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The gathering of medicinal materials and the burning of the elixir have a sequence of precedence; the Yin-Yang energies of the Kan, Li, Gen, and Xun trigrams are inverted and returned.
When the practice is completed for ninety-nine cycles (representing the heavenly numbers), how could one fail to become an immortal beyond the mundane world?
Those practicing the Soft Method traverse the Dao differently from those of the Hard Method, yet their success is easier to achieve than that of the Hard Method practitioners. Hard Method practitioners require three years to subdue Qi, whereas Soft Method practitioners can subdue Qi in one year, due to the presence of the Elixir within the body.
However, although Qi is easily subdued, menstruation (Chimai) is most detrimental to the Dao. If one is a heroine among women, capable of severing the Chimai, then menstrual blood will not leak, and the foundation for building the base (Zhuji) is established. After establishing the Zhuji, one employs the skill of refining Jing into Qi: using the two Yang lines on the exterior of the Li trigram to eliminate the two Yin lines on the exterior of the Kan trigram, transforming it into the pure Yang structure of the Qian trigram. Although the Kan-Li skills are sufficient and the Qian structure is formed, if the Qi has not yet transformed and the Shen (Spirit) is not yet spiritual, one must employ the skill of refining Qi into Shen: using the single Yang line at the top of the Gen trigram to transform the single Yin line at the bottom of the Xun trigram, melting away the external Yin Qi to achieve pure Yang Shen. When circulating the Microcosmic Orbit reaches the end of ninety-nine cycles, and the Shen returns to pure Yang, one must employ the skill of refining Shen into Emptiness (Xu) to become an immortal beyond the secular world.

After seventy-six degrees of the palace cycle, the Yang Shen suddenly arrives to wander in the Upper Dantian.
A thunderous clap shakes the Heavenly Gate, as everyone looks up to see white Qi floating at the crown.
In the practice of the Microcosmic Orbit, upon reaching seventy-six degrees, the Sacred Embryo is complete. The Yang Shen migrates from the Middle Dantian to the Upper Dantian, breaks through the crown, and emerges; this is called "Shedding the Body" (Tuotai). Zhongli Quan said, "Thunder shakes the Heavenly Gate, startling ghosts and gods; overturning the universe, flying white clouds." The *Jindan Chuanzhen* states, "Suddenly thunder sounds at the crown, holding an infant in the embrace." The reason the Shen can shed the body is because of Shen Ding (Spirit Stability). Chongxu Zi said: Initially, the Shen cannot stabilize; it relies on the Two Qi (Yin and Yang) for stability. When Qi stabilizes, the Shen follows and stabilizes. When Qi stabilizes, there is no Qi; the Shen, separated from its reliance, stands independently, thus able to leave the state of Ding, abandon the body, and exit the Ding state. If one does not reach Great Ding (Great Stillness), the Shen still needs reliance and cannot separate from Qi, let alone leave the physical form. Therefore, when Heart (Mind) and Breath rely on each other, only then can Shen stabilize and exit stabilization.
The manifestations during exiting stabilization vary: some emerge amidst falling flowers from heaven; some emerge like a seven-story pagoda; some emerge as a body outside the body; some emerge with wind, clouds, and thunder, such as the True Person Ma Danyang; some emerge with fragrant winds and auspicious Qi, such as the Lady Bu'er Yuan.
In summary, the emergence of Shen arises from a single thought within stillness and stability; thus, changes and manifestations also arise from a single thought. Even thousands or millions of bodies arise from a single thought. One should not doubt differences based on the varying modes of emergence. The phrase "white Qi floating" merely cites one aspect as evidence.