Basic Information:
Currency:
Spirit Jade – Low – Mid – High grade
Spirit Pearl – Low – Mid – High grade
Magic Artifacts:
Spirit Artifact – Low – Mid – High tier
Immortal Artifact – Low – Mid – High tier
Divine Artifact
Ranks of Flora and Fauna:
From rank 1-5: spirit flower – spirit herb – spirit fruit
From rank 6-8: immortal flower – immortal herb – immortal fruit
Rank 9: supreme grade – divine flower – divine herb – divine fruit
World Ranks: Spirit Realm – Upper Realm (Immortal Realm)
Cultivation Ranks: The cultivation ranks are, from 1st to 9th: First Realm, Second Realm, Third Realm, Fourth Realm, Fifth Realm (Dao Lord/Dao Master), Sixth Realm, Seventh Realm, Eighth Realm, and Ninth Realm (Sage/Mountain Master). Beyond these are Demigod and God.
Explanation of Common Terms:
Thoại bản: Originally an outline used by storytellers, later revised to varying degrees by writers. Thoại bản reflected a relatively broad spectrum of social life, especially that of urban commoners. It also saw new developments in character description, setting, and dialogue. (Wiki) – Simply put, thoại bản is another term for ancient novels.
Đạo hữu: A fellow cultivator of the Dao (similar to bằng hữu – friends; chiến hữu – comrades-in-arms).
Đạo tâm: The emotional connection, love, and dedication to the Dao, meaning one dedicates a significant portion of their life to it.
Đạo nhân: A Daoist practitioner.
Đạo chủng: Chủng literally means sprout, seedling, or seed. This term originally referred to plant seeds but is used metaphorically in Buddhism. In a religion based on the theory of 'karma' or 'cause and effect,' chủng tử (Sanskrit: bīja, bīja-dharma) is a metaphor for the root cause of all problems, especially the cause of afflictions; it also represents the potential for something to arise. In Yogācāra Buddhism, 'chủng tử' refers to the latent potential aspect of all mental and material structures contained within the Alaya-vijñāna (storehouse consciousness). It manifests as a result of current actions and conditions, creating new potentials that continue to manifest and are directly linked to previous causes and conditions. Therefore, Đạo chủng refers to the seeds of affliction that arise during Dao cultivation.
Thức hải (識海): Refers to the ocean of storehouse consciousness. As true suchness is the Tathāgatagarbha consciousness, and true suchness gives rise to all phenomena according to conditions, much like ocean waves, it is termed the Ocean of Consciousness. The Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra, Volume 1 (Taishō 16, 484a), states: 'Just as the great ocean's waves – Stirred by strong winds – Great waves crash against hidden reefs – Ceaselessly – The ocean of storehouse consciousness is usually calm – The winds of the realms stir it – All waves of consciousness – Tumultuously arise.'
Ma chướng: Refers to greed, arrogance, envy, hatred, anger, desire, craving, jealousy, slander, harm, and so on. During cultivation, these 'demonic obstacles' will appear if the practitioner fails to stabilize their Body and Mind.
Mệnh cách: A person's fate or destiny.
Summary of the main characters in the story for easy reference:
- Female Lead: Khương Tự – spirit root destroyed
- Eldest Senior Brother: Nguyệt Li – cultivates the Dao of Vast Moon
- Second Senior Brother: Mặc Khí – cultivates the Dao of Reincarnation
- Third Senior Brother: Trọng Hoa – cultivates the Dao of Freedom
- Fourth Senior Brother: Uý Hành – Medical cultivator
- Fifth Senior Brother: Già Nam – cultivates the Power of Faith
- Sixth Senior Brother: Lan Tấn – cultivates the Dao of Life
- Seventh Senior Brother: Hách Liên Chẩn – cultivates the Art of Crimson Sun
- Eighth Senior Brother: Thu Tác Trần – cultivates the Dao of Karma
- Ninth Senior Brother: Tiêu Tích U – cultivates the Dao of Death
- Gu Qizhou – antagonist – cultivates the Dao of Ruthlessness