#And having transformations doesn't mean you aren't powerful still like Nezha doesn't transform but he still has great power

[the-monkey-ruler]

How many forms of the 72 changes could cultivated animals/yaoguai handle? You said that the heavenly soldiers could only handle a limited number.

I don't think I said that they "could only handle" like it's not a requirement.

It's more like an observation. And this is my PERSONAL take based on these observations

Overpowered (Wukong and Erlang) - 72 transformations

Powerful (Highest rank soldiers/runaway heaven yaogaui)- 36 transformations

Strong (Most celestial solider/Demon Kings) - 18 transformations

Impressive (training immortals/stronger earth yaoguai) - 1 to 2 spells

Common (most yaoguai) - humanoid body

Weak (cultivating yaoguai) - cannot speak

We see that Wukong having 72 transformations is considered unusual. On the level of like a once-in-an-immortal-lifetime kind of genius that happens once in a million years. The only other person we see with this same power is Erlang Shen who is considered the best fighter in all of heaven and the only man that can go toe-to-toe with Wukong. I cannot stress enough how powerful Wukong is as a demon and how he being able to single-handling take on all of heaven is something very unusual and a massive threat within himself.

So from that we can easily assume since only the two most powerful characters in the novel have the 72 transformations have this kind of power that this is not common and that other demons shouldn't not be able to have it. Personally I think that no one else but Wukong and Erlang have this level or even come close.

Then we see what is the next level with is the 36 transformations. This is what we see that Zhu Bajie has. Bajie who was the Canopy Marshall of the Reeds, who was in charge of 80,000 men alone and only answered to the Jade Emporer himself because he was so highly ranked. From this observation, we can assume that Marshalls or other extremely high-positioned celestial soldiers have the 36 transformations. Pretty much every powerful celestial that isn't Erlang Shen himself.

I would argue that only MAYBE some Demon King could have 36 transformations, but this is highly unlikely as most yaoguai cultivate through eating humans and not through proper training under a teacher. There could be leeway that perhaps heaven-runaway animals that claim to have cultivated through heaven-means could have this power. This makes it so that maybe 5 Demon Kings out of the nearly 30 could have this level of transformation, and especially the ones that have said they cultivated because they gained knowledge in heaven, not just ran away. I would say this is like Yellow Wind Demon, Yellow Robe Demon, Golden and Silver Horned Kings, Scorpion Demon, and Bull Demon King.

And last is the 18 transformations. This is what we see what Sha Wujing has and he was a Curtain-Lifting General, which is a slightly higher position but we can assume to be closer to the common celestial solider power-wise. This is what I believe that most celestial soldiers have been able to master and is the standard. And what I think that most Demon Kings are able to master as well. I would find it impressive if Demon King could gain a human form, let alone master other spells. I would say this is like Black Wind King, White Bone Demon, Singled Horned Rhino King, Nine-Headed Insect, Jupiter's Rival, Hundred-Eyed Demon Lord, and White Deer Spirit.

We see only higher rank demons like Generals able to perform maybe one or two transformations and that was to escape combat. Only Demon King seem to have one to more than one spells. Or we see that some demons are able to master serval spells I would but they are not powerful as Wukong is easily able to overpower them. I say these impressive demons are like Tiger Vangarud, Tiger Immortal, Elk Immortal, Antelope Immortal, all Eight Tree Spirits, all Seven Spider sisters, and Iron-Backed Grey Wolf.

As for normal everyday yaogaui that have cultivated on their own I would say that they are not capable of transformation spells at all. Most demons we see on this journey are underlings and we see none (that I remember) perform any spells. Just that they are able to cultivate by eating humans to understand language and gain a humanoid body takes all their accumulated power, and they are under a teacher to learn more, they are following a demon king to serve. We see this like Sly Devil, Wily Worm, Hill-Pawing Tiger, Sea-Lolling Draong, Going and Coming, and Springe Grace.

And demons that are still cultivating and cannot speak like the Python Demon.