In the Cultivation Chamber, Ming Hao sat upright on a meditation cushion, took out the cultivation method he had carefully selected from the Hall of Cultivation Method, and began studying it intently.
So what if it's incomplete? So what if it's difficult to cultivate? he thought.
I, Ming Hao, have never encountered a cultivation method I couldn't master...
Ming Hao promptly settled into meditation and began cultivating.
Time slipped by, and two days passed in the blink of an eye.
That morning, Ming Hao suddenly received a message from Fatty Zhang:
"Today, the sect elders will explain all kinds of cultivation fundamentals especially for you newly admitted disciples. The lecture will be held at the Inner Gate Plaza, and both new and veteran disciples may attend. Junior Brother Ming Hao, come quickly! This is a rare opportunity!"
Upon reading the message, Ming Hao immediately stopped cultivating. After washing up, he pushed open the door and stepped outside.
Fatty Zhang, however, had already been waiting at the door for quite some time, as though he had known Ming Hao would come.
Unless other important matters kept them occupied, newly admitted disciples usually attended, as did many veteran disciples.
After all, a lecture of this scale was held only once every hundred years. Most of the time, they had to feel their own way forward.
Not everyone came from a powerful organization and possessed a clear understanding of this world's cultivation realms.
Most disciples came from ordinary lineages or humble backgrounds and knew only scraps. Not everyone could reach higher levels, after all. The knowledge of wealthy scions and common folk differed as greatly as heaven and earth!
"Sorry to have kept you waiting, Senior Brother," Ming Hao said with a smile.
"Not at all, not at all. I only just arrived myself."
Fatty Zhang waved his hands repeatedly.
The two then chatted as they made their way toward the Inner Gate Plaza.
When they reached the plaza and looked out, they saw a dense sea of people packed shoulder to shoulder, gathered in little groups and conversing quietly. The place was bustling.
Ming Hao and Fatty Zhang found a corner along the edge and waited quietly.
Another hour passed before several thousand elders appeared in the distance, riding auspicious clouds.
Upon drawing near, the elders spread out around the entire plaza and set up a Synchronized Amplification Formation, along with four enormous projection screens displaying synchronized text.
After all, the inner disciples came from every corner of the world and spoke with different accents. It was only natural that some disciples below would have trouble understanding what was said above, making the synchronized text projections necessary.
Once everything was ready, a white-haired but vigorous old man stepped forward from among the seven or eight elders on the broad platform at the front and spoke in a resonant voice:
"First, allow me to introduce myself. I am the Second Elder of the Misty Sect. I also welcome all our newly admitted disciples to the Misty Sect."
He swept his gaze over the crowd below, paused briefly, and continued:
"Do you know what rank our world belongs to, or where it is located?!"
"We don't know..."
"I know! It's a small world."
"The immortal realm..."
An uproar immediately rose below as everyone offered their own opinion.
"Wrong. You are all wrong."
The crowd instantly fell silent, waiting for the Second Elder to continue.
Clearly pleased, the Second Elder went on:
"The Xuanhuang Continent where we live was once at the center of this universe. It was one of the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, which possessed the richest spiritual energy and the vastest territories in the universe.
"In an unimaginably distant ancient age, a demon-extermination war erupted across the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands and swept through the entire universe. In that battle, heaven collapsed and earth shattered, heaven and earth were overturned, countless worlds crumbled, blood flowed in rivers, and the world itself mourned as the population dwindled.
"It was during that incomparably devastating demon-extermination war that the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands were all shattered, broken into countless fragments and numerous small worlds. The Xuanhuang World where we live is one of them."
Having finished, he watched the countless dumbstruck disciples below with an expectant expression. As though some peculiar private indulgence had been thoroughly satisfied, the corners of his mouth curled upward.
After a little while, seeing that the disciples below had more or less digested this enormous amount of information, he continued:
"Worlds can be ranked according to factors such as their size, the density of their spiritual energy, and how much power they can withstand, as follows:"
Mortal realm, lower realm, immortal realm, upper realm, small world, great world, Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, universe.
"Now that the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands have been shattered, four great worlds occupy the central region. None has managed to evolve further into new Nine Heavens and Ten Lands!
