Creation 1: The Elements

You are running along a tiled path. In your hands you hold a luminescent orb, and behind you bay a pack of dragon hounds. You slipped past them to enter the vault they were guarding and stole the seed of life. Now they want to tear your flesh from your bones. Each one is twice your size with thick hide, razor claws, and a mouth full of fire. But you are laughing.

For this is the last trial. You already navigated through the maze of ten thousand shadows. You beat the Ice Court in a game of poetry and wit. You fought the four tailed toad to retrieve the key to the vault. Your armor is rent and torn. You have lost your sword, and your left arm is twisted unnaturally. But you did it. The seed of life is cradled in your palm. You are almost done.

You whip behind an elegant column as a torrent of fire rushes past you. The dragon hounds are certainly not making your escape easy. Counting ten breaths you darted out again just as the fire ended. The tiles click beneath your boots as you run. You can see the exit gate now. A towering edifice that is slowly closing in front of you. With a final burst of speed you propel yourself through just as the gate slams shut behind you.

Holding up your prize you laugh and laugh again. Then your breath catches in your throat as you see the moon. The orb is giant and low. As if the moon goddess wishes to crush you underfoot for your temerity. Qi surges and you can sense divine lightning gathering above you.

As the lightning descends you:

[ ] Blast fire into the sky to destroy it
You have a three stripes Crimson Root that attunes you to the roaring inferno of the wildfire. You are quick to anger, and just as quick to laugh. Passion drives you in all things.

• +3 to Cultivation in areas rich in Fire Qi
• -2 to Combat with Water Qi Cultivators
• +3 to Fire Schools
• +3 to Combat when fighting masses of enemies

[ ] Conjure loops of water to redirect it
You have a three stripes Azure Root that attunes you to the quick raindrops and inexorable rivers. You are quick and cunning, but can draw on great strength when you need it.

• +3 to Cultivation in areas rich in Water Qi
• -2 to Combat with Earth Qi Cultivators
• +3 to Water Schools
• +3 to Combat when fighting single duels.

[ ] Raise an Earthen dome to endure it
You have a three stripes Ochre Root that attunes you to the enduring foundation of the Earth. Like a mountain you are unmovable, and few can match your strength.

• +3 to Cultivation in areas rich in Earth Qi
• -2 to Combat with Wood Qi Cultivators
• +3 to Earth Schools
• +2 to Combat of any type.

[ ] Shroud yourself in new plants to heal it.
You have a three stripes Viridian Root that attunes you to the quiet majesty of the forest and carefree plains. You are gentle and calm, bending with the vicissitudes of life, but never breaking.

• +3 to Cultivation in areas rich in Wood Qi
• -2 to Combat with Metal Qi Cultivators
• +3 to Wood Schools
• +3 to Healing and Alchemy

[ ] Drive iron spikes into the ground to trick it
You have a three stripes Golden Root that attunes you to the metal veins of the earth. You are cold, precise, and enduring. Nothing can get past your defenses be they mental or physical.

• +3 to Cultivation in areas rich in Metal Qi
• -2 to Combat with Fire Qi Cultivators
• +3 to Metal Schools
• +3 to Artifice
• Iron Skin: Negates the first injury in combat.

You survive the goddess's wrath, but you cannot relax just yet. You focus your mind inward to focus on the center of your being. This is your dantian that circulates the energy of the universe throughout your body. At least it was. The goddess has shattered your dantion into countless shards. In any other circumstance this would be a death sentence, but now it is the crucial next step in your path of cultivation.

You swallow the seed of life and shudder as its energies invigorate you. You pull the seed into what remains of your dantian and begin blending the shards with the pearlescent orb. You will shape the mass of qi into a spiritual core that will replace your dantian and serve as the center of your being for the rest of your, hopefully very long, life. Your cultivation path has led you to this moment, and now you take the next step on that path.

Which step is that?

[ ] Ignite the shards and orb into an inferno
You follow the path of the raging flames. Your path is one of raging power and constant motion. For all that it is outwardly violent however your understanding of the impermanence of all things has put you into close contact with the spirits of the world.

