the help of the spirit will create a world inside the spiritual world which reflect the crystal tree ability. This world can be used outside the body as something like a domain. (The specifity of the whole breakthrough to this realm are still not finished yet.)
Elemental Affinity and Elemental Affinity Cultivation:
Every cultivator are born with one or two elements, some really rare case may have more. These affinity toward an element have an impact in the crystal tree, resulting in some evolution paths more compatible with a crystal tree. These elemental affinities are target when facing a Heavenly Tribulation by the laws of the universe, if a cultivator with a fire affinity breakthrough the Transcendant Realm, a Heavenly Tribulation made with water element will appear.
Inside the universe, there exists a special energy called elemental particles. Cultivator can use their crystal essence to use these elemental particles to attack/defend/etc...
While cultivating near these elemental particles, cultivator can cultivate their elemental affinity which are divided into 9 ranks, Elemental Perception, Elemental Core, Elemental Conducting, Elemental Domination, Elemental Manifestation, Elemental Essence, Elemental Aura, Elemental Will and Elemental Law.
Elemental Perception: At this rank, cultivators can see and feel the elemental particles in the air, and they are able to attract more particles towards themselves. This increased perception allows them to sense the world around them in a way that ordinary people cannot.
Elemental Core: At this rank, cultivators create an elemental core inside their spiritual world by using the elemental particles.
Elemental Conducting : Cultivators at this rank can manipulate the elements more effectively, creating more powerful attacks. Allows the cultivator to draw energy from the element and use it to attack. Can fuse two affinity element together if it come from the same cultivator.
Elemental Domination : At this rank, cultivators can control the elemental particles, even in an enemy attack. If the cultivation of the elemental affinity is higher than the enemy's, the cultivator can completely control the enemy's attack and turn it back against them.
Elemental Manifestation: Cultivators at this rank can merge the element with their body, taking on the properties of that element. For example, if a cultivator has an affinity for fire, they may become immune to fire damage or be able to create flames from their body.
Elemental Essence: At this rank, the crystal essence merges with the element, becoming imperceptible to each other. This allows cultivators to use the element more efficiently and effectively, and they become more attuned to its properties.
Elemental Aura: Cultivators at this rank have an elemental aura that surrounds them, resembling a domain that is automatically renewed thanks to the elemental particles in the air. This aura is passive and constantly present, and it provides the cultivator with additional defensive and offensive abilities.
Elemental Will: At this rank, elemental particles move according to the cultivator's will, allowing them to manipulate the elements in ways that were previously impossible. The cultivator has achieved a state of enlightenment, allowing them to merge their consciousness with their element and become one with it. They gain the ability to control their element on a cosmic scale, influencing its properties throughout the universe.
Elemental Law: Cultivators at this rank can control the laws of the universe related to their element, giving them almost limitless power over that element. They can manipulate the element on a fundamental level, creating powerful attacks and defenses that can rival even the most advanced techniques of other cultivators.
This are how the elemental affinity cultivation are for now, I don't know how I will adapt/change it later.
Mine's based on dantian, five elements and the jing --> qi --> shen progression.
Everyone is born with jing, and with a tendency towards certain elements (being wood, fire, earth, water, metal).
If they have an aptitude for cultivation, they can activate their lower dantian and start producing qi. The more talent and perseverance they have, the higher the dantian they can activate. At each dantian level, there is also a level of proficiency - novice, adept and expert.
So the progression is:
First Dantian, where jing becomes qi
Second Dantian, where qi becomes shen
Third Dantian, where shen turns to wuwei (nothingness)
A person who breaks past this stage Ascends to the Immortal Realm.
In my stories, qi deviation is a strong allegory for mental health issues.
