Path of the Forgotten.

Though the heavens had long gone silent, the land had not.

On this vast and ancient continent, the ways of power had splintered into many paths — each refined by bloodshed, insight, and inheritance. At the heart of it all were two dominant systems: Spirit Beast Cultivation and Human Cultivation.

Human Cultivation – Ascending Through the Mortal Veil

Human cultivators, fragile yet resourceful, walked the path of refinement. Their journey followed a structured route, with the aim of transcending the physical body and stepping into the divine.

The core stages were:

Body Tempering (Refinement)

Strengthening flesh and bones through spirit herbs, martial practice, and foundational Qi.

Qi Condensation

Drawing natural Qi into the dantian and forming a spiritual reservoir. Most disciples began here.

Meridian Awakening

Unlocking the body's internal meridians, allowing full Qi circulation and advanced techniques.

Foundation Establishment

Forming a stable core that supports higher cultivation. Here, one begins forming their Dao Seed, or path of enlightenment.

Core Formation

The spirit core takes shape, allowing for condensed, explosive power. A cultivator's life essence grows stronger.

Nascent Soul and Beyond…

Souls split, domains are born, and cultivators ascend toward immortality — if they can survive.

Each stage had branches and deviations, such as Body Cultivation, Soul Cultivation, or elemental alignments. But all human cultivation relied on harmony with the Heaven and Earth Qi. And therein lay the fatal flaw.

> "What if Heaven rejects you?"

Some, like Lin Feng, would one day learn the answer.

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Spirit Beast Cultivation – Awakened Blood and Ancient Instinct

Spirit beasts were born of the world itself — manifestations of elemental force, bloodline, and evolution. Unlike humans, they did not cultivate through study or theory. They awakened.

Through battles, blood, devouring lesser beasts, or forming symbiotic bonds with elements or mystical places, they refined their forms and spirit cores. Their path was primal but ancient — often more in tune with the world than the proudest human cultivators.

Their ranks:

Feral – Beast without spiritual awakening, driven by instinct.

Awakened – Intelligence blooms, Qi stirs, cultivation begins.

Spirit Beast – A true cultivator. Possesses a core. Can form contracts or speak in ancient tongues.

Lord-Rank – Commands territory, influence, and aura. Often worshipped or feared.

Sacred Beast / Mythic Class – Rare beings tied to ancient bloodlines or extinct races. Some beasts gained human form. Others developed unique domains. A few ancient beasts walked the path in reverse — seeking mortality to break Heaven's chains.

> "Where humans sought to ascend… beasts often sought to remember."

And somewhere in between… lay the hybrids. Forbidden. Feared. Forgotten.