As the Forest Immortal Sect flourished under Hanna’s leadership and the divine connectivity network nurtured by the Great Way Tree, the path of cultivation that lay before the sect’s disciples became ever more profound and mystical. Having integrated the Mortal Coil and Heavenly Coil stages into the sect’s knowledge base, Hanna turned her attention to the final and most enigmatic phase of cultivation—the Endless Coil. Information about this phase was carefully restricted, accessible only to those who had reached the level of Way Lord in the Heavenly Coil, ensuring that only the most prepared and matured cultivators could attempt its formidable challenges.
In the quiet sanctity of her study, under the ethereal light filtering through the leaves of the Great Way Tree, Hanna began to document the stages of the Endless Coil, each step resonating with cosmic power and boundless potential.
First Step: Heavenly Being
“As long as Nothing exists so shall my Presence. Virtualization and Materialization with Heavenly Presence, Being the Heavens and Seeing the Heavens, Being Order and Disorder and the Chaos that forms it. All I ask shall Be and All I despise shall Cease under my Heaven.”
Hanna paused, reflecting on the immense responsibility that accompanied such power. This stage marked the cultivator’s ability to influence reality itself, embodying the heavens and wielding the forces that shaped the universe. “This is where you become not just a part of the cosmos, but a force that directs it,” Hanna murmured as she recorded the words, aware of the profound journey her disciples would undertake to reach this pinnacle.
Second Step: Celestial Integration
“The Celestial Palaces fill the boundless sky like endless stars.” This stage expanded on the foundations laid by the Heavenly Being, where the cultivator’s inner universe burgeoned into countless celestial palaces, each a realm of infinite potential and power. Hanna envisioned these palaces as centers of learning, each reflecting different aspects of cosmic law and personal mastery.
Third Step: Nothingness Reunion
“Everything begins with Nothing, Nothing ceases when Everything begins.” The duality of existence and non-existence was reconciled in this stage, where the cultivator tapped into the primal void—the source of all creation and destruction. Hanna explained, “It’s about returning to the origin, where all distinctions fade, and from which all complexities arise.”
Fourth Step: Everything Incarnation
“All is and All is not.” At this stage, the cultivator’s understanding and embodiment of the cosmos reached a paradoxical climax, where all dualities and contradictions were embraced and transcended. “You embody everything, yet stand beyond all,” Hanna wrote, her hand steady despite the overwhelming nature of the concept.
Fifth Step: Way of Empty
“The Way is me.” The final step of the Endless Coil was the ultimate unification of the cultivator’s essence with the Dao itself. At this point, the cultivator was no longer following the Way; they were the Way. “This is the culmination of all cultivation—becoming one with the boundless, undefined essence of existence,” Hanna concluded, her words a soft echo in the vastness of her study.
After documenting these stages, Hanna leaned back, her eyes closed in contemplation. She was aware of the gravity of what she had penned—a guide that would lead her disciples through the most profound mysteries of existence.
Later, sharing these insights with Yin and their companions, Hanna provided colorful commentary on each quote, bringing to life the poetic yet potent meanings behind them. Yin, ever thoughtful, added, “These stages aren’t just steps in cultivation; they’re transformations of being—of how we see ourselves and the universe.”
Their discussion deepened as they explored the philosophical implications of each stage, preparing themselves to guide their disciples not just through the mechanics of cultivation, but through the existential transformations each stage entailed.