The mighty Celestial Bing Meilu, transmigrated into the body of her child self, must survive in a dangerous Xianxia world all the while staving off the advances of arrogant young masters and wannabe protagonists alike.
Long ago, the Lord of the Great Flock and the many demonic birds that followed him were slain in a cataclysmic battle.
The corpses of the many birds of his flock slowly became the foundation for the birth of the Great Flock Realm, a self contained realm with its own system of natural laws, Dao of Heaven and cycle of reincarnation.
The Great Flock Realm contains one Immortal Kingdom, twelve Great Realms, thousands of Worlds and millions of Continents and Islands.
The Jade Sparrow World
A world created from the decaying corpse of an ancient Jade Sparrow. It consists of an unfathomable massive ocean that contains six main landmasses and a higher world core.
The Bird Talon Continent and Twelve Headed Bird Sect
Also referred to as the Jade Talon or Sparrow Talon Continent. A huge talon shaped land mass. The wide northern base is dry of spiritual energy, while the more one heads towards the southern tip the denser the energy becomes.
The Continent is divided into twelve prefectures from north to south, each ruled according to the inner rankings of the Heads of the Twelve Headed Bird Sect which controls the continent.
The Twelve Headed Bird Sect is not, as it might first seem, a confederacy of twelve branches, rather there is a Core Sect with twelve distinct tributaries subordinate to it. The Core Sect has no official name beyond simply called the Twelve Headed Bird Sect. It was founded according to an Immortal level inheritance from the higher worlds, a drop of blood from the Amalgam Mercury-Fowl. The members of the Core Sect can practice any type of cultivation imaginable, all of which are compatible with the legacies created from the Amalgam Mercury-Fowl. They are the least homogenous or focused on any particular thing of the Hegemon Sects.
Due to the amalgamating properties of the sect, they have acquired twelve lesser inheritances over time, each founding a subordinate sect that becomes a new Head of the Sect. If a new legacy of a high enough level is found, a new Head will be grafted and the sect will expand.
Currently, the twelve heads are ranked as follows.
Sky Swallowing Gulper Armada
Naval focused sect with three main inheritances, the main one focused on the devouring of Heaven Qi
Order of Sharpened Heaven Peng
Sword cultivation sect focused on battles and duels
Moon-Crying Swan Palace (Destroyed)
Ice and yin focused sect, generally only had female disciple, with few exceptions
Skylark Call Valley
Music focused sect, very isolated, little interaction with the outside world.
Ash Laden Gate
Fire cultivation sect, renowned for being most involved and open to mortals, has a culture focused on honor and combat.
Bluewing Alchemy Academy
The alchemical monopoly of the continent, is very meritocratic and focused on education
Great Sword-Feathered Pavillion
Focused on item forging, especially swords, rival to the Treasured Steel-Beak Palace, relatively open and meritocratic
Treasured Steel-Beak Palace
Focused on item forging with a broader focus, rival to Great Sword-feathered Pavillion. Is controlled by a more closed, unmeritocratic clan system
Coupling-Bird Pavillion
Dual cultivation focused sect that eschews battle; they mainly recruit based on beauty, many top cultivators recruit spouses and concubines from their ranks due to the benefits of dual cultivation. Less rule abiding members may even prostitute themselves
Thunder-Eagle Talon Sect
Lighting cultivation focused sect, they focus on mastering battle arts
Heroic Dive Sect
They focus on mercenary work and are very decentralized
Copper Egg Sect
Metal-focused sect centred around an inheritance of an unhatched copper egg. They are far too weak to normally become a Head, and it is a mystery how they became approved by the Core Sect.
Like all of the Hegemon Sects, the core body of the sect lives upon the Jade Wings Continent, fighting for control over it with the other sects.
Important second-rate powers
-The Redscale Clan
A clan descended from a Red Drake from the Ashen Mountains that took human form and had children with a human husband. Their draconic bloodline gives them strong physical bodies and an affinity for fire and bestial Qi. They were close to the Moon Crying Swan Palace despite living in the Sky Swallowing Prefecture.
-The Grand Talon Trading Corporation
The premier merchant company on the continent, they focus on delivering orders to effectively any part of the continent. Some suspect them to be secretly backed by the Gold-Jade Nest.
-Heaven-Rejecting Conference
A loose coalition of low-key demonic sects and cultivators dedicated to 'one day' wiping out the Twelve-Headed Bird Sect, a complete pipe dream. They spend most of their time on the run from being exterminated but are still the leading demonic sect on the Continent.
- The Yellow Cloud Tribe
A tribe of people native to the Peela Badaal Secret Realm, they interact little with the continent but are forced to accept travel by outsiders through their secret realm by the Twelve-Headed Bird Sect
-Eastern Enlightenment Hall
A Buddhist sect located on an island to the west of the Bird Talon Continent. They practice accumulation-style cultivation and have an extremely ancient lineage, some say even older than the Twelve-Headed Bird Sect
The Bird Talon Continent contains nine well-known special travel methods.
