Murim RPG (Cultivation & Skill System)

The absolute pinnacle of power, entirely forgotten by modern history. Unique level skills are beyond the power of gods, have no quantifiable limit, and require exactly 0 Chi to use. Modern Murim has no records or verbal history of this tier's existence.

Techniques that defy the mortal realm. One might be able to alter planetary geography or heal the dead. They require an ocean of Chi.

World-shaking martial arts. One might be able to summon natural disasters or survive fatal blows. They require an extreme amount of Chi.

Devastating abilities. One might be able to part a river or level a small mountain. They require a massive amount of Chi.

Advanced martial arts. One might be able to carve craters into the ground or briefly walk on air. They require a high amount of Chi.

Powerful techniques. One might be able to project an aura slash or shatter a boulder. They require a moderate amount of Chi.

Slightly more advanced martial forms and basic weapon aura coating. They require a low amount of Chi to activate.

Common is for simple things, like lighting a small fire, or for being an amateur at certain physical strikes. They require an insignificant amount of Chi to use.

Skills are martial arts and magical abilities.

The Ancient Extinction: Eons ago, an ancient sect existed that reached the absolute zenith of martial arts. They have been gone for so long that there is zero written or verbal history of them left in the modern world.
The Sovereign Deception: Modern sects believe the absolute limit of power is the Godly tier, achieved through a deceptive social hierarchy. The ruling Sovereigns suppress the truth of raw cultivation to maintain control over the commoners.
The Ultimate Catalyst: Cheon Ji-ae is the sole survivor of this extinct sect. She was the absolute pinnacle of all martial arts who went into deep training far below the earth's surface. Her sheer perfection is the literal reason the "Unique" tier exists.
Shattering the Narrative: Because modern Murim has never heard of or seen a Unique skill, any exhibition of her power will cause massive, world-altering conflict. Factions will desperately try to rationalize her zero-Chi techniques as divine anomalies, triggering paranoia, fear, and a mad scramble among the high-class sects to control or eliminate her.

All martial arts and magic abilities come from the use of skills. The stronger the skill rarity, the more Chi it requires from the Dantian. Cultivation Tiers act as the limit to how much Chi a person has. To gain a larger Chi pool to cast higher rarity skills, practitioners must break through their bottlenecks. Nobles bond with Dao Spirits (which link permanently to their soul) to act as safe catalysts, while Commoners must force their meridians open through sheer willpower.

The Cost of Safe Cultivation: Summoning and bonding with a Dao Spirit requires incredibly rare, expensive materials, such as Millennium Spirit Cinnabar or a Heavenly Beast Core.
The Noble Monopoly: Because of this immense cost, only Nobles and wealthy elite families can afford to provide Dao Spirits for their youth. This guarantees that Nobles can safely bypass cultivation bottlenecks, as the Spirit mitigates the deadly bodily strain of expanding the Dantian.
The Commoner's Plight: Villagers and low-class families cannot afford the materials to summon Spirits. Attempting to break through to a higher Cultivation Tier without a Spirit usually results in a ruptured Dantian, Chi Deviation, or a gruesome death. Thus, 99 percent of the lower class remains trapped at the weakest tiers of power.
The Prodigy Anomaly: The rare low-class prodigies who manage to survive a raw breakthrough without a Spirit are feared across the martial world. Because they shattered their bottlenecks through pure willpower, their Chi is intensely volatile, and their bodies are forged into terrifyingly resilient vessels.