On Floating Cloud Mountain, in the Path-Seeking Courtyard on Dao-Treasuring Peak at the Truth-Seeking Abbey, a Spirit Pine as tall as a person stood lush and green, gathering Spirit Mechanism and beginning to reveal the wonders of a spiritual root.
Beside the Spirit Pine, the white-haired old Daoist set his book down on the stone table and rose, gazing at the lingering sunset beyond the gate as he stroked his beard with a smile.
Half a month had passed since Xuanming returned to the mountain. Besides digesting his gains, he had devoted himself to reading "Rising Sun Spirit-Refining Insights." Though his understanding of many principles remained incomplete, and he reckoned he would only grasp them after advancing to Spirit Refining, he had uncovered more of its mysteries and grown more confident of making the breakthrough.
Although damage to his foundation had left True Lord Rising Sun confined to the first stage of Spirit Refining until his death, he had studied under Great True Lord Chaomu. His notes briefly mentioned the four stages of Spirit Refining:
Yin Spirit: the primordial spirit replaced the Conscious Spirit.
Feathered Transformation: the mortal body was exchanged for a spiritual body.
Pure Spirit: tempering to Pure Yang or pure yin.
Three Flowers Gather at the Crown: essence, qi, and spirit united as one and gathered in the brain.
These insights did much to fill the gaps in Xuanming's knowledge of Spirit Refining. Though the Truth-Seeking Abbey still lacked a Spirit Refining method, leaving him to explore and create one himself, he now knew the way forward and would not blunder about like a headless fly.
With the Great Dao within reach, Xuanming's spirits soared. Even the mountains and waters he had long grown accustomed to revealed a subtly different, profound beauty.
Once his mood had settled