"There are no shortcuts on the path of Dao."
The middle-aged couple were deeply moved; their talent was also exceptional, yet after cultivating for several thousand years, their Dao Understanding was still just a hair's breadth short of reaching the Sixth Rank. Contemplating Zen and seeking Dao had occupied the greater part of their cultivation lives.
The Sixth Rank of Dao is the turning point.
The Sixth Rank is [Stopping Dao], which means that most cultivators, even those of extraordinary brilliance, will halt here, unable to see the road ahead.
The Seventh Rank is [Stepping Dao], the Eighth Rank is [Transcendent Dao]. Each rank is a steep threshold. The cultivator must, step by step, rise from being a servant and messenger of the Dao, until ultimately standing above the Dao and gaining mastery over it.
As for being a Daoist Lord?
Far too remote and ethereal. Through the ages not a single one has succeeded. Mastering Dao is the ultimate goal for cultivators.