"The small Xuanhuang World where we live is stronger than ordinary small worlds, yet just a little weaker than a great world.
"Now that you understand how worlds are ranked, who knows the precise divisions of cultivation realms?!"
With that, he fell silent and watched the crowd below break into discussion.
"I know this one! From the qi refining realm to the heavenly immortal realm."
"..."
"Quiet! The realms you mentioned do exist, but that isn't detailed enough!"
Everyone held their breath and strained their ears.
"From lowest to highest, the cultivation realms are:
"Mortal realm, body tempering, qi refining, foundation establishment, golden core, nascent soul.
"Soul departure, spirit transformation, divided spirit, body integration, void insight, great vehicle, tribulation transcendence.
"Human immortal, earth immortal, heavenly immortal, true immortal, mystic immortal, golden immortal, great yi realm, great luo realm.
"Quasi-saint, saint, mystic saint, earth saint, heavenly saint, saint master, saint emperor.
"Great Emperor, imperial lord, imperial king, imperial sovereign, heavenly emperor.
"If you wish to ask whether there are realms above heavenly emperor, the answer is certainly yes. In our small world, reaching the heavenly emperor realm already makes you practically one of the strongest beings. In principle, breakthroughs beyond that are not permitted within this world.
"Do not reach for heights beyond your grasp. Simply cultivate with your feet planted firmly on the ground.
"Are you curious why you have never heard of the mortal realm or body refining?"
The Second Elder on the broad platform deliberately dangled the question before them.
"Second Elder, why is that?"
"Why do we only know about the qi refining realm and above?"
"Don't we all begin cultivating from the qi refining realm?"
Discussion rippled through the crowd below.
When he judged the moment right, the Second Elder spoke again:
"Because worlds differ in rank. Our small world is rich in spiritual energy, so from birth, all of you start at the qi refining realm at the very least.
"Even a pig can absorb spiritual energy and cultivate. As long as they are willing to work hard at cultivation, even the lowliest ordinary people can become exalted immortals in the eyes of those from the mortal realm!
"This is your innate advantage. From the very beginning, you have already surpassed countless people, and your cultivation aptitude is generally several times greater than that of people from the upper realm and the like!
"The mortal realm and body tempering realm exist only in the mortal and lower realms.
"The mortal realm in particular has such thin spiritual energy that it resembles an age of declining cultivation. Cultivation is difficult there, and anyone fortunate enough to enter the mortal cultivation realm already possesses tremendous providence. Almost ninety-nine percent are ordinary mortals, unable to cultivate!
"The lower realm is considerably better. Its spiritual energy is not too thin, allowing most people to begin cultivating, though they must also start from the mortal realm. Most toil through their entire lives without ever breaking through to the qi refining realm.
"The immortal and upper realms are like our small world: infants start at the qi refining realm from birth. Their physical strength and aptitude are on an entirely different level from those of the lower realms.
"Of course, those in the immortal and upper realms cannot compare with us either. Most of their cultivators struggle their entire lives without ever catching up to us!"
Having talked himself hoarse and thirsty, the Second Elder took out a teapot and gulped down its contents.
Many disciples below wore stunned expressions, feeling that their eyes had truly been opened. Once, they had known only the little patch of land within their sight; now, they felt they could gaze across the entire universe. Quite a few immediately swelled with confidence, feeling as though they had what it took after all!
"Do you know how the Xuanhuang World is divided into regions?"
"We know this one..."
"There are eight major regions."
"Which eight?!"
"The Eastern Region, Western Region, Northern Region, Southern Region, Central Region, offshore island groups and the connecting archipelago between our Eastern Region and the Western Region, the Southern Sea, and the Northern Sea."
The cultivation lecture did not conclude until the sun sank in the west, and everyone left still hungry for more.
"Your stomach must be growling too, Senior Brother, right? Let's go to the Dining Hall. This junior brother will treat you!"
Ming Hao rubbed his stomach, which had gone several days without food.
"Then sorry for making you spend money, Junior Brother."
Fatty Zhang did not stand on ceremony. The two hurried toward the Dining Hall, afraid that if they arrived too late, not even soup would be left.