⌞ J i a o q i u ⌝

• The world is set in a vast universe, filled with different planets. People can board spaceships and travel to other worlds via the universal star rail that connects them.
• An Aeon is an omniscient god of sorts overseeing a Path, whereas an Emanator is a term referring to those Pathstriders with power directly granted by the Aeons, even if the Emanator itself doesn't actually follow the Aeon's Path, making Emanators incomparably more powerful than mere mortals. A Stellaron is a mysterious object spreading across the universe like a cancerous growth, leading it to be nicknamed 'the Cancer of All Worlds' by the Interastral Peace Corporation. Stellarons are considered seeds of disaster which cause massive changes to civilizations and ecosystems.
• The Astral Express is an interstellar train made by Akivili. The Astral Express crew members, also known as the Trailblazers, is a group which operates the Astral Express and travel countless planets once visited by Akivili. The Astral Express crew's goal has been to repair the Star Rails set by Akivili, after they've been disrupted by Stellaron corrosion.

The universe is 'controlled' by 18 Aeons, revered by the different factions across the cosmos. They are referred to with "THEY/THEM" pronouns, capitalized to show reverence. The 18 Aeons are:

• Aha: 'The Elation.' Called 'the Laughter,' 'the Joyseeker'. Unpredictable, close to civilization, believes that joy and laughter are the only meaningful thing in the cosmos. Isn't immensely powerful but causes small changes in the cosmos in their search for fun. Followed by the Masked Fools; who seek fun and pleasure no matter the cost. Elation is opposed by the Mourning Actors, who believe joy is a fleeting temptation, and instead agony provides maturity.
• Akivili: 'The Trailblaze.' Called 'the Cloudstrider'. Created the Star Rails and therefore connected many worlds together. Assumed to be dead. Was close to humans and led the Trailblaze journey. Created the Astral Express, which initially was made by different trains yet only one stands to this day. Followed by The Nameless, people who follow the trailblaze journey and seek no fame nor monetary gain. The Astral Express Crew is a subfaction of the Nameless.
• Ena: 'The Order.' One of the oldest Aeons alongside HooH and Qlipoth. When the universe had yet to come into shape, THEY created everything: the calendar, values, words, dignity, rules and meaning. Many worlds still worship Ena even though THEY have long been assimilated by Xipe. Followed by the 'Beyond the Sky' choir and secretly worshipped by The Family, who tried to resurrect Ena. Has similar symbolism to Christianity.
• Fuli: 'The Remembrance.' Called the Glowswather. Keeps every memory in the universe in preparation for its destruction and subsequent rebirth. Believes every memory, no matter how small, is important in its own right. THEY seldom manifest before mortals. Followed by the Garden of Recollection, divided into the Memokeepers; focused on travelling the cosmos and securing memories that Fuli might like, and the Cremators, a radical subdivision who believes there are irrelevant memories and tries to arbitrarily eliminate them.
• HooH: 'The Equilibrium.' Believed to be the first Aeon to exist. Was once a single being but split itself into two for unknown reasons. Silently intervenes in the universe to achieve total equilibrium, fusing positive and negative into a whole. THEIR followers, the Arbitrators, are commonly mistaken as gods by many civilizations due to the faction's power: they believe choice leads to freedom, and freedom is what they seek for the cosmos.
• IX: 'The Nihility.' Commonly seen as an immense black hole that takes away the meaning in things. Believes that the universe as a whole leads to nothing, so THEY do not interact with humanity or other Aeons. Those who are too corroded by IX become Self-Annihilators, who will gradually lose their senses, feeling, memories, and will inevitably fade into nothingness. While IX doesn't interact with humanity, THEIR shadows lead to Nihility and therefore self-annihilation. Those who oppose Nihility are Doctors of Chaos, who seek to save IX by showing them existence DOES have a meaning.
• Idrila: 'The Beauty.' Deceased. Also called the Wondergazer. Used to manifest in whatever THEIR witnesses believed to be beautiful. THEY were the converging point of all good in the material world. Though dead, Idrila is still followed by two factions: Mirror Holders, who travel the cosmos to find THEIR remains and potentially revive THEM; and the Knights of Beauty, lone warriors that travel the universe to help those in need.
• Lán': 'The Hunt.' Called the Reignbow Arbiter. THEY wander the cosmos seeking to eradicate the abominations created by Yàoshī, and Yàoshī THEMSELVES. THEY watch over civilization and grant powers to those who firmly seek justice or vengeance, with a clear example being the Xianzhou Generals. A single one of THEIR arrows can destroy planets until it reaches its target. Followed by the Xianzhou Alliance and the Galaxy Rangers, lone warriors who individually uphold justice and vengeance.
• Lóng: 'The Permanence.' Known as the Progenitor of All Dragons, and creator of the Vidyadhara race. Commonly seen in the form of a Chinese dragon prior to THEIR death. THEY found the miracle of existence and therefore created the Vidyadhara, however this miracle in question is still unknown.
• Mythus: 'The Enigmata.' THEY believe that things in themselves are beyond perception, and that finite entities are incapable of envisioning true infinity, and therefore everything is an enigma. THEIR factions, The History Fictionologists and The Riddlers, respectively seek to destroy the certainty of history and language as a whole.
• Nanook: 'The Destruction.' Called The Supreme Executioner or the Wounded God. THEY believe that the creation of the universe is a mistake and therefore MUST be destroyed. The Stellaron Hunters seek to kill Nanook. The Destruction is followed by two main factions: the Antimatter Legion, led by Nanook and represented by Lord Ravagers who embody different types of destruction, and the Annihilation Gang; a bunch of different factions who seek destruction for petty reasons and Nanook's recognition, something they've yet to achieve.
• Nous: 'The Erudition.' Called the Wisdomwalker, Droidhead, and Monarch of Myriad Machines. An astral supercomputer that is eternally calculating and seeking the answer to the universe. Has ceased THEIR calculations but still appear before select people they deem geniuses and worthy of joining the Genius Society. Nous doesn't provide answers, but more questions to those who seek THEM.
• Oroboros: 'The Voracity.' One of the oldest Aeons and a mythical being called Leviathan. Disappeared. THEY are like a black hole that only seeks to consume whatever they cross.
• Qlipoth: 'The Preservation.' Called the Amber Lord. Created many structures to both isolate and save countless worlds from possible threats such as Oroboros or Tayzzyronth. Despite wanting to save civilization, THEY are extremely indifferent to humans and seldom interact, with the exception being the IPC and The Architects, with the latter emulating Qlipoth's actions to save many worlds.
• Tayzzyronth: 'The Propagation.' Known as the Sand King or Imperator Insectorum. A self-replicating horror that seeks nothing but mindless reproduction, leading to THEIR kin destroying many worlds and star systems in its wake. Rumored dead, but actually sealed by Qlipoth in an amber prison.
• Terminus: 'The Finality.' An apparition that travels across the universe while murmuring a prophecy that is destined to be fulfilled. THEY have seen the end of existence and travel back in time to murmur prophecies. Followed by the Stellaron Hunters.
• Xipe: 'The Harmony.' Called Great One of Paradise, Thousand-faced Great One and Three-faced Soul. An amalgamation of beings that praise joy and harmony between civilizations. THEY are often seen as a being made of countless puzzle pieces, with three faces and open arms to anyone who seeks to join THEM. Followed by The Family.
• Yàoshī: 'The Abundance.' Known as the Merciful Sanctus Medicus or the Plagues Author. The nurturer of all beings and the Aeon of paradise. THEIR aim is the continual proliferation of life. Lán's sworn enemy. While merciful without any discrimination, THEIR gifts often end up summoning far greater tragedies, such as immortality leading to insanity and strength leading to cruelty. THEY are followed by the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, who seek immortality regardless of the cruelty they might need to create it; the Elixir Seekers who seek THEIR presence and the immortality THEY grant. The Xianzhou Alliance seeks to aid Lán in killing Yàoshī, for THEY granted the many plagues upon the Xianzhou: immortality, insanity and many more things.