The Malignant Road
The Xiaomi Jin(Small Secret Gold)
The Folded Seas
The Gates of Marrow
The Peela Baadal(Yellow Cloud) Secret Realms,
Meng's Hollowed Veins
The Flesh Mountains
The Bird Beak Continent and the Migrating Flock
Also referred to as the Jade Beak or Sparrow's Beak Continent. A beak-shaped landmass, with two long parts joined at the base. The Continent has a relatively uniform spiritual energy. Due to its unique nature as a beak, where food is devoured, it can rapidly regenerate spiritual energy to refill a depleted area, before peaking. As such, the most ideal method is for one group to completely use up an area before moving on to another, birthing the unique culture of the Migrating Flock.
The Continent is divided into nine sections, each containing a Nest that can house the whole Flock. When a Nest is not in use, a small skeleton crew dedicated to managing that one nest rule. Competition between the skeleton crews of each nest is fierce, despite their lack of importance to the Migrating Flock.
The Migrating Flock have no branches and are highly centralized. They were founded according to an ancient bird song heard from the higher realms. As the bird song is an aspect of the communication between multiple birds, it served as the foundation for a potent art of Formations and arrays that act as the core of the flock's power, alongside a strong tradition of music and information-related cultivation.
Like all of the Hegemon Sects, the core body of the sect lives upon the Jade Wings Continent, fighting for control over it with the other sects.
The Sparrows Tail Continent and the Gold-Jade Nest
Also referred to as the Jade Tail or Bird Tail Continent. A landmass made up of numerous 'feathers' joined at the base.
The Gold-Jade Nest is founded based on the empty nest that once contained the children of the Jade Sparrow itself. As such, they claim to be the true, orthodox inheritors of the Jade Sparrow World.
Those of the Gold-Jade Nest cultivate Yin-metal, jade, trade and the Dao of wealth. Due to their status as 'lowly' traders, their claim to be the rightful rulers of the Jade Sparrow World is deemed illegitimate by the other sects who are more focused on combat.
The Shattered Shell Continent and the Kunpeng Emperor's Hold
A continent made up of seven shattered pieces that collectively resemble a shell. The Kunpeng Emperor's hold does not bother administrating the shells, so long as tribute comes in, they allow the shells to fight each other, rebel against their rulers and more. Instead, those of the sect live in monasteries at the top of mountains and bottom of lakes and oceans, disconnected from the mortal world.
The Kunpeng Emperor's Hold were founded according to the feather of a kunpeng from the higher worlds. They overthrew and replaced the previous Hegemon of the Shattered Shell Continent, and they claim to be the strongest of the Four Hegemon Sects. When it comes to direct one on one combat that claim is true, but they lack much of the arts that allow for collective power like Formations of the other sect, making the contest equal despite their superior combat strength.
The Kungpoeng Emperor's Hold focus on raising tamed beasts and Body Cultivation. They are the most ascetic of the sects and eschew worldly things to cultivate the methods derived from the heaven-spanning Kunpeng that soars far above worldly things
Like all of the Hegemon Sects, the core body of the sect lives upon the Jade Wings Continent, fighting for control over it with the other sects.
The Jade Wings Continent and the Four Hegemons
Also referred to as the Birds Wings or Sparrow's Wings Continent. It is actually made up of two separate land masses connected by natural law, a west wing and an east wing. The spiritual energy and laws of the Jade Wings Continent are far superior to the other continents, it is much larger as well. It is the only of the five continents complete enough to allow for Immortal Ascension, part of why controlling it is so important.
The Four Hegemon Sects each control a piece of the Jade Wings Continent and compete with the teacher in a cycle of cold and hot wars over more control.
The Jade Heart Palace - The World Core
The Jade Heart Palace is the 'core' or 'nexus' of the Jade Sparrow World, a place where the natural law of all the landmasses mingle. It exists in a metaphysically higher plane than the rest of the landmasses. One can only reach it either by ascending to Immortality, or when it opens to the world every 555 years.
The whole area manifests as a massive palace, naturally created by the Dao of Heaven. It is filled with countless incredible treasures, some naturally born from the world, some left behind by ascending immortals, and some drifting in from other worlds. It is said that every great treasure lost in the Jade Sparrow World eventually ends up here.
The area is managed by the Jade Heart Palace, an organization of the same name, made up of immortals who gave up their chance to ascend to the higher worlds and tied themselves to the natural laws of the Jade Sparrow World forever more in return for extending their lifespan. These immortals manage the cycle of reincarnation and countless other aspects of the natural law of the Jade Sparrow World.
A compendium of common terms. Will be updated as the story progresses
Spirit Beasts
Also known as Demon Beasts or Magical Beasts, and if aquatic, Sea Beasts. These are beings, who as part of their natural lifespan and bloodline, cultivate and grow stronger. They can come in a myriad of varieties. Many Demon Beasts are often extremely violent and will attack Human settlements. However, they can also usually be tamed and some are used for combat, travel and other purposes by cultivators. Demon Beast parts have many uses, including in alchemy, certain cultivation methods, item forging and more.
