Chapter 379: Cultivation Realms

Solomon followed her out of the administrative building. She led him back down the winding stone paths, navigating through the lush gardens until they reached the edge of the pavilion grounds. They climbed a massive, ancient tree with incredibly thick, sprawling branches that extended far out over the edge of the mountain, jutting out into the open sky directly above the cloud layer.

Yin Hua gracefully walked out onto one of the thickest branches and asked Solomon to sit on the very edge, letting his legs dangle over the terrifying drop.

Solomon looked down into the swirling, bottomless sea of clouds far below his boots. "Is there some kind of monster living down there?"

"I honestly wouldn’t know," Yin Hua responded calmly, sitting down right beside him. "Because those who have fallen down there have never returned to tell us."

[NewbHunter: well that is reassuring.]

[OldTimer: perfect spot for a training montage.]

[1Fizzy: do not slip Solo Man.]

[sgtcwby: bro is entirely unbothered by the drop.]

Solomon sat comfortably on the edge.

Yin Hua smoothed her violet robes and looked at him. "Yue told me to teach you everything from the very beginning. So, I will start with the fundamental basics of our world’s cultivation."

She raised a delicate finger. "There are several distinct, ascending realms of cultivation. Every single cultivator must pass through these stages to achieve true power. The first is Qi Condensation, where a cultivator learns to absorb ambient spiritual energy and builds the first physical foundation for their body. The second is Foundation Establishment, where one stabilizes their internal meridians and creates a true, solid base for executing stronger techniques."

She continued listing the realms, her voice calm and educational. "Core Formation involves compressing that gathered energy into a dense, internalized true core, sharply increasing one’s raw power and physical longevity. Nascent Soul is a profound stage where a cultivator forms a spirit-like soul body that can actually survive and act independently of their physical flesh."

"Spirit Transformation greatly strengthens one’s divine sense and grants absolute control over spiritual energy. Void Refinement allows a master to touch the fundamental laws of space, making them incredibly difficult to restrain or kill. Body Integration fuses the physical body and the spiritual soul more completely, boosting overall mastery and survivability. "

"And finally, Mahayana, which reaches the near-peak of mortal cultivation and actively prepares the cultivator for divine transcendence."

She lowered her hand. "Furthermore, every single one of those realms is divided into specific stages: Early, Middle, Late, Peak, and Perfect. Advancing through these realms is incredibly arduous. It takes decades of meditation, flawless resource management, and profound enlightenment. It is an impossible journey for most mortals."

Solomon listened carefully, committing the terminology to memory. ’Tower Master told me earlier today that I was already at the Late Stage of the Qi Condensation realm,’ Solomon thought to himself, staring out at the clouds. ’Which means I still have a long way to go to reach the top. I wonder what touching the laws of space or forming a Nascent Soul actually feels like.’

"Since you are just beginning your education, we will focus entirely on the Qi Condensation realm today," Yin Hua stated gently. "I will explain the concept of spiritual cores, what they are, and exactly how they help channel your—"

"I already know about the cores," Solomon interrupted politely. "Yue told me about them in the carriage."

Yin Hua looked surprised. "She did? How many cores have you successfully unlocked so far?"

"Five," Solomon responded casually. "I just need to unlock the navel core and the mind core now."

Yin Hua gasped, her eyes widening in shock. "You unlocked five cores without knowing a single thing about foundational cultivation theory?! How is that even possible?!"

"Yue helped me with the theory," Solomon explained, shrugging his shoulders. "And my chat gave me some really good tips on how to feel the energy."

Yin Hua stared at him, completely flabbergasted. "If you have truly unlocked five cores, then you are already in the Late or Peak stage of Qi Condensation. You just need a breakthrough to enter the next realm entirely."

She quickly adjusted her lesson plan, realizing she was dealing with an unprecedented anomaly.

"Since you are already this far along, I will simplify the biological mapping for you," Yin Hua explained, shifting closer on the branch. "The Qi Condensation realm primarily focuses on the outer extremities. The Heart Core builds your baseline vitality, circulation, endurance, and early burst power. The Two Shoulder Cores improve your physical balance, arm strength, qi flow, weapon handling, and striking power. The Two Hip Cores strengthen your combat stance, movement speed, dodging capabilities, lower-body kinetic force, and overall stability."

She pointed toward his stomach. "To break through into Foundation Establishment, you must properly open the Navel Core. This stabilizes your body’s central energy hub, vastly improving your overall storage capacity, internal defense, and spiritual control."

She then pointed toward his chest and head. "Entering Core Formation requires condensing all that power into a stable main source, known as a true core or Dantian, causing an exponential jump in raw strength and stamina. Finally, to reach Nascent Soul, you must begin unlocking the Mind Core, or let it emerge naturally through the refinement of your divine sense. This awakens your soul-level awareness, drastically sharpening your perception, reaction speed, and technique control."

Yin Hua’s gaze drifted to the sword strapped securely across Solomon’s back. "You should remove that heavy weapon first," she advised gently. "The sheer weight and the lingering aura of the blade will interfere with your internal circulation. Once it is removed, please sit in the lotus position so we can begin the practical class."

Solomon nodded in agreement. He carefully stood up on the thick branch, walked back toward the sturdy base of the ancient tree, and unbuckled the leather strap. He leaned Eden’s Penance securely against the trunk, ensuring it wouldn’t accidentally slide off the edge into the abyss.

He walked back out onto the branch and sat down directly beside Yin Hua, crossing his legs into a comfortable lotus position.

He rested his hands on his knees, palms facing upward, and closed his eyes.