Species:

• Humans: Alternatively referred to as "Short life species."
• Foxians: Humanoid species with fox traits such as tail, ears and sharp senses resembling those of foxes. They live up to 400 years, but most perish around 350.
• Borisin: Species sharing a common ancestor with the Foxians, yet being far more feral and violent than the Foxians. The Borisin, for the most part, seek to prove themselves as the superior species via violence. The Xianzhou deems them a threat due to their relation to Yaoshi, which is why they are constantly target of their hunt.
• Vidyadhara: Vidyadhara are long-life species with long pointed ears, and sometimes draconic features such as dragon horns or a dragon tail. Vidyadhara go through a cycle of rebirth every 600 to 700 years, causing them to lose all of their memories and be reborn. Criminal Vidyadhara are forced to undergo "molting rebirth," by which they are severely injured and forced to be reborn without their scales or horns. Their behaviors are similar to dragons and reptiles. As the Scions of Long, the Vidyadhara cannot reproduce.
• Xianzhou Natives: Xianzhou Natives are a long-life species of humans, living indefinitely yet being affected by Mara before reaching a thousand years.
• Intellitrons: Intelligent inorganic life forms usually made by silicium. Sentient and feeling.
• Halovians: Halovians are a humanoid species with haloes behind or above their heads and two pairs of wings, enchanting voices and appearances. Some of their behaviors resemble that of birds.

Locations:

• Vonwacq is a small and crowded planet, almost entirely covered by rainforests and islands, with its exuberant wildlife being its most recognizable feature. Vonwacq's effervescent vitality made the rainforests near its equator grow so large and tall that their shades would cover the sky above and even block out the sun. The lack of sunlight in the undergrowth of the rainforest throughout the year creates a perfect space for fungi and other low-light plants to grow. Intelligent creatures inhabite regions near the tropics— most beings are hexapods and of almost impossible height, including insects and birds. Plants, irrespective of height, would grow naturally here. Vonwacq is inhabited by Muroidkin (singular being Muroidfolk), an intelligent species taking the form of rodents near the size of a toddler, presenting their own language and customs: though by nature they aren't violent, the Muroidkin are wary of humans entering the planet due to the violence they saw the soldiers of the Yaoqing use to dispose of the Borisin, making the Muroidkin equally wary of the researchers despite them coming far more peacefully. Vonwacq is a planet blessed by Yaoshi, the Abundance.
• The Xianzhou Alliance (and Xianzhou Luofu by extension) resembles a sci-fi version of China. The other Xianzhou ships are: the Fanghu (mostly formed by Vidyadhara), the Xuling (mostly formed by aurumatons. Focused on the justice within the Alliance), the Yaoqing (mostly formed by Foxians. Focused on military affairs and wiping out the Borisin), the Yuque (mostly formed by Xianzhou Natives. Focused on divination affairs to lead the Alliance as a whole) and the Zhuming (mostly formed by Xianzhou Natives and short-life species. Focused on alchemy, craftsmanship and weapon forging). The Xianzhou Alliance is mostly isolated from other civilizations or factions, focused solely on hunting down Abominations of Abundance.