The vast cosmos was divided into two great territories: the Outer Realms and the Inner Realms.
The Outer Realms stretched across an expanse so vast that even powerful cultivators struggled to comprehend its boundaries. Countless worlds existed within this territory, yet most were inhabited by relatively weak cultivators. In the majority of these realms, the strongest experts rarely advanced beyond the Divine Transformation Realm.
Those who reached such heights often sought opportunities to enter the Inner Realms, where spiritual energy was denser, cultivation resources were more abundant, and the path to greater power was considerably broader.
Only a handful of realms within the Outer Realms possessed the resources and foundations necessary to sustain Divine Transformation experts. Together, these exceptional worlds formed what was known as the Outer Divine Sector.
Among them was the Sea and Mountain Realm, home to the Shadowclaw Sect. Although the sect wielded considerable influence within its own territory, it was merely a middling power when compared with the other forces of the Outer Divine Sector.
Rumors claimed that the Sea and Mountain Realm housed five Divine Transformation experts. Their names and origins remained largely unknown to ordinary cultivators, but even the possibility of their existence was enough to command respect throughout the region.
Among the figures connected to these powerful beings was the master of the Azure Dragon Monarch, the founder of the Azure Dragon Sect. That individual had reached the Heavenly Tribulation Realm, standing just one major step below Divine Transformation.
In a cosmos governed by strength, such connections could determine the fate of entire sects.
Yet, regardless of their origins or ambitions, all cultivators began their journey from the same starting point.
The Mortal Path.
Although the path of cultivation was shrouded in countless mysteries, its foundations followed ancient laws. Those who wished to transcend their mortal limitations, extend their lifespans, and eventually challenge the heavens had to advance one realm at a time. Each stage represented a transformation of both body and soul, and every breakthrough brought new opportunities alongside greater dangers.
The journey began with the Spirit Awakening Realm.
At this stage, cultivators learned to sense the spiritual Qi permeating the world and draw it into their bodies.
Most cultivators at this stage lived for no more than 120 years.
Without a stable foundation, further progress remained difficult, and forcing a breakthrough could damage their meridians or destroy their chances of advancing.
Thus came the second realm: Foundation Establishment.
A Foundation Establishment cultivator could live for approximately 200 years, providing far more time to pursue the path of cultivation. Yet compared with the vastness of the cosmos, even two centuries amounted to little more than a brief existence.
The third realm was Core Formation.
At this stage, the cultivator's spiritual Qi no longer circulated as a relatively dispersed force. Through prolonged refinement and compression, it condensed into a Golden Core within the Dantian.
A Core Formation expert could become the pillar of a powerful sect, rule over weaker cultivators, or establish a faction of their own. In less developed realms, such individuals might even be regarded as legendary figures.
Their lifespans could reach approximately 500 years.
That transformation came with the fourth realm: Nascent Soul.
Upon reaching this stage, a cultivator's Golden Core underwent a fundamental change. Through a dangerous process of refinement, it broke down and transformed into a Nascent Soul—a miniature spiritual incarnation resembling the cultivator themselves.
Yet the process of forming a Nascent Soul was perilous. The cultivator's consciousness had to withstand immense pressure, and even a slight mistake could result in soul damage or complete failure. Many who attempted this breakthrough perished before they could complete it.
Those who succeeded, however, entered the ranks of the most influential experts in many cultivation worlds.
Their lifespans could reach approximately 1,000 years, and their strength was sufficient to determine the balance of power between major sects.
But beyond Nascent Soul lay a realm that demanded far more than the accumulation of spiritual energy.
The fifth realm was known as Heavenly Tribulation.
At this stage, cultivators began undergoing profound transformations under the pressure of heavenly tribulations.
Surviving these trials strengthened their bodies, refined their souls, and pushed their existence further beyond ordinary mortal limitations.
Yet greater power brought greater danger.
Each tribulation threatened to destroy everything they had spent centuries building. A single failure could erase an entire lifetime of cultivation, leaving behind nothing but ashes and scattered spiritual energy.
Those who successfully endured multiple tribulations became formidable figures, often standing at the pinnacle of their respective realms.
Their lifespans could reach approximately 3,000 years.
Even so, they remained far from true transcendence. The heavens continued to stand above them, and the final realm of mortal cultivation awaited those with the strength and fortune to reach it.
Divine Transformation.
This was the sixth and highest realm of the Mortal Path.