Ignorance is indeed a sad way to die. Karsha had always believed that the ranking of alchemists was limited to a few levels. So, when he finally reached the Saint stage and was able to concoct Earth-grade pills, he felt happy and accomplished.
However, after hearing what his master had to say, he realized his thinking had been too narrow. There was a much broader field beyond his understanding.
"Just as there are different grades of pills, there are also rankings for alchemists. In true alchemy, the stages begin with Grandmaster, followed by Saint, Sage, Ancestor, King, Emperor, Monarch, Paragon, Maestro, Divine, Supreme, Celestial, and finally, God.
"Again, as far as I know, these are the only stages but don't be surprised if there are others above them. Alchemy is an entire cultivation path on its own. There's no telling how many stages there truly are."