• +1 to Earth Schools
• +2 to Fire Schools
• +2 to Combat when fighting masses of enemies
• -2 to Combat with Water Qi Cultivators

[ ] Dissolve them into a lake
You follow the path of the still waters. Your path is one of flexibility. You can remain patient when you need to and adjust to another tactic seamlessly. You have a great understanding of all water, and know how it's great cycles influence not just the water in the ground, but the air as well.

• +1 to Wood Schools
• +2 to Water Schools
• +2 to Combat when fighting single duels.
• -2 to Combat with Earth Qi Cultivators

[ ] Mold the orb into a mountain
You follow the path of the world itself. Yours is a quiet, unassuming path that encourages stoic stubbornness and steady strength. You can speak to the rocks and stones and such is your connection that even these unliving things will tell you their secrets.

• +1 to Metal Schools
• +2 to Earth Schools
• +2 to Combat of any type.
• -2 to Combat with Wood Qi Cultivators

[ ] Grow them into a forest
You follow the path of life and growing things. Your path is one that follows the cycle of life and death. You know that great loss can be followed by unprecedented vitality and that even the toughest stone can be crushed by a patient root. You know the secrets of the plants and how each herb can be best combined with each other to encourage life.

• +1 to Fire Schools
• +2 to Wood Schools
• +2 to Healing and Alchemy
• -2 to Combat with Metal Qi Cultivators

[ ] Forge them into a furnace
You follow the path of civilization. Everything is a tool. Everything has its purpose. Nothing should be wasted. It is a cold path, but one that seeks to elevate those who walk beyond their own natures. It goes without saying that when it comes to actually forging the materials of the world you have few equals.

• +1 to Water Schools
• +2 to Metal Schools
• +1 to Artifice
• Iron Bones: Negates the first injury in combat.
• -2 to Combat with Fire Qi Cultivators

Finally, who are you?
[ ] Name (Write In)
[ ] Gender (Write In)

Mechanics

Prestige

The measure of the power of a clan has many factors. How many shops they own. How villages they control. How many cultivators they can call on. Their connections to other clans and sects. How honorable they are viewed as being, as well as how feared they are by their enemies. And of course how many spirit stones are in their coffers.

Since this game is focused on a single character who is not actually in control of the clan rather than track all of that separately it is simply abstracted into the Clan Prestige. If it is high then the clan has many resources it can bring to bear, and by extension how much they can back the MC. If it is low, then the clan will struggle to remain relevant, and the MC will have to fend for themselves.

Face
The MC does have more details tracked than the clan as a whole, but their reputation is still vitally important. Their Face statistic is how other characters, both cultivator and mortal will view them. A high Face value will lead to character more readily agreeing or backing down without a fight. While a low Face value will cause them to be recalcitrant or even make demands on the MC. Notably one tenth of the clan's prestige is directly added to the MC's Face as a modifier.

Personality
To aid in my own writing the MC will have several personality stats. Kind/Selfish, Honorable/Deceitful, Calm/Angry, Happy/Sad, and Forgiving/Grudgeful. These will be mostly in the background and hidden. However taking actions will cause them to change, and having high values in one or more stats may lock out the ability to pursue various courses of actions. For instance a very kind character would not be able to loot a village while a very selfish one would be forced to.

Actions

Everything done in the game is done through Actions. Most actions have a goal number. Upon taking an action a 2d6 plus modifiers is rolled and added to the action's value. Once this adds up to the goal number, then it is counted and as completed and takes effect. Characters can perform one action per turn per their realm. Thus soldiers could do two actions and lords could do four. The main character, as a knight, can do three actions each turn.

Secondary Characters
There are other characters in the clan besides the main character. These cannot be directly controlled. However if players want to, then they can write an omake for what a character is doing and influence what their action that turn is. New characters can be created to fill empty roles in the clan as needed.

Trouble Clocks

Time is always pressing as various external and internal troubles afflict the clan. To represent this various clocks will tick down each turn. There are four types of clocks.

Minor: A minor annoyance for the main character. Once they tick down they may lose some treasures or progress in a field of study. No one is likely to be injured or die.

Medium: An issue that needs to be dealt with. If a trouble clock is filled, then something significant will happen. Major damage will be caused to the main character's holdings, or they may suffer a serious injury. Employees may die, but it is unlikely for either the main or secondary characters to be lost unless they are already severely injured.