Sea Beasts
Aquatic variations of Demon Beasts. They often harass ships and are one of the main reasons that movement between landmasses is dangerous and difficult. Since human beings have dominated most of the land but not the waters, Sea beasts are far more plentiful and dominant than their terrestrial counterparts
Demons
Beings that are non-human and do not possess the natural power to cultivate through their bloodline that have nevertheless gained sentience and began to cultivate. This is often due to an extreme concentration of Spiritual Energy or Qi around them for a long time. They can be anything, such as a tree, rock or bird. A strong enough Demon can give birth to a new Spiritual Beast bloodline, and it is said all spirit beasts ultimately trace their bloodlines to ancient Demons who forced a concession from the Dao of Heaven. While Demons are not explicitly malevolent, they are, like human cultivators, naturally rebelling against the Dao of Heaven and they often face fierce tribulations.
Devils
Beings from the Pit, also known as the Underworld. They are manifestations of extreme Yin. Devils are not 'necessarily' malevolent, as Yin is supposed to have its place in existence. However, Yin without Yang becomes cruel and all-devouring. Devils tend to endlessly scheme against the highest heavens and are the source of the greatest works of cruelty. Even wise demonic cultivators will usually join hands with the orthodox to exterminate any trace of the devilish, for they represent a threat to existence itself and seek to exterminate everything.
The Pit
Also known as the Underworld. An abyssal source of blasphemy, it is the enemy of existence and the source of Devils. If, of the four symbols, Earth is Younger Yin, and Heaven is Younger Yang, the Pit is Older Yin and it is opposed by a higher form of the Heavens.
Undead
Beings born by the breaking down of the cycle of life, including Jiangshi, Ghouls, Ghosts and more. The difference between forms of undead is as vast as the difference before forms of life, but they are united by a universal principle of yin resentment.
Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth
The term used to refer to Qi in its raw, unrefined state under the control of the natural laws of the world. It can be aligned to various more specific elements.
Heavenly Tribulation
A Tribulation is the punishment of the Heavenly Dao that occurs when one breaks through a Realm. It is usually a manifestation of thunder, but as one advances they can be far more esoteric. Usually, they also contain a measure of life force that can be used to baptise and improve your body and vitality.
Qi
A mystical energy refined from the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth. It is usually aligned to a specific element.
The Dao of Heaven
Also known as Heaven, the Heavens or the Heavenly Dao. The gestalt Will of natural law. It governs the cycles of the world and manages Karma. It is a manifestation of Yang as the outgoing, dominating principle. Yin receives, Yang creates, therefore the one who mandates rules and laws is of Yang despite the fact that Heaven and Earth are truly one and the same from a certain perceptive. Heaven is revered by some and despised by others, but none doubt its existence. The Heavens are heavily bound by rules, but still have enough discretion to reward those they favour and punish others.
Immortal
A term used to refer to cultivators by mortals, although in truth most cultivators are not even close to real Immortality
Cultivator
The accurate term for someone who cultivates to elevate themselves. Cultivators generally join together into clans and organizations with a unified inheritance but not all do so.
Mortal
A human who does not cultivate. This was the intended fate for humans, so mortals are beloved by the Dao of Heaven and interfering with them, such as by refining them like demonic cultivators, is a grave offence.
Dantian
Dantians are a spiritual organ located in the stomach. They act as the basis for cultivation. Most Dantians are of imperfect quality and leak more Qi than can be put into it. Only those with perfect, unbroken dantians have a chance to cultivate. This trait is mostly genetic, so it's uncommon for a cultivator to birth someone incapable of cultivation.
Meridian Channels
Invisible, spiritual channels centered around the Dantian that run through the whole body and distribute Qi through it.
Apertures
The points on the meridian system where it connected to the outside world.
Constitution
A special power or trait acquired when an unborn baby is exposed to Qi. They can have all sorts of major effects.
Bloodline
Special powers or traits unique to a bloodline, usually belonging to a particular clan or lineage. These can be the results of breeding between humans and Spiritual Beasts or a Constitution that became hereditary.
Alchemist
Also known as Pill Refiners, though they find the word insulting. Cultivators who pursue the Dao of the Alchemy, which often involves the refining of consumables, like powders, pills, elixirs and salves with a myriad of mystical effects.
Magical Treasure
Interchangeably referred to with the terms 'magical' 'spiritual' as prefixes for Item, Treasure or Artifact. An item imbued with Qi in some way, often a formation, that can perform various supernatural processes.
Spirit Stone
A stone that has absorbed Qi from the air, they are very useful to cultivators and thus very expensive. Some spirit stones have absorbed specific elemental Qi and are worth far more.
Formation
Also known as Arrays, these are magical patterns that utilize Qi and Spiritual Energy to accomplish some task. The components of a formation could be humans, carved nodes or even natural mountains. Formations are used as the basis of much forging and automation.
Automaton
Also known as Puppets. Magical Treasures that act independently, usually powered by formations and spirit stones.
Dao
There are two main aspects to Dao, which means 'Way'. One is a personal path or lifestyle. 'I cultivate the Dao of the Sword' 'Surrendering is against my Dao'. The other is the broad, universal Dao, which is said to be an unknowable principle that is the mother of all creation. This may be also called 'The Great Dao' or 'The Three Thousand Daos'.
Cultivation Manual
A specific pathway of cultivation. These all differ greatly and are the determining source of one's power. Usually, these manuals are passed down and improved over countless generations.
