Genres
Cultivation
The Chinese web-fiction tradition of power growth through internal-energy cultivation, with a tiered realm ladder.
Cultivation is the Chinese web-fiction tradition in which characters grow in power by cultivating internal energy (qi), ascending a ladder of realms. A near-universal (though series-variable) progression runs from Mortal through energy-gathering stages to Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul and upward, each realm commonly subdivided into Early, Middle, Late and Peak. "Tribulations" mark mandatory, potentially fatal breakthroughs and function as near-obligatory set pieces.
Exact terminology varies enormously between series, which is a documented genre feature rather than sloppy sourcing. The two named traditions beneath it: xianxia pursues transcendence; wuxia stays mortal.