After reaching the Body Refining Realm, Qi is no longer stored in the body but within the soul.
The soul acts as the container for Qi, and for both mortals and those in the Body Refining Realm, its size remains the same.
It resides in the brain not in a physical sense, but as an abstract or dimensional space that exists solely for that individual.
Cultivators can only shape and remodel their Qi container expanding its size during the Soul Refining Realm.
The size of this container determines the maximum amount of Qi they can hold in the future.
After breaking through this realm, the container's size can no longer be increased; only the quality of the Qi it holds can be improved.
Progression into the higher realms depends heavily on a cultivator's willpower, foundational strength, and most importantly the unique concept or insight they comprehend when choosing their path. This becomes especially critical in the third realm, known as the Path of Vision.
To break through to the Soul Refinement Realm with maximum potential, one must shatter the existing soul or more precisely, the current abstract Qi container and simultaneously reconstruct it to be as large and strong as possible.
If the reconstructed soul layer is too thin, it may rupture under pressure.
Therefore, it must be built with a balance, thin enough to allow for greater size, yet thick and sturdy enough to endure the immense strain.
On the path to breaking through to the Soul Refinement Realm, a cultivator can deconstruct and reconstruct their soul multiple times to increase its strength and size.
However, after the first reconstruction, the pain intensifies greatly with each attempt.
As a result, most cultivators only manage to go through this process 20 to 25 times, while geniuses may reach up to 40 iterations. The known record in Eldia is 35 reconstructions, achieved by an ancestor of the Raindal family.
With each cycle, the soul's structure becomes stronger, and the Qi container expands.
This repeated process is what truly defines the "refinement" in Soul Refinement forging a vast and resilient soul through sheer will and endurance.
In theory, this iteration can be performed an unlimited number of times, allowing one to build an immense reservoir for Qi.
However, the pain increases with each reconstruction, becoming almost unbearable, which is why even the most gifted cultivators hesitate to go beyond their limits.
After attaining the Soul Refining Realm, a cultivator gains access to their Soul Space a unique dimension separate from the Qi container.
This space is exclusive to the individual and allows them to store items within it.
The initial size of the Soul Space is determined by the number of times the soul was deconstructed and reconstructed during refinement.
Cultivators in the lower realms cannot fully utilize the Soul Space due to limitations in control and spiritual strength.
As a result, only a small portion of the total space is usable early on.
The Soul Space can be accessed mentally, usually when the cultivator is focused or in a meditative or sleeping state.
Unlike the Qi container, which represents the soul itself and remains fixed in size after the Soul Refining Realm, the Soul Space can double in size with each major realm advancement, allowing for greater capacity and utility as cultivation progresses.
Luke received this knowledge from his father, Wilson, along with a manual that detailed a step-by-step method for breaking through to the Soul Refinement Realm.
Luke knew he was starting his soul refinement a year earlier than his peers.
With unyielding determination, he set his goal to refine his soul not 50 times, but 100 times, pushing himself beyond all limits.