finally decided to git gud so that Heaven stops being like "skill issue, go to the timeout corner" and Tenfold Weave increased my Qi from 18 to 52. I now start with 52 Qi and like 5 thousand power.
suffice to say I now start at a level where I can immediately defeat first Beast Tide (hell with starting stats this large I probably could sneeze in its direction and do serious damage). imagine Willowbrook when some random-ass 16 year old just summons and punches Beast Tide in its ugly face like it was made out of paper.
...okay upon further observation I might be too strong, because with the equipment from harmonized settlement and revealing palm i just kinda steamroll even the dual-type wilderness at "seek out mightiest foes" setting (I peak at like 85 thousand power)