Major: A very serious problem is occurring that needs to be handled quickly and with care. Secondary characters may die if a major clock is filled, and possibly even the main character if they are already injured.

Severe: There is an issue facing not just you, but the entire region. If the clock fills you will face death and destruction. The normal pace of life will be disrupted until the situation can be dealt with, and many people are likely to die including the main character.

Turns

Each turn is three months. All recurring expenses such as taxes, tribute, and fees will be paid once per turn. All income will also be gained once per turn. One random clock will also advance each turn.

Techniques

Almost all actions will be modified by a character's techniques in that area. Anyone can learn a technique, but their maximum technique cap is governed by their cultivation realm. The actual learning of a technique costs TP. Initially this costs 5 TP per rank in a technique, but the cost increases by 1 TP every five ranks.

Training Points, or TP, is earned by using a cultivation technique. Unlike other techniques, cultivation techniques are not limited by a character's own realm but the grade of the cultivation technique itself. By spending an action cultivating characters can earn one tenth of their total roll as TP. For instance a character with Cultivation 10 who rolled a 7 would earn 1.7 TP, which they could spend in any way they wished. They may even increase the techniques of other characters if they wish.

Traits

In addition to the broader techniques some characters may have areas in which they are exceptionally good. Traits generally cannot be bought. Instead they are awarded for doing a particular kind of action. The main character normally earns 1 EP per turn, but may gain more from a fortuitous encounter or completely a particularly grand action. A trait costs 5 EP, and once it is bought a character can continue to upgrade it or specialize it. Specialization results in a higher total bonus, but only applies to a smaller selection of actions.

Cultivation Realms

Once a cultivator is confident in their cultivation they may attempt a breakthrough against the appropriate DC. For minor realms this is simple. If they succeed they move up, if they fail then nothing happens. Moving between major realms however is too much defiance for the heavens to stand. When a cultivator attempts to break through a major realm, then they will undergo a lightning tribulation.

For every realm they have already attained they must survive one bolt of heavenly lightning. In game terms that means they have to attempt the DC once for every realm they already have. If they fail more than half of the lightning strikes they will not only fail to ascend, but actually lose one minor realm as well. If they endure more than half of the lightning strikes, with a minimum of three, then even if they fail they will become a Half-Step cultivator as they have seen into the next realm and are on the brink of ascension. If they endure all of the lightning strikes, then they will triumphantly break through to the next realm.

These tribulations make it ever more difficult to breakthrough thus in addition to any other bonuses they may accrue cultivators may build tribulation arrays. This requires one qi infused object of their realm for each element. The Tribulation Array will shield them from half the tribulation strikes before it is destroyed. This allows cultivators to guarantee they will at worst become a half step expert.

Breaking through provides many bonuses. Higher realms of cultivation give higher technique caps, multipliers, and bonuses.

The initial technique cap is five. XP can be spent even if a technique is capped, and it will not be lost, but the technique will not increase in rank until the character's realm does. Each realm increases the technique cap by five. Despite not actually advancing a major realm, Half-Step cultivators do get the +5 increase to their technique caps.

Cultivators in higher realms are ever more powerful than their lesser brethren. In effect they get a multiplier of x2 for every realm they are above another cultivator when it comes to any kind of interaction whether it is combat or social. This multiplier may also apply to actions in the world, but it depends on the action. For instance a Martial Master could sweep through a field of low level herbs and harvest hundreds of bags of herbs, but it might take all their concentration to find and pluck a single Gold flower.

The multiplier actually starts at 1/2 for Apprentice realm and mortal characters. They are simply not very good at anything compared to cultivators. Unfortunately for them Half-Step cultivators retain their old multiplier.

In addition to their realm multiplier each minor realm, early, mid, peak, half-step, also gives an overall bonus to anything mystical they accomplish. Mostly this is combat, alchemy, artifice, and beast taming. The bonuses at each minor realm are +4, +5, +6, and +7.

Cultivation is unique in that it does not benefit from any of the increases in realm. It has no technique cap, and does not benefit from either the multiplier or bonuses. Cultivation must be earned the hard way.

