Cultivation novels often unfold in vast, layered worlds where ordinary towns sit beneath towering immortal mountains, where sects clash for dominance, and where secret realms hold ancient treasures. These settings are not just "backdrops" — they actively shape the cultivator's journey, offering opportunities, dangers, and mysteries.
Below are the most common settings you'll encounter as a beginner reader, along with explanations of why they matter.
1. Sects and Academies
Sects are the backbone of many cultivation stories. They serve as both schools and political powers. A young cultivator often starts as a disciple here.
Structure:Sects usually have ranks such as outer disciples (beginners), inner disciples (advanced), core disciples (geniuses), elders (powerful teachers), and a sect master (the leader).
Purpose:They provide access to manuals, techniques, alchemy, and resources. However, they are also rife with competition and scheming.
Atmosphere:Imagine mountains filled with palaces, training fields, and libraries of martial techniques. Rivalries between disciples drive much of the drama.
Examples in novels:
I Shall Seal the Heavens begins with Meng Hao joining the Reliance Sect.
Library of Heaven's Path uses academies as centers of learning.
👉 For new readers, sects are like a "school setting" but with much higher stakes — bullying can kill, and exams might involve life-or-death trials.
2. Clans and Families
Unlike sects, which recruit broadly, clans are built around bloodlines. Many stories start with a protagonist from a small, struggling clan.
Features:
A hierarchy based on seniority and bloodline purity.
Family treasures or techniques passed down generations.
Politics and favoritism, where "talented young masters" often bully weaker members.
Role in stories:
Clans give readers a sense of the protagonist's origins.
Often, heroes leave their clan behind to join bigger sects or wander the world.
Example trope:A protagonist's "useless" talent later turns out to be extraordinary, shocking arrogant family members.
👉 Clans represent roots and heritage but are often left behind as the hero outgrows them.
3. Mortal Towns and Markets
Even in a world of immortals, ordinary people exist. Mortal towns serve as the contrast to the grand world of cultivation.
What happens here:
Protagonists might hide their identity while shopping.
Auctions are held, where treasures and rare pills appear.
Cultivators sometimes protect towns from bandits or demonic beasts.
Why they matter:Towns show the human side of the cultivation world. They are also entry points into greater adventures, such as rumors of a treasure nearby.
👉 For beginners, think of towns as the "hub areas" in RPGs — safe zones that connect the cultivator to the larger world.
4. Spirit Mountains and Sacred Lands
Nature itself is infused with Qi in cultivation novels. Mountains, caves, lakes, and forests often become places of training and discovery.
Features:
High mountains with abundant Qi, perfect for meditation.
Sacred caves left by ancient cultivators containing inheritances.
Spirit springs or lakes that heal and strengthen.
Common events:
Protagonists enter dangerous forests to gather herbs or fight spirit beasts.
Special realms open only once every hundred years, drawing sects into conflict.
Atmosphere:These places feel mysterious, dangerous, and full of opportunity.
👉 Think of them as dungeons or special maps in games — risky but rewarding.
5. Secret Realms and Ancient Ruins
These are hidden dimensions, often left behind by powerful cultivators or ancient civilizations. They are treasure troves but also deadly.
Why they matter:
Provide opportunities for sudden growth.
Introduce ancient history or world lore.
Test protagonists with puzzles, traps, and rivalries.
Structure:
Some are small worlds with unique laws.
Others collapse after a set time, forcing cultivators to fight for treasures quickly.
Familiar tropes:
"Fated encounters" where the protagonist inherits a secret manual.
Betrayal by allies inside the realm.
👉 These realms keep stories fresh — they're temporary stages full of suspense.
6. Immortal Cities and Kingdoms
Beyond sects and ruins, entire kingdoms or empires of cultivators exist. These places are where politics, trade, and power converge.
Features:
Auction houses selling rare treasures.
Empires ruled by immortal monarchs.
Hidden experts in disguise among ordinary crowds.
Story function:
Cities are where alliances form, grudges deepen, and big tournaments happen.
They highlight the scale of the world — not just sects, but civilizations.
👉 For readers, cities provide a cosmic urban fantasy vibe — bustling centers where anything can happen.
7. Demonic Domains and Evil Sects
Cultivation novels often contrast righteous sects with dark counterparts. Evil sects practice forbidden techniques, sacrificing others for power.
Features:
Blood pools, ghostly caves, cursed mountains.
Leaders known for cruelty and cunning.
Role in stories:
Serve as villains and foils to the protagonist.
Test moral boundaries — some heroes even join them.
👉 Expect these settings to feel like nightmare versions of normal sects.
8. Heavenly Realms and Higher Worlds
At higher stages, cultivators ascend to other worlds. These are mythical realms where immortals, gods, or celestial beings live.
Why they matter:
Show that no matter how powerful one becomes, there is always a higher level.
Expand the story into cosmic adventures.
Examples:
Immortal realms above the mortal world.
Demon realms where ancient enemies dwell.
Outer heavens, vast galaxies, or entire universes.
👉 These realms remind readers that cultivation is infinite — the sky is never the limit.
Why Settings Matter
Cultivation settings aren't just scenery. They are power systems in physical form:
Rich Qi → faster growth.
Ancient ruins → inheritance and lore.
Cities → social drama.
Tribulation grounds → tests of survival.
The protagonist's rise is always tied to where they are. Mortal towns show humble beginnings, sects shape training, and secret realms push breakthroughs.
Conclusion
The settings in cultivation novels are more than just backgrounds — they are living parts of the story that shape every step of a cultivator's journey. From humble towns to mighty sects, from hidden ruins to celestial realms, each place reflects both the dangers and opportunities on the path to immortality.
For readers, these worlds are exciting because they constantly evolve: a protagonist might begin in a quiet village, then climb immortal mountains, enter ancient ruins, survive demonic domains, and finally ascend to heavenly realms. Each new setting raises the stakes, introduces fresh challenges, and expands the sense of wonder.
In short, the magic of cultivation settings lies in how they combine mystery, danger, and growth. They mirror the cultivator's path itself — starting small, reaching ever higher, and reminding us that there is always another realm to explore.