Cultivation Level Classification

Refining Essence into Qi (Human Blossom) — Attaining Spiritual Awareness (Enlightening Intelligence)
Cultivating Qi into Spirit (Earth Blossom) — Becoming a Spirit Creature
Refining Spirit to Return to Emptiness (Heaven Blossom) — Becoming a Fairy Spirit (Half-Demon)

Human Blossom – Refining essence into qi: Humans are born from refined essence, thus essence is the seed of reincarnation. Practitioners must keep their minds clear in the lower dantian, abstain from lust, and never let their essence be wasted. When essence is full, desires fade, and the Lead Blossom is born.

Earth Blossom – Cultivating qi into spirit: Human life depends on qi. The mind must remain undisturbed in the lower dantian, free from fear, anger, or resentment. When qi is harmonized and the way is unobstructed, the central qi is full, desires for food vanish, and the Silver Blossom emerges.

Heaven Blossom – Refining spirit to return to emptiness: Even with abundant essence and qi, without spirit, the body lacks radiance and life. Spirit is the ruler. Now, with the mind emptied in the upper dantian, free from attachment, spirit is full, sleep is unnecessary, clarity and wakefulness are constant. The shell is shed, emptiness attained, and the Golden Blossom is born.

Cultivating Emptiness and Uniting with the Dao — Minor Demon (Internal Alchemy)
Celestial Immortal (Three Blossoms Gather at the Crown) — Great Demon

(Explanation: The word for “blossom” is synonymous with “splendor.” Thus, the Three Blossoms are the Three Splendors, representing the flourishing of essence, qi, and spirit within the human body. The inner meaning of the Three Blossoms is the “Three Yangs”: yang within yin, yang within yang, and yin-yang within yang. This concept comes from the transformations of the five elements and heavenly stems. In ancient China, Water represented the north, corresponding with the heavenly stems Ren and Gui, and with the kidneys in the body; Fire represented the south, corresponding with Bing and Ding, and with the heart; Metal represented the west, corresponding with Geng and Xin, and with the lungs. The kidneys govern essence, the heart governs spirit, and the lungs govern qi. Water in the north is yin, with Ren (yang) and Gui (yin) as stems. “Yang within yin” refers to Ren. Fire in the south is yang, with Bing (yang) and Ding (yin); “yang within yang” refers to Bing. Metal in the west is yin, with the lungs facilitating the exchange of old and new, connecting interior and exterior, thus embodying yin-yang transformation. “Yin-yang within yang” refers to Geng among Metal’s stems. Internal alchemy’s practice of “refining essence into qi” means eliminating Gui from kidney water, elevating Ren; “refining qi into spirit” means removing Xin from lung metal, elevating Geng; “refining spirit to return to emptiness” means removing Ding from heart fire, elevating Bing. Thus, Ren, Geng, and Bing symbolize the Three Yangs within essence, qi, and spirit, sublimated through the process, finally gathering in the Niwan Palace at the crown. This is the “Three Blossoms Gather at the Crown.” The crown is the cauldron. With transformation and renewal, one is reborn and achieves the realm of Celestial Immortal, where the body shines with radiant splendor.)

Golden Core with Five Elements in Perfect Balance (Five Elements at Zero) — Taiyi Loose Immortal — Demon King

Golden Core with Two Elements Perfected and Complementing Each Other — Taiyi True Immortal — Demon God

Golden Core with Five Elements in Great Perfection — Taiyi Golden Immortal — Demon Saint

Golden Core Achieving the Convergence of Five Energies, Opening the Inner World — Da Luo True Immortal

Inner World of Five Elements Perfected — Da Luo Golden Immortal

The heart stores spirit; postnatal is the cognitive spirit, prenatal is propriety. When free from sorrow, the spirit is settled, and the red imperial fire from the south gathers at the origin.

The liver stores the soul; postnatal is the wandering soul, prenatal is benevolence. When free from joy, the soul is settled, and the green imperial wood energy from the east gathers at the origin.

The spleen stores intention; postnatal is deluded intention, prenatal is faith. When free from desire, intention is settled, and the yellow imperial earth energy from the center gathers at the origin.

The lungs store the corporeal soul; postnatal is the ghostly soul, prenatal is righteousness. When free from anger, the corporeal soul is settled, and the white imperial metal energy from the west gathers at the origin.

The kidneys store essence; postnatal is turbid essence, prenatal is wisdom. When free from pleasure, the essence is settled, and the black imperial water energy from the north gathers at the origin.

Slaying One Corpse, Slaying Two Corpses — Hunyuan Da Luo Golden Immortal

Slaying Three Corpses and Gaining Recognition from Heaven — Greatly Awakened True Immortal

Three Corpses United, Attaining the Great Dao — Greatly Awakened Golden Immortal