Battle Skill
Also known as a technique or art. These utilize Qi or some other source to allow for supernatural feats like flying or breathing fire.
Clan
A family of cultivators centred around a unique inheritance. Multiple Clans can exist in one organization. Clans often have competing sub-branches.
Sect
An organization of cultivators. They can come in all forms, from armies, to companies to dynasties.
The Procession of Daoist Cosmology - An Informal Primer by Ninjastar Part 1
The Procession of Daoist Cosmology - An Informal Primer by Ninjastar Part 1
A primer for many aspects of Daoism, cosmology and the cultivation system based on numerous online sources from well known sources like wikipedia and wuxiaworld to niche transcribed pdfs and self-help feng shui sites, as well as my own knowledge from reading and writing tons of Xianxia. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me, if you think I missed anything or got something wrong, feel free to correct me.
If you find this primer useful and want to reward me for all the research I ended up doing, feel free to leave a like/informational, and give me a good review on royal road
I've linked some of the sources I used throughout the primer and at the bottom. Some of them lead to shady self-help scam-likely feng shui websites, so peruse at your own risk.
Some of the images/diagrams may be hard to see depending on your style/theme, so feel free to change them to see better.
Overview
From Wuji or Nothingness, came Taiji, the Supreme Ultimate.
From Taiji came the Liangyi, the duality of Yin and Yang
From Yin and Yang came the Four Symbols, Sixiang.
From Sixiang came the Eight Trigrams, Bagua.
From Bagua came the sixty-four hexagrams, I Ching, which represented all of creation.
This is what I've come to call the procession of daoist cosmology. It's a version of an explanation found in the Book of Changes about cosmology. Here's what Wikipedia has to say on the matter.
In Change there is the Supreme Polarity, (太極; Taiji),
which generates the Two Modes. (兩儀; Liangyi)
The Two Modes generate the Four Images, (四象; Sixiang)
and the Four Images generate the Eight Trigrams. (八卦; Bagua).
This explanation would later be modified to:
The Limitless (Wuji) produces the delimited, and this is the Absolute (Taiji). The Taiji produces two forms, named Yin and Yang. The two forms produce four phenomena, named lesser yang, great yang (tai yang also means the Sun), lesser yin, great yin (tai yin also means the Moon). The four phenomena act on the eight trigrams (ba gua), eight eights are sixty-four hexagrams
Wuji 無極. Linguistically, it is the compound of the character Wu, which means 'nothingness' 'emptiness' and Ji which means 'ridgepole', a part of a roof. Together, it means something that has no limit, i.e 'without an upper roof to cap it'
Wuji can be represented by the number '0'
Wuji refers both to the concept of infinity as well to the undifferentiated, primordial state that preceded the world. Wuji is nothingness, that which has no limits, attributes or characteristics. Before there was existence, or anything, there was Wuji. Because it has no limit, it can also not have any attributes, because to mean one thing is to not mean another, to be limited. As such, within Wuji, there is nothing we could call 'existence'.
Eventually, from Wuji is born Taiji, and the whole world begins.
To the Ancient Taoists, Wuji was the Dao itself while in Neo-Confucianist cosmology, Taiji was the Dao and was preceded by Wuji.
Taiji 太極 (Literally 'great pole') refers to the 'Supreme Ultimate', the whole affair of existence, the world from beginning to end. It's the combination of Yin and Yang to create everything, the transcension of dualism to a single state that contains all. While Wuji is timeless and undifferentiated, Taiji has a beginning and an end, meaning, limits, and relativity. It is the birth of one from zero.
Taiji is the singular supreme state, the unified one origin that duality and existence derive from, a concept that describes all states, everything that exists is within the Supreme Ultimate. Taiji can be represented by the number '1', as it is the sum totality of everything.
From Taiji derives the dualistic interplay of Yin and Yang, Liangyi
Liangyi 两仪 (Literally 'Two Instruments' or 'Two Modes'
From the absolutely singular wholeness of Taiji derives Liangyi, duality. Liangyi refers to the interplay of the two principles, Yin and Yang. From their dualistic interactions, everything in existence is born and explained. It is in Liangyi that Yin is differentiated from Yang, whereas in Taiji all things are wholly unified. Therefore, Liangyi is the birth of two from one.
However, Liangyi is instead referred to as three in some daoist works. This is because they often conceived of one as Yang and Two and Yin, therefore one plus two, Yin plus Yang, becomes three, or all things.
Yang is the force that represents the outgoing principle. It is creative, active, hot, hard, masculine. It represents the sun, heat, heaven creation, life. It gives and emanates.
Yin is the force that represents the receiving principle. It is accepting, feminine, passive, soft, cold. It represents the moon, earth, stillness, tranquility, death. It accepts and draws in.
Everything in the universe has yin and yang aspects to it. A still, calm ocean is of yin, but a rampaging tsunami is of yang. All things can be expressed and manifested in countless ways according to the interplay of yin and yang.
Yin and Yang both oppose and support each other. They can interact in both destructive and reductive cycles, and the opposite, supportive and expanding cycles. Death may end life, but a mother and a father can create children.
Yin and Yang can be represented by 'yaos', or line symbols. A broken line with two halves is the Yao for Yin while Yang's Yao is represented by an unbroken singular line.
