Notes

everyone uses spiritual energy, people have different styles though
- everyone uses weapons/swords yes, those are purely weapon skills UNLESS their style infuses weapon with spiritual energy
- some people don't even fight, they may have weapons but their spiritual skill is used for defense or something else
- each skill is the sect or god's specialty, so they are taught by them or passed down. People will try to replicate but it will backfire or not be as effective
- skills are usually like the last resort or used for a purpose, not always used since they have weapons as well
- everyone also just have general spiritual energy skills like infuse them on their hands n such to use their spiritual energy but, again, skills are a different story
- everyone can fly on their swords/weapons
bunny - wisps thingies (communication and offense) literally materializes their spiritual energy
draggo - talismans (exorcising, sealing, summoning, defense) (draggo sect focuses on sword art and hunting to protect land, seal monsters n such) (only yiqiu meditates a lot and has a lot of spiritual energy cause they have to constantly keep the talismans on their dragon form going. Yeah they're sealing their dragon form with taismans) (like light talismans were made by them, distributed to others hence why you see people use em)
tiger - hand to hand combat infused with spiritual energy in a pretty glow lol, it's her and her sect's skill to enhance their hand to hand combat with MORE spiritual energy, they train in martial arts and have a variety of weapons, not just swords
snake - in objects (best example is how he's enchanted ivy's items,, + the effects stay because he semi blessed ivy with his godhood which basically gave her part of his spiritual energy, so the objects still sense his energy so they still work) (oh also ivy note: after being semi blessed, she becomes the most powerful disciple)
piggy - in the elements to enhance their usage (piggy mainly uses it on fire to help him cook, but it can be applied to any of the 5 elements, 水木金火土) (though he can't guarantee any effects, like some people send him prayers for rain, he can't guarantee but he increases the chances of, cause weather is still uncontrollable, but usually it ends up raining, so the people are happy)
(idk who,, maybe rooster) - music cultivation, (+ note, other disciples and gods still play instruments and make music, just to enjoy for themselves. this sect and this skill is music for the purpose of offense and hunting)
dog -
goat
rat
horse
monkey - weapons, this god specializes in creating weapons with spiritual energy as well as enhance weapons. they come up with really great techniques with them. (anyone else can enhance their weapons ofc but their training focuses on specific forms and it's just their specialized skills) (this sect/this god also is the maker of some legendary weapons. might be a stereotype but monkeys,, pre human, prolly really good with materials haha) (so, spiritually enhanced swords, sword techniques, bow and arrow techniques, whips, fans, throwing knives, just any weapon)
ox -

also, anyone can still do these things (like, sealing monsters, creating talismans, enhance elements, enchant items) BUT it's that the gods specialize in it so they do it much better and more effective. and the people know that, so they seek the different gods when they have different needs.

note on the gods: some of them interact often with the humans (like piggy bc he got a human wife,, like snake who was very involved with the politics of the place he governed over before he became a zodiac, plus he did a lot of stuff in the human world in general), but of course some gods prefer to stay away from mortal affairs, hence why they bless a human to interact on their behalf. (though for piggy and snake they still use a half human form to blend in cause they can't go full beast, they have markings or something else that distinguishes them as THE gods themselves tho. need to work on that... differentiating the humans, the blessed humans, the human form gods, and the god beasts) (so like yiqiu, they're acting as if they're a blessed human

most of these are self notes and rationalizing the abilities to myself

magic system is quite simple:
everyone has and can use spiritual energy.
the skills are just techniques taught to use their spiritual energy in a special way for a special purpose
the price is: they need to cultivate that spiritual energy by either hunting monsters and absorbing it or meditating. it is stored in their body. if you overexert yourself, it will affect your internal organs (may result in 吐血 haha) and mental stability. so take care of your physical and mental health, kids.
+ the forever question, is bad/evil (demonic) spiritual energy acceptable? (wwx argues yes bc it's also energy, and i agree, but it just has more prices to pay)
ft. martial arts & weapons that they train with their sects
in conclusion: limitations are their body, and also specific limitations with each skill's specifications