Zhuge Liang

Cultivation Level: Knight, Early
Next Stage: Knight, Mid [Planting the Seed]

Age: 32 of 200 on Year 01

Face: 7
3: Knight
2: Clan Prestige
------
1: Brave
2: Hero
-1: Indecisive

Wellbeing: [ ][ ][ ]
Cultivation: Jade (7/10) (3/6)
Qi Intake: 3
Qi Pool: 3/3
Stress: 5/10
Virtue: Kindness
Vice: Sadness

Spirit Root: 3 Stripes Viridian
+3 to Cultivation in areas rich in Wood Qi
-2 to Combat with Metal Qi Cultivators

Foundation: Wood
+3 to Learning Wood Schools
+3 to Healing and Alchemy Actions

Core: Forest Core
+1 to Learning Fire Schools
+2 to Learning Wood Schools
+2 to Healing and Alchemy
-2 to Combat with Metal Qi Cultivators

General Skills
Ninja: Untrained
Merchant: Untrained
Diplomat: Untrained
General: Untrained
Sage: Gold (5)

Administrator: Iron (3) [0.6/5]


Professional Traits (Turn 0) (1 EP)
Understanding of the Path: Gain a bonus to attempting to teach or learn techniques.
Alchemist: Gain +3 TP per turn that can only be spent to advance Cultivation or Alchemy Schools.
Aspiring Administrator: Reduced stress from administrator actions. Upgradeable

Natural Talents


Cultivation Aspects


Treasures
Recipe: Flowing Ivy Elixir (Gold)
Flowing Ivy Elixir (Gold) x1

Spirit Beasts
Mountain Poplar


Total Modifiers
+3 to Cultivation in areas rich in Wood Qi
+1 to Learning Fire Schools
+5 to Learning Wood Schools
+5 to Healing and Alchemy Actions
-4 to Combat with Metal Qi Cultivators

The Zhuge Clan (Prestige: 20)

Imperial Obligations: Low
Rivals: None
Infrastructure: Low
Mortals: Low
Danger: High
Expansion: High

Clan Members

Zhuge Yahui, the Forest Shadow (Mid Gold Baron) (Relation: Friendly)
She has been the matriarch of the Zhuge clan for approximately two centuries. You do not know the details of her ascension, but have heard rumors that it was a bloody time. You and your mother have positive relations. Not as close as you would like, but you know she would still support you in most matters.

Zhuge Jiang, the Chess Master (Peak Core Lord) (Relation: Neutral)
Your eldest brother has always been very distant. Born when your mother was still a lord, he is far older than you at nearly two centuries. He has long since reached the peak of Core Lord and is merely waiting for an advantageous time to make his next breakthrough. Your relationship has been less one of siblings and more of teacher and disciple. He oversaw much of your training and was very strict in doing so.

Zhuge Xin, The Poison Phoenix (Early Core Lord) (Relation: Hostile)
Unlike your eldest brother your eldest sister is only a few decades older than you. As such she is very much in your generation. Which is somewhat unfortunate for you as while you are somewhat more talented than most she is a true prodigy. She broke through to Core Lord at the unheard of age of fifty two. She is regarded as the treasure of the clan with all the ensuing benefits. And unfortunately this has translated directly into your relationship. She regards you as weak and inferior. Someone who is not working hard enough on their cultivation.

Zhuge Huang and Zhuge Zhen, The Mischievous Twins (Late Tempered Peasant) (Relation: Neutral)
Your youngest siblings were born unexpectedly late. You and your older siblings were planned and already assigned roles in the clan nearly from birth. By contrast the twins were a surprise. Instead of strict training they were pampered and treasured by your mother. They could be talented you think, but they don't apply themselves nearly as much as they need to. Unfortunately they have grown cruel and selfish. They demand anything they want in the expectation that they'll get it.

Ruoxi Min, the Pale Lord (Peak Core Lord) (Relation: Distant)
The father of the youngest of the zhuge siblings. He is the second son of the Rouxi clan head and married your mother in a political marriage to secure an alliance between the two clans. He is the Zhuge clan's head diplomat and spends most of his time either traveling to surrounding provinces or living in the capital city of Count Ling, who your mother is the vassal of.

