A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality/Power systems
Power system
The power levels of A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality
A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality uses the most classic ladder in xianxia, drawn from Taoist inner alchemy. Han Li climbs it step by step: in the mortal world, then in the spirit world, and finally in the immortal world.
The mortal world
- 1Qi Refining炼气liàn qì
The cultivator learns to sense and store qi. The novel counts thirteen layers; Han Li spends his early years at the Seven Mysteries Sect.
- 2Foundation Establishment筑基zhù jī
Qi condenses into a solid base. The cultivator lives around two centuries and can fly on an artefact.
- 3Golden Core结丹jié dān
Qi crystallises into a core in the dantian. A cultivator of this rank is a pillar of their sect.
- 4Nascent Soul元婴yuán yīng
The core shatters to give birth to a small soul that can survive the body's death. The rare cultivators of this rank dominate a whole kingdom.
- 5Deity Transformation化神huà shén
The peak of the mortal world. Cultivators of this rank must leave it to keep advancing.
The spirit world
- 6Void Refining炼虚liàn xū
The first rank of the spirit world, which Han Li reaches after leaving the mortal world.
- 7Body Integration合体hé tǐ
Soul and body become one. Cultivators of this rank rule the great races of the spirit world.
- 8Mahayana大乘dà chéng
The peak of the spirit world. One must then survive a heavenly tribulation to ascend to the immortal world.
The immortal world
- 9True Immortal真仙zhēn xiān
The first rank of the immortals, at the start of the novel's sequel, set in the immortal world.
- 10Golden Immortal金仙jīn xiān
An immortal who has condensed their own law, or dao. They are already rare in the immortal world.
- 11Taiyi太乙tài yǐ
An immortal whose law is strong enough to dominate a whole region of the immortal world.
- 12Daluo大罗dà luó
A nearly untouchable immortal who partly escapes time and fate.
- 13Dao Ancestor道祖dào zǔ
The absolute peak: a being who embodies a law of the world. Only a few exist.
How to advance
Han Li makes up for mediocre talent (his spiritual root is weak) with caution and resources. He grows herbs with a mysterious little green bottle, turns them into pills, and clears every bottleneck through careful preparation. Each major rank also extends lifespan: to advance is to survive.
In the donghua
The donghua follows Han Li's rise through the mortal world, rank after rank, staying very faithful to the novel's levels.