From the duality of Yin and Yang comes the Sixiang (Literally 'Four Images'), which can also be expressed as the Five Phases, Wu Xing. As you can see from the Taiji diagram above, there is a seed of yin within Yang and a seed of Yang within Yin.
These seeds are the Lesser Yin, Shaoyin and Lesser Yang, Shaoyang.
While the halves are the Greater Yin, Taiyin and Greater Yang, Taiyang.
These can also be represented by the line symbols or 'yaos'. Two Yang line is Greater Yang, while a yao of yang with a yin line above is Lesser Yang. The same follows for Yin.
Now we have our four symbols. Each refers to a mythical beast with a host of symbolic meanings.
There is Greater Yang, Taiyang. It is the Vermillion Bird. It represents the element of fire, the direction south, the season of summer and the color red. It is two Yang lines stacked atop each other, the greater half of Yang.
There is Greater Yin, Taiyin. It is the Black Tortoise. It represents the element of water, the direction north, the season of winter and the color black. It is two Yin lines stacked atop each other, the greater half of Yin.
There is Lesser or younger Yang, Shaoyang. It is the Azure Dragon. It represents the element of wood, the direction east and the season spring. It is one Yang lines with a yin line atop it, the seed of yang that exists within the greater yin.
There is Lesser or younger Yin, Shaoyin. It is the White Tiger. It represents the element of Metal, the direction west and the season autumn/fall. It is one Yin lines with a Yang line atop it, the seed of Yin that exists within the Greater Yang.
Collectively, these four symbols combine to manifest everything. However, you may have noticed that there is a fifth animal from the above diagram missing.
That is the Yellow Dragon, which represents the direction of 'center', the element of 'earth' i.e soil, the color yellow and the season of 'mudsummer'. Because it lacks a connection to the aspects of Yin and Yang as each of the other four have, it is not always included with the other four guardians.
That brings us now to a related concept to the Four Symbols, the Five Phases. Wu means five. Xing essentially means 'movement' or 'moving'. Wu Xing is often translated as the Elements, Five Agents, Five Movements, Five Phases, Five Planets, Five Processes, Five Stages, Five Steps, or Five Ways.
Many people, including myself in the past, have explained the Wuxing as the Chinese 'five elements', like a counterpart to the western four elements. This is really not the case. Each Phase of Wu Xing is more of a celestial agent of transformation than an 'element' or static substance, and the focus of the five phases is always on the transformations they bring.
Essentially, the Five Phases is the concept of a series of active, transformative cycles that form everything in heaven and earth.
The Five Phases are, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water.
Each Element interacts with each other element through Five Cycles. The elements, like all things under heaven and earth, can also manifest differently based on the interplay of Yin and Yang.
There are Five Cycles by which the Phases interact, two main ones and three lesser ones.
The first cycle is the generative or supporting cycle, it follows the five phases circularly, from fire to earth to metal to water to wood. It is the concept of how various aspects of nature give birth to each cyclically.
Wood feeds Fire
Fire produces Earth
Earth bears Metal
Metal collects Water
Water nourishes Wood
The next cycle is the destructive or overcoming cycle. It follows the pentagram you see in the image above. It is the concept of how various aspects of nature oppose and destroy each other.
Wood parts Earth
Earth contains Water
Water dampens Fire
Fire melts Metal
Metal chops Wood
Now, there are the three lesser cycles.
The overacting cycle connects the same phases as the destructive cycle, only more severely. It is the connection between a phase and the phase two segments away from it on the circle. I.e, wood generates fire, and fire generates earth, therefore wood overacts earth. Each overaction is the same as the destructive cycle, only more extreme.
Wood depletes Earth (depletion of nutrients in soil, over-farming, overcultivation)
Earth obstructs Water (over-damming)
Water extinguishes Fire
Fire vaporizes Metal
Metal overharvests Wood (deforestation
Next is the weakening or draining Cycle. It is the generative cycle but in the reverse, showing how what is generation for one element, can be the draining of another.
Wood depletes Water
Water rusts Metal
Metal impoverishes Earth (overmining or over-extraction of the earth's minerals)
Earth smothers Fire
Fire burns Wood (forest fires)
The last cycle is the insulting cycle which is the destructive cycle in reverse. It's what happens when something fails to destroy that which opposes it, or loses to an opposed force.
Wood dulls Metal
Metal de-energizes Fire (metals conduct heat away)
Fire evaporates Water
Water muddies (or destabilizes) Earth
Earth rots Wood (overpiling soil on wood can rot the wood)
So, to summarize…
Wood
Wood is related to the direction East and the colour Azure, although it can also be translated as blue or green. Wood is related to the symbol of the Azure Dragon. Wood is a manifestation of Lesser Yang of the four symbols.
Yang Wood is a mighty and vibrant forest, its explosive growth, the strength and stability of wood, the life giving properties of plants.
Meanwhile Yin Wood is like rot and poison. It's mushrooms growing over a fallen log. Poison, and toxicity and the deathly aspects of plants.
Wood feeds fire in the generative cycle.