Retainers

An Lia - Alchemist (Mid Forged Soldier)
Your loyal right hand.

The Silver Grass Pavilion

Budget: $1 ($4 Turn 7)
Size: Small (7/10)
Facilities: Fine (6)
Expertise: Mid Soldier (Iron) (.25/Turn)
Discipline: Lacking (4) (.25/Turn)
Loyalty: Poor (3)
Reputation: Low

The Maple Cadre: 1/4

Spirit Roots

Everyone has spirit roots. They are how cultivators take in and refine Qi from their surroundings. There are quite a lot of different kinds of spirit roots however, and they have a drastic effect on a cultivator's growth. Spirit Roots are divided by their number and type of stripe. Each stripe can absorb one type of Qi in a linear amount. Two stripes can absorb twice as much as one stripe. Three stripes three times as much, and so on. There is no set limit on the number of stripes, but having more stripes is rare. Most people have one or two, with three being considered very good. Anything above that typically ensures the cultivator will become a legend.

The types of Qi that a spirit root can be are Earth, Water, Wood, Fire, Metal, Lightning, Lunar, and Solar. There are other Qi types, but spirit roots do not naturally absorb them. And changing the Qi of a spirit root is extremely difficult. Most would say it is impossible without some kind of providential incident.

0 Stripes: Null Roots
The caveat to everyone having spirit roots. Some people have a spirit root with no stripe, which means they can't absorb Qi. This is extremely rare, and considered to be a crippling disability. There is one advantage though. There are ways to artificially form stripes, but only on a Null Root. Thus someone born with a Null Root could potentially have any type they wanted, but this is very expensive and complicated. Thus most commoners are doomed to be crippled for life, while nobles will at most get a three stripe root for their null children.

1 Stripe: Minor Roots
The bog standard of all spirit roots. The majority of the people in the world have this type of spirit root. They can absorb one type of Qi and that's it. There really isn't any variation here. Technically it would be possible to get one of the rarer Qi stripes, but typically those only manifest in spirit roots with more stripes.

2 Stripes: Lesser Roots
Having two stripes of the same Qi is good. It lets you absorb twice as much. Having two stripes of different Qi is also good as you can absorb from twice as many sources. There are no bad Lesser Roots, and they typically make good, but not exceptional cultivators.

3 Stripes: Good Roots
Having three stripes of the same Qi is excellent. It allows for exceptional growth. Having three different types is also good as three of the five elements form an exceptionally stable mix even beyond the additional Qi sources. Having two of one type and one of another however is trash. It leads to Qi imbalance and an unstable foundation that can lead to physical and mental crippling without very careful, and slow, cultivation.

This is also the point where Lightning Stripes start cropping up, which most cultivators regard as some kind of heavenly cheat. Since Stripes can absorb matching Qi, and the heavenly tribulation is pure Lightning Qi.

4 Stripes: Major Roots
As always, four of the same is great. But with four stripes a mismatched stripe number leads to even worse problems than a mixed 3 stripes. Four different stripes is also something of a problem. Four is not a stable number of elements. There will be no cultivation problems, but the lack of one type of Qi can lead to mental issues. This is the source of the many strong but eccentric cultivator stories.

5 Stripes: Celestial Roots
Five of any type of stripes is amazing. Five different elements is the most stable and best cultivation base there is. A cultivator with a Balanced Celestial Root can cultivate literally anywhere. Trash roots at this level are generally regarded with extreme regret. They were so close to greatness, and yet wasted. Fortunately stripes can be pruned if the cultivator is willing to endure the painful procedure. So even a terrible Celestial Roots can usually end up as at least Good Roots.

6 Stripes: Heavenly Roots
Six Stripes are so rare that most people with this number end up with an imbalance rather than a pure root. There are only two stable configurations. Two stripes each of three elements. And all the elements plus lightning. Both of these are amazing. But in practice most people discount 6 Stripes as not even being possible.

7 Stripes: Immortal Roots
If you're lucky enough to get seven stripes of the same Qi you are set. If you are not, then there are no balanced numbers at this level. Cultivators with Immortal Roots usually cultivate so fast that they can't regulate their own Qi intake and end up going mad or turning into monsters.

