As societies developed, some sages began to devote themselves to meditation practices, not solely to strengthen their faith or connection with primal instincts, but to broaden their sense of self-awareness. They combined meditation and education with physical training to reach the extreme limits of existence, and many masters of enlightenment and monasteries were founded on these practices. One particular sage, Master Zant, reached a higher state of mind, expanding his inner self to the entire universe, and thus was born the most famous and widespread ascetic philosophy, known as Zantism.

According to this philosophy, the complete development of the body can only be achieved through daily discipline and training, utilizing gymnastic practices inspired by the natural perfection of animals' bodies. To achieve this goal, a series of martial arts were created. The complete development of the mind, on the other hand, can only be achieved through meditation, academic study, exploration of philosophical and humanistic worlds, and the study of the complex basic diagrams of magic. Finally, the development of the soul can only be achieved through charity, poverty, support, and ancestral teachings, as the removal from material goods and waiver of aesthetics are the most right and obvious means.

Today, Master Zant's teachings reside in only a few aphorisms, about which many have written and reasoned, making every effort in various philosophical collections to explain such teachings. The most famous aphorism is that of the so-called Empty Hand Warrior, which says that "if our hand is closed in a fist, then it's empty, because only with an open hand can we grasp something." The Way of the Empty Hand Warrior teaches that by improving one's abilities and refining the body, even a simple blade of grass can become a lethal weapon. By expanding and refining the mind, one can defeat any evil without holding any weapon. By refining and pushing the spirit beyond its limits, it's even possible to bring peace to everything surrounding.

The true ascetic master is the one who, going through all steps and steadying the indissoluble link between body, mind, and spirit, achieves peace for himself and for others. There can be no peace without a previous battle, and there can be no battle without true inner peace. In particular, in some of his aphorisms, Master Zant highlights the sacredness of silence and stillness. He explains that words are empty, and truth lies in silence, just as strength resides in stillness. The true warrior of asceticism will be able to perceive movement while standing still and will reach the truth in the silence of meditation.

A primary concept taught by Zantist traditions is that of Ki, a word of draconic origin which means "oneself," "I," "ego," or for some, "inner self." What Master Zant referred to as Ki, some of his successors have tried to explain as the life force that resides within every living being, a sort of amalgam of willpower, spiritual nature, and, according to some, also of Lohudon.
Each individual possesses an inner strength of which they are often unaware, and this is the Ki. Although many monks and ascetics use Ki to nourish and strengthen their metamagic practices, this is not its primary function, certainly not according to Master Zant's teachings. Developing one's inner strength is, on the contrary, the necessary process to go beyond the limits of consciousness and achieve enlightenment.

Ultimately, not everyone succeeds in the arduous path to enlightenment, despite receiving the best teachings and strenuously following traditions. But, regardless, it's considered important by the wisest masters that all those who follow Zantism are required to teach the Way to the souls they meet on their path. This is because every every life matters, and every mind contributes to the greatness of the Whole.