Wood parts Earth in the destructive cycle
Wood depletes Earth in the overacting cycle
Wood deplest water in the draining cycle
Wood dulls metal in the insulting cycle.
Fire
Fire is related to the South and colour vermillion or red. Fire is related to the Vermillion Bird. Fire is a manifestation of Greater Yang of the four symbols.
Yang Fire is a raging blaze, like an uncontrollable forest fire. It spreads, forcefully giving heat and warmth.
Yin Fire is a candle or lamp, a controlled slow burn that illuminates what is around it. It is gentle, controlled and passive.
Fire produces Earth in the generative cycle.
Fire melts Metal in the destructive cycle
Fire vaporizes Metal in the overacting cycle
Fire burns Wood (forest fires) in the draining cycle
Fire evaporates Water in the insulting cycle
Earth
Earth is related to the Center. Earth is related to the colour yellow. Earth is related to the Yellow Dragon or the qilin depending on what interpretation you use.
Yang Earth is solid rocks and mountains. It is hard, and unyielding. It's earthquakes and mudslides, dams and walls.
Yin Earth is soil and sand and mud, deserts, fertile land. It is the soft, receiving, loose aspects of earth.
Earth bears Metal in the generative cycle.
Earth contains Water in the destructive cycle
Earth obstructs Water (over-damming) in the overacting cycle
Earth smothers Fire in the draining cycle
Earth rots Wood (overpiling soil on wood can rot the wood) in the insulting cycle
Metal
Metal is related to the direction West and the colour White. Metal is symbolized by the White Tiger. Metal is a manifestation of Lesser Yin of the four symbols.
Yang metal is weapons of war, arrowheads and swords and the like. It's steel and iron, hard and unyielding and poised to kill.
Yin metal is jewels and finery, Jade or Gold. It's necklace and bracelets, chains and ostentatious displays.
Metal collects Water in the generative cycle.
Metal chops Wood in the destructive cycle
Metal overharvests Wood (deforestation) in the overacting cycle
Metal impoverishes Earth (overmining or over-extraction of the earth's minerals) in the draining cycle
Metal de-energizes Fire (metals conduct heat away) in the insulting cycle
Water
Water is related to the direction North and the colour Black. Water is symbolized by the Black Tortoise. Water is a manifestation of Greater Yin of the four symbols.
Yin water is ice and snow, stagnant ponds. It's a still, chilly lake, a smooth river, the calm seas.
Yang water is a flowing rapid or whirlpool, tsunamis and storms and raging waves. It's crushing rapids and the destructive power of a flooding river.
Water nourishes Wood in the generative cycle.
Water dampens Fire in the destructive cycle
Water extinguishes Fire in the overacting cycle
Water rusts Metal in the draining cycle
Water muddies (or destabilizes) Earth in the insulting cycle
Ba, meaning Eight and Gua, meaning Symbols, is derived from Sixiang. Taking each of the four symbols, you split them into two by adding either a Yang or yin on top. You end up with eight yao symbols constructed of three lines, or eight 'tri-grams'.
There is Qian, or Heaven, which is of one Yang atop Greater Yang
Dui, or Lake/Marsh, which is one Yin atop Greater Yang.
Li is Fire, with one Yang atop Lesser Yang.
Zhen is thunder, with one Yin atop Lesser Yang.
Xun is Wind, with one yang atop Lesser Yin.
Kan is Water, with one yin atop Lesser Yin.
Gen is Mountain, with one yang atop Greater Yin
Kun is Earth, with one Yin atop of Greater Yin.
There are two main ways of arranging the Bagau. The 'Primordial' 'Early heaven' or Fu Xi Bagua Diagram, and or the 'King Wen' or 'Later Heaven' Diagram. In both Bagua's, South is at the top, but in the early heaven sequence, Qian - Heaven was south, whereas in the later heaven sequence, Li - Fire was south, probably to bring it in line with the Sixiang, in which the fire-vermillion bird guards south.
In the Early Heaven, Qian - Heaven is at the top and represents south, while Kun - Earth is at the bottom and represents north.
In the King Wen Later Heaven diagram, Li - Fire/South is at the top, while Kan, water/north is at the bottom.
Using the Bague, you can create a three by three square, such as this Early Heaven Diagram.
What happens if there is something in the middle? That brings us to the Nine Palaces. Just like you can add the central earth to the Four Images to create the Five Phases, if you add the central earth to the Eight trigrams you get the Nine Palaces.
The Nine Palaces refer to nine aspects of life that one passes through to better themselves and potentially reach enlightenment. Each Palace corresponds to one of the Eight Trigrams, usually based on the later Heaven Sequence. In most versions, Kun - Earth, is included again as the center, while in others it is a Taiji Symbol. Almost every version of the Nine Palaces one fins will include slightly different versions, but the most common is as follows.
Employment or Career is the trigram of Kan - Water/South and the number 1. It is one's life in works and achievements, what you do to earn a living.
Relationships or Love is the Palace that corresponds to both romantic experiences, but also more cold pragmatic 'relationships', friends in high places, business partners and more. This Palace corresponds to the trigram Kun or Earth and has the Number 2
Family is represented by the Trigram Zhen - thunder, and the number 3. It is clan and duty and blood relations, the past lineage who all were needed to produce your existence.
