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Ascension (飞升, Fēishēng) refers to the process by which a human at the end of their natural fate becomes a Heavenly Official.
Requirements[]
There are three main requirements for ascension: ability, hard work, and luck.[1] Most commonly mortals attain godhood by ambitious cultivation, pure martial might, performing extraordinary deeds or a combination of multiple. Despite that, the process is still known to be random - it is possible to be extremely capable and still fail to ascend, but there are also known cases of complete incompetents having the potential to ascend. It is therefore considered a trick of fate.
Gods of the Middle Court possess the ability to properly ascend on their own. If they can prove their skills and have the required luck like the mortals they are able to enter the ranks of the Upper Court and thus rise from their rank as a servant to a fully-fledged Heavenly Official.[2]
Heavenly Calamity[]
Before a person can ascend to the Heavens, they must pass a Heavenly Calamity, a trial to see if this person is capable enough to obtain the rank of a God. This Heavenly Calamity usually consists of a fierce and powerful storm.[3] It's possible to reject these calamities if one doesn't wish to be a God.[4]
Heavenly Officials who have already ascended and are part of the Upper Court can still undergo more Heavenly Calamities. The more Heavenly Calamities a Gods passes, the greater their divine status will become and the stronger their spiritual powers will get. Should they fail, their strength will decrease and their status will be weakened. These trials can differ in challenge, Heavenly Officials may have to live as a mortal for a lifetime, or they may have to fight natural disasters. These Heavenly Calamities are fated and come at different times for each Heavenly Official.[5]
Unique Cases[]
Repeated Ascension[]
Although difficult, it is known that banished gods can still cultivate and somehow ascend again. The most known case of repeated ascensions is Xie Lian, who ascended three times in a span of 800 years after two banishments.[3] Some gods who face vanishing due to loss of worshipers willingly become mortal again to recultivate to a different path and thus ascend anew, but it is said to be extremely challenging.[6]
Corrupted Ascension[]
Shi Wudu once managed to swap the fates of his younger brother Shi Qingxuan and He Xuan, since the two shared the same name as well as the same Eight Characters (i.e. they were born at the exact same two-hour period in time).[7]
Levels[]
There are three levels of ascension.[8]
- Top Level - Ascension in broad daylight and in the eyes of the public.
- Mid Level - Ascension after living as a mortal for a very, very long time.
- Lowest Level - Ascension to godhood after death.
Trivia[]
- Where the person is renown and ascends is where their domain is.[9]
- Ghosts have the ability to ascend as well, although it is very rare.[4]
References[]
- ↑ Novel, Postscript
- ↑ Novel, Book 1, Chapter 33: In the Great Martial Hall; Crown Prince Meets Crown Prince III
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Novel, Book 1, Chapter 1: Heaven Official's Blessing
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Novel, Book 5, Chapter 237: Bloody Sought Flower; Vicious Battle Against White No-Face II
- ↑ Novel, Book 3, Chapter 104: Venerable of Empty Words; Mourning at the Feast II
- ↑ Novel, Book 3, Chapter 151: Panic Left and Right; East or West Undecided III
- ↑ Novel, Book 3, Chapter 116: Eve to the Last Day of Autumn; An Unscrupulous Substitution
- ↑ Novel, Book 2, Chapter 68: To Ascend is Human; to Fall is Also Human III
- ↑ Novel, Book 3, Chapter 161: This Jade Refuses To Be a Thrown-Away Brick III