Immortal Ascension

Peak stage at rank five is the finishing line of mortal Gu Masters. A Gu Immortal at rank six is beyond mortal, and becoming one is only a new starting point. ^{ch. 609} Crossing that divide is a discrete attempt with steps, costs, and a real chance of death rather than a quiet rank up. See ranks and realms for the ladder around that divide, and blessed lands and grotto-heavens for what the immortal aperture becomes after success.

Three steps

There are three steps: shattering the aperture, receiving qi, and releasing Gu (also called putting in Gu). ^{ch. 609 ch. 627 ch. 690}

Shatter the aperture first. For a Gu Master with only one aperture there is no retreat once that aperture is broken. Heaven and earth qi then pour toward the wreckage of the aperture, and human qi rises from the cultivator’s own body. ^{ch. 627}

Receive qi next. Heaven qi, earth qi, and human qi must stay in balance while they fuse. Human qi is the sum of the Gu Master’s accumulation: battle strength, toughness of body, depth of soul, familiarity with Gu, understanding of heaven and earth, awareness of one’s own nature, luck, talent, aptitude, fortuitous encounters, insights, and related factors. The more human qi there is, the more heaven and earth qi can be taken in, and the higher the chance of success. Too little human qi relative to heaven and earth qi ends in assimilation and death. ^{ch. 600} Countless Gu Masters fail while balancing the three qi. ^{ch. 627}

Release Gu last. Core Gu are sent into the tri-colored mass so an immortal aperture can form. ^{ch. 609} If the immortal aperture cannot be created, the ascension ends in failure. ^{ch. 628}

Northern Plains cases

Fang Yuan learns the process from records, then watches Tai Bai Yun Sheng take the risk inside Eighty-Eight True Yang Building and treats that attempt as a live reference. ^{ch. 606} Chapter 626 is titled for immortal ascension itself. ^{ch. 626} In that stretch Fang Yuan shatters his second aperture, takes in the three qi, and reaches the final putting-in-Gu step. ^{ch. 627 ch. 628} A later chapter is titled for finally becoming a Gu Immortal. ^{ch. 633}

Extreme physique ascension