Wealth or Prosperity is the Palace that corresponds to having money, audience, not needing to worry about cash. It corresponds with the Trigram of Xun - Wind, and is represented with the number 4.
Health is the Palace that corresponds to the center, usually the Trigram Kun - Earth. It refers to one's physical health and wellbeing. It is represented with the number 5.
Travel is the trigram of Qian - Heaven, and is represented by the number 6. It refers to exploration, having seen the world, been places and seen all sorts of things.
Creativity or Children is a Palace that corresponds to making things, including and especially children. It's the fruit of your efforts. Creativity is represented by the Trigram Dui - Marsh/Lake and the number 7
Wisdom is represented by the Trigram Gen - Mountain, and the number 8. It refers to the experiential learning of a long lived life.
Reputation or Fame is the Palace that corresponds to the top/south, the Trigram Li - Fire. It refers to what others think of you, being looked at with a positive regard. It is represented by the number 9.
The last step in the procession of all existence from Wuji is the I Ching, or Sixty-Four Hexagrams. Each hexagram is the combination of two of the eight trigrams, with the three lines segments or yaos of each stacking to become six or 'hexa'. It is believed that the sixty-four trigrams represent everything in existence.
While very unlikely to, everything below not already mentioned in the story is technically subject to change.
Qi Cultivation
General
A method of cultivation usually centered around absorbing and refining the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth into usable Qi via the Meridian System. However, cultivation manuals can greatly differ in the process and results of cultivation.
Qi Cultivation is the Yin half of cultivation, concerned with the spiritual, as opposed to Body Cultivation, which is the Yang half and concerned with the physical.
Meridian System
The Meridian System is an unnatural Spiritual Organ grafted onto the human race by the early Cultivation Culture. It consists of a central Dantian which stores the majority of the Qi, a system of interconnected channels, and Seventy-Two Aperture points that serve like valves, connecting the channels to each other and to the outer world.
The Dantian is the most unstable portion of the Qi system. Even mortals tend to have functioning Meridian channels, but most have countless cracks and holes within their Dantain, leaving it unable to contain Qi, as it would leak out faster than it could be absorbed.
Generally only those with perfect or mostly perfect Dantians can cultivate any significant amount, and this is what is looked for when one tests for basic cultivation aptitude.
The Dantian in humans usually finishes maturing at around twelve years of age, and cultivating before that requires special items of methods to circumvent the immature Dantian.
Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth
Spiritual Energy is the Qi that belongs to Heaven and Earth, flowing through the world. It is both the unified essence and fuel of natural processes.
Spiritual plants and beasts naturally feed on it in accordance with Heavenly Law, while Humans and Demons steal it, forcefully removing the Heavenly will and purifying it. It can settle into objects to birth spiritual treasures like spirit stones and crystals.
It can be drawn into human being's meridians through the breath, at least until they have enough to open their apertures and directly suck in the energy.
Those in the Saint Realm can wield the energy directly, merging their will with that of Heaven and Earth.
Mortal Great Realm
The First Great Realm of Cultivation, in which one sheds their mortal nature and strives for immortality.
First Realm: Qi condensation: Lifespan 150 Years
Enter: Learn to sense and gather the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth into one's Meridian System through breath, and then the Apertures
Cultivate: Purify and condense the Qi increasingly taking it from a weak 'gaseous' state, to a thicker 'liquid' state until the Sea of Energy has completely formed.
Breakthrough: Condense the Qi even further, to the point it forms a solid, stable spiritual object known as a Dao Platform, which often takes the form of a pillar, base or mountain.
Details/Abilities:
In Qi Condensation, one can use raw Qi to enhance oneself and perform simple mystical feats like manipulations of the elements. Ranges from 'Peak Human' to the power to destroy a small hill or multiple buildings.
*All power levels and abilities stated are average, they can and will vary greatly between individuals, manuals, areas and more*
Spiritual Sense
Qi Cultivators have a sensitivity to Qi that is commonly called Spiritual Sense. This allows them to feel the strength and affinity of Qi, auras and other types of energy. Those skilled with it can even begin to use it as a full sixth sense, allowing them to fight without their other senses. Spiritual Sense eventually becomes Soul Sense in the Nascent Soul Realm, where one can truly directly perceive the outside world with their soul, though the distinction is only thought about in the lower realms.
Second Realm: Foundation Establishment: Lifespan 250 Years
Enter: Crystalize the Qi that makes up your Sea of Energy into solid Dao-Platform(s) that serve as the basis of all future cultivation.
Cultivate: Refine the Dao Platform, adding layers to it.
Breakthrough: Melt your completed Dao-Platform and condense it into a Core.
Details/Abilities: The central Dao-Platform allows for the stabilization of Qi, therefore those with it gain the ability to control their qi beyond just raw manipulation, allowing for more complex magical abilities like flight and telekinesis to be learned.
Third Realm: Core Formation: Lifespan 500 Years
Enter: Melt your completed Dao-Platform and condense it into a Core
Cultivate: Shatter and reform the Core, refining and purifying it each time.
