bookpower Chapter 22 HIERARCHY SYSTEM
Chapter 22 HIERARCHY SYSTEM
Time lost all meaning as Li Hua floated in a sea of sensation, neither fully conscious nor completely submerged in darkness. Her dual cores pulsed in rhythm with her heartbeat, each surge of energy washing through her meridians like molten gold and arctic frost intertwined. The process was brutal but necessary, breaking down the old to make way for the new, just as she remembered from times long past.
Through the haze of transformation, memories of her past life drifted through her consciousness like phantom butterflies—memories of deadlier trials, of poisons that had burned far worse than this. The marrow cleansing powder in her bath was gentle by comparison, though its purpose remained the same: to forge strength from suffering, to transform weakness into power.
When the bath could yield no more essence, Li Hua slowly emerged from the murky water, its surface coated in a thick, greasy film that clung to her skin like tar. Her limbs felt leaden, yet thrummed with newfound power that made her skin tingle like lightning trapped beneath the surface.
The murky waters that dripped from her small frame carried away the last vestiges of weakness, leaving behind a vessel tempered by both wisdom and desperate necessity.
As she stood on unsteady legs, Li Hua could feel the changes within—meridians widened and reinforced, essence pools deepened, and qi channels flowing with unprecedented clarity. Even her four-year-old body felt different, muscles denser and movements sharper, as if every fiber had been rewoven into something stronger, faster, more refined. The price had been steep, but the rewards would prove invaluable in the trials to come.
Li Hua's trembling fingers found the linen cloth neatly folded by the bath. The fabric felt impossibly rough against her tender skin, each nerve ending hypersensitive from the cleansing process. She wrapped it around her small frame, the familiar motion made strange by her body's newfound awareness of every thread, every fiber.
When she pushed open the bamboo door screen, her heightened senses threatened to overwhelm her. The rush of cooler air carried dozens of distinct scents—jasmine tea's delicate floral notes, the lingering traces of this morning's porridge, even the subtle mixture of anxiety-tinged sweat from her family members. With careful concentration, she managed to dull the sensory assault, just as she remembered doing in her past life, finding a bearable balance between awareness and comfort.
Her parents and brothers sat at the wooden table, their spiritual energies painting complex patterns in her vision—swirling eddies of worry that she could now see as clearly as candlelight.
"Master, pull in your spiritual energy to adjust your energy perception," Little Firefly suddenly whispered in her mind. "Imagine drawing your breath inward and hold it in slightly—like catching a falling leaf."
Li Hua blinked slowly, following the Little Firefly's guidance, and the overwhelming spiritual energies dimmed until their auras became gentle glows rather than blinding beacons. At her appearance, her family rose as one, relief breaking across their faces like dawn after a storm.
"Hua'er, you are very impressive," her mother said as she worked the tangles from her daughter's hair. "You just started cultivating with your father a few days ago and yet you've already entered the Fundamental Phase Rank 4."
Li Hua turned to her mother, confusion plastered on her face.
Her mother chuckled, her fingers still working through the long dark strands. "I'll tell you the hierarchy system but don't worry if you forget. Your father will go over this with you many times."
Li Hua nodded, ready for the information overload.
"The hierarchy starts at the bottom with the Fundamental Phase, a foundation that consists of three distinct ranks: Preliminary(1), Postliminary(2), Intermediate(3), and Exemplary(4).
This initial phase is attainable by most children, regardless of their circumstances. Even those born into poverty—farmers, peddlers, and common folk—can reach these ranks. While anyone can advance through the Fundamental Phase, progress is slow without expensive medicinal herbs to help speed things along.
Beyond this lies the more formidable Martial Phase, comprising seven ranks that mark clear divisions in society. The first four ranks—Lean(1), Technique(2), Strengthen(3), and Determination(4)—are commonly achieved by people with more than modest means. Successful merchants and low government officials who can afford basic cultivation resources often reach these levels through dedicated practice and careful investment.
The upper ranks of the Martial Phase— Profound(5), Tempered(6), and Fulfilled(7)—are largely the domain of high nobility, with even emperors typically finding their limit within these elevated tiers. It is during the Martial Phase that cultivators truly begin to understand and harness their spiritual powers.
The Master Phase represents a dramatic leap in both rarity and capability. Divided into four ranks—Established Arts(1), Half Circle(2), Total Eclipse(3), and Golden Age(4)—this phase is seldom witnessed in the lower human realm. These cultivators are considered the elite among elite, their abilities far surpassing ordinary cultivation.
At the apex of all cultivation stands the Deity Phase, comprising four ranks— Sovereign(1), Supreme(2), Immortal(3), and Celestial(4). These legendary cultivators are so rare they're almost mythical, having transcended beyond the human world entirely.
Remember the number 4744," her mother concluded. "Four ranks in the Fundamental Phase, seven in Martial, four in Master, and four in Deity Phase. That's how you can keep track of all the ranks easily."