8 Stripes: God Root
Oddly enough there is only one configuration of stripes for the God Root. The five elements plus lightning plus lunar and solar. A cultivator with a God Root can cultivate just by breathing. They are supreme existences recorded only in legends.

9 Stripes: ???
The cultivation scholars and mystics agree that there is no theoretical reason a spirit root couldn't have more than eight stripes. But a spirit root of that power has never been recorded, not even in legends. So they can only speculate as to what such an existence might be like.

Cultivation Realms

Tempered Peasant (80 Years)
-Cultivation Steps: 100 Days of Foundation, Tempering the Four Organs (Eyes, Lungs, Heart, Stomach)
The tempering process is what separates the great masses of mortals from the cultivators. However by the standards of every other stage it is a fairly trivial affair only involving accessing and using Qi. A tempered peasant has only taken their first steps on the paths of cultivation, but even so they are far superior to even the strongest mortal. They are stronger and faster. Have better stamina and senses that are superhuman.

Forged Soldier (150 Years)
-Cultivation Steps: Forging the Seven Bones (Spine, Ribs, Left Leg, Right Leg, Left Arm, Right Arm, Skull)
Peasants can use Qi in rudimentary ways. A Soldier takes that Qi and enhances their body to even greater heights. The difference between a tempered peasant and a forged soldier is a stark one. Once the forging process is complete they become effectively immune to weapons wielded by mortals and capable of fighting and surviving in hellish conditions.

Iron Knight (200 Years)
-Cultivation Steps: The Tree of Life (Planting the Seed, Watering the Roots, Pruning the Sapling)
-Breakthrough: Eating the Fruit
Knights are the last of the lowborn ranks. Where peasants prepare themselves to cultivate, and soldiers craft their physical bodies, Knights build their spiritual foundation in order to actively use Qi in an entirely new way. As such Knights can actually use Qi to cast techniques outside their body and reinforce their already powerful bodies. A Knight in a resting state is already an order of magnitude stronger than a Soldier, but one that is actively using Qi can wipe out entire battalions of their lessers. Generally Knights are the last group of cultivators who actively fight on the front lines of wars as anything more is seen as wasteful.

Qiongbangzi: It is illegal for commoners to attempt to cultivate to become Core Lords. Any commoner discovered attempting such is executed. To stop this happening most Knights are subjected to the Rite of Harvest where the fruits of their trees are prematurely extracted.

Core Lord (400 Years)
-Cultivation Steps: Core Formation (Sculpting the Pit, Polishing the Shell, Activating the Spiral)
-Breakthrough: Liquid Core Ignition
In the Empire Core Lords are regarded as nobility. As the name suggests core lords are concerned with fashioning the golden cores that will be the foundation of all their future cultivation. For this reason Core Lords are often regarded as the true start of cultivation with the lesser ranks simply being an extended training period for noble children.

Core Lords are of course physically more powerful than Knights, but their true strength lies in their ability to condense natural Qi into Liquid True Qi which is far denser and more powerful. This not only allows them to use far more techniques, but each of their techniques is individually more powerful.

Core Lords also gain the ability to fly using swords or other treasured artifacts. Something they use to literally look down on commoners.

Gold Baron (800 Years)
-Cultivation Steps: Building the Altar (Carving the Stand, Erecting the Walls, Grinding the Ink, The Emblem of Self)
-Breakthrough: The Final Stroke/Swearing the Oath

If the first four ranks can be termed the Foundation era then the Gold Baron is the first cultivation rank in the Insight era. Gold Barons no longer focus on mere accumulation of power instead they delve into the secrets of nature and themselves. At their most advanced stages Gold Baron can begin to gain insight on the Laws and enact some small measure of their power.

The right of the Gold Barons to lead is enshrined in Imperial Law. They are so powerful that to have them in any other position would be a waste. They can shatter mountains, redirect rivers, and incinerate entire armies of mortals with a look. But their true utility is in their ability to direct and empower lesser cultivators in large scale projects that help advance the Empire.

Gold Barons can fly innately no longer needing any external assistance.