Breakthrough: Draw one's soul and will into the Core
Details/Abilities:
One's Core acts as a sort of 'nucleus' or brain of the Qi system, allowing one to control their Qi to a far more advanced degree. Only those in Core Formation or above can create 'true' magical treasures, pills etc. One Core can be taken from their corpse and they are considered valuable, though using human cores is taboo.
Fourth Realm: Nascent Soul: Lifespan 1000 Years
Enter: Draw one's soul and will into the Core
Cultivate: Nourish and expand your soul feeding it your Core from within and allowing it to blossom forth
Breakthrough: Begin to purify your fully bloomed soul of impurities.
Details/Abilities:
During Nascent Soul one gains the ability to use the more esoteric aspects of cultivation, like soul attacks, possession and more. In Nascent Soul the soul swells up and presses against the spatial laws of the continent. By piercing them teleportation and other such spatial abilities can be used. In Nascent Soul one's Soul Sense is unlocked, the 'true' version of Spiritual Sense. Nascent Souls are usually a rainbow color due to the impurities within them.
Fifth Realm: Transcending Impurity: Lifespan 1000 Years
Enter: Begin the process of purifying your soul and cultivation base from impurity
Cultivate: Continue to cleanse your soul until it is completely pure.
Breakthrough: Once completely clear of Impurity, sync the rhythm of your soul with the flow of Qi in the outside world.
Details/Abilities:
The Transcending Impurity Realm is a transitory realm between the Nascent Soul and Saint Realms. Some consider it more of a 'pseudo-realm' than a true, full realm. In the Transcending Impurity Realm, one's soul loses its chaotic rainbow appearance, often becoming pure white, transparent, gold or something else, depending on the cultivation method used.
Sixth Realm: Saint: Lifespan 2500 Years
Enter: Once completely clear of Impurity, sync the rhythm of your soul with the flow of Qi in the outside world.
Cultivate: Integrate and immerse oneself in nature, cultivating a connection to the natural power of the world.
Breakthrough: Once you have become fully one with nature, you become receptive to the absorption of that which is one with nature and can sense and contemplate the Wisdom of the Ancient Sages to comprehend a piece of natural law.
Details/Abilities:
Those in the Saint Realm can become in tune with the natural energy around them, allowing them to manipulate it rather than use their own power. Reaching the Saint Realm is considered the largest relative increase in power between any realm. It is said to be impossible for a Saint to ever lose a fair battle against even the strongest lower realm cultivator.
Seventh Realm: Great Sage: Lifespan 5000 Years
Enter: Contemplate the Wisdom of the Ancient Sages to comprehend a piece of natural law.
Cultivate: Through a deeper understanding of the natural law, build a Law within oneself that connects to the Natural Laws of Heaven and Earth.
Breakthrough: When fully connected to the natural laws, peer deeper into the heavenly mysteries and divine a piece of wisdom not known to any.
Details/Abilities:
Those in the Great Sage Realm have the ability to manipulate the world through their understanding of and connection with natural law. While now the Orthodox path, the Great Sage realm was not always the seventh realm, as cultivating it requires the Wisdom of the Ancient Sages, which did not exist when the first human Dao-Fathers were cultivating.
Wisdom of the Ancient Sages
A structured substance of natural law, left behind by the comprehension of an Ancient Sage. When one comprehends natural law in the Ancient Sage Realm, they order the muddled natural around them according to their comprehension. Those fully in tune with nature in the peak of the Saint Realm, can study it to gain a shallow understanding of natural law and step into the Great Sage realm.
Eighth Realm: Ancient Sage: Lifespan 10,000 Years
Enter: Peer into the Heavenly Mysteries and divine a piece of wisdom not known to any.
Cultivate: Study and gain enlightenment of the deepest Heavenly Laws and truths of world, generating the Wisdom of the Ancient Sages
Breakthrough: Complete one's understanding of Heaven and Earth and begin to sense Dao(Half-step Dao-Seeking). Determine a path that connects your way to the Dao of the world.
Details/Abilities:
Those in the Ancient Sage Realm can peer into the secrets of Heaven and Earth and comprehend knowledge unknowable to others. Ancient Sages naturally order and tidy the natural law around them according to their comprehension. This ordered law is known as the Wisdom of the Ancient Sages, which can be studied by those in the Saint Realm to cultivate the Great Sage Realm.
Ninth Realm: Dao Seeking: Lifespan 25,000 Years
Enter: Determine a path that connects your way to the Dao of the world.
Cultivate: Deepen one's understanding of their way and the Dao of the world
Breakthrough: Formulate one's existence according to the Dao and undergo your first Dao-Trial
Details/Abilities:
Tenth Realm: Immortal Ascension\Truth-Dao: Lifespan 50,000 Years
Enter: Surpass the first Dao-Trial
Cultivate: Go through nine further Dao trials, with the third, sixth and ninth being especially dangerous.
Breakthrough: Finally confirm one's Dao fully and undergo the Immortal Ascension Heavenly Tribulation, the Tenth and final Dao Trial.
Details/Abilities:
Undergo Dao trials to confirm your Dao according to the Standards of Heaven. A Dao-Trial is a form of tribulation that can manifest in any way to test one's dao and their connection to it, whether illusions and heart demons, heavenly thunder and strange calamites.