Illustrious Count (2,000 Years)
-Cultivation Steps: Assailing the Fortress (Crossing the Lake, Gathering Companions)
-Breakthrough: The Ten Walls of Heaven/Accepting the Oath

Once a Baron understands themself they begin to turn their insight on others. Counts are concerned with the relationships between people. Vassal relations aren't just politics for them, but metaphysical connections that reveal the nature of reality to them. Very often a Count gains the most advancement not from meditation, but from taking disciples and teaching them about cultivation.

A Count is less concerned with physical power than all the previous cultivators. Which isn't to say they aren't powerful, but they are far more concerned with using their vast knowledge to oversee the productivity of their realms. A Count can and will control the weather over entire regions, reorganize the production of entire cities of mortals, and craft artifacts of legendary power. Their most powerful abilities are to store artifacts inside their own soul and force all Qi in a given area to only flow to them.

Counts are also the last cultivator an ordinary mortal is ever likely to see as they are already rare and the path higher gets ever more difficult.

Nascent Marquess (20,000 Years)
-Cultivation Steps: The Nine Layers of Domain
-Breakthrough: Spiritual Fusion/The Imperial Decree

Marquess are the first of the High Nobility. Having gained insight on themselves and insight on others they now gain insight on reality itself. A Marquess has gathered sufficient potency to peel back the layers of reality and examine the fundamental nature of the universe. This tends to make Marquess somewhat aloof and enigmatic as they can casually see into the future and past of anyone they meet.

In the Empire the Marquess are concerned with charting the course of their marches hundreds or even thousands of years into the future. A Marquess can divine the course of history they would most prefer and then alter the various aspects of their fiefs to guide it to their chosen destination either through mundane means such as issuing directives to their vassals or more directly by altering local geography and the layout of spiritual veins to better suit their needs.

A Marquess can manifest their soul domain in the area around them completely controlling reality for anyone inside the area of affect.

Profound Duke (200,000 Years)
-Cultivation Steps: Examining the Icon (???)
-Breakthrough: ???

Enigmatic figures that advise the Five Kings and the Emperor himself. They rule vast duchies, but are rarely seen in person instead acting mostly through intermediaries. It is said that a Duke is capable of enacting the Laws and even bending them briefly.

Dukes do not fight, for they wield vast powers capable of leveling regions in a blink of an eye. There are rumors that the occasional shooting star and bright flashes in the sky are Dukes taking to the heavens in order to do battle with nightmarish monsters from beyond the void.

Sage King (2,000,000 Years)
-Cultivation Steps: ???
-Breakthrough: ???

The Five Sage Kings are the pillars of the Empire. Their understanding of reality is such that they can not only employ Laws, but actually change them through their Royal Decrees. They are enigmatic figures however and spend most of their time in deep seclusion. This does not stop lesser cultivators from trying to present petitions however as simply being in their presence brings great enlightenment, and even being near their palaces is enough to benefit mightily.

Eternal Emperor (Immortal)
-Cultivation Steps: ???
-Breakthrough: ???

The center of the world, the eternal scion, the enthroned god, the Emperor has many titles. He is the font from which all authority flows and the final director of the fate of the Empire. Simply being in his presence is enough to directly sublimate lesser cultivators and thus he is solely attended by the High Nobility and a special sect known as the Archons of Tranquility.

Tribulation Saint
-Cultivation Steps: ???
-Breakthrough: ???
The Emperor is the final authority. There is not and cannot be anything more powerful than him. However sometimes in the deepest depths of night when commoners have been too deep into their drinks they speak of the Saints. Mythical figures who wander the world delivering justice and correcting the balance of the world as they see fit.

True Immortal
-Cultivation Steps: ???
-Breakthrough: ???
In the times before the Empire, before the Emperor, there are legends of immensely powerful beings. Figures who could change the world with a Word. Figures whose battles created the immense features of the world. The Abyss Ocean, the Wastes of Glass, the Spine of the World. Such legends are of course nonsense. At most distorted tales of the Emperor's own feats as he was founding the Empire.

Celestial Being
-Cultivation Steps: ???
-Breakthrough: ???
There are myths of something beyond even immortals. Of beings so vast and powerful that they can control both the earth below and the heavens above. Even among the scholars of the forbidden, however, it is uncertain if there is any truth to these legends.