Wei Changsheng kneels before Madam Wei's fresh grave in the family burial hill, face visible in profile, still in mortal mourning robes without the white temple streak. Spring rain beads on his shoulders and darkens the earth. A simple wood

Panel 1: Cicadas cling to pine bark above the burial hill, summer air heavy over the grass. Panel 2: Wei kneels in the same place before the grave, mortal variant, sweat and tears both running down his face, prayer-beads looped around one w

Panel 1: Orange-brown leaves cover the grave path and collect against the wooden marker. Wei remains kneeling before it, mortal variant, robe hem stained with earth. Panel 2: Close-up of his knees on the mat and his folded hands, fingers re

Winter snow covers the burial hill. Wei kneels motionless before the grave, mortal variant, shoulders dusted white, hair knot and bone pin half-buried in snow. A servant's broom and footprints stop far behind him, showing others dared not i

Panel 1: In second spring, several unnamed cultivators in travel robes climb the burial hill path and stop at a respectful distance from Madam Wei's grave. Panel 2: Wei kneels in the foreground, mortal variant, tears falling as he faces the

Wei kneels before the grave as a faint vermilion ripple spreads from his lower abdomen through the wet grass in a perfect circle. His face is calm through tears; the thin white streak begins at his right temple beside the bone pin. The grav

Panel 1: A row of visiting unnamed cultivators bows deeply toward Wei and Madam Wei's grave, their sleeves sweeping the burial path. Panel 2: Wei, now ascended with the white temple streak and faint vermilion aura, remains kneeling and sile

Panel 1: Close-up of Wei's ascended face: settled dark eyes, thin white streak at the right temple, faint vermilion aura close to his shoulders, a tear falling from his jaw. Panel 2: Offerings before Madam Wei's grave remain simple: rice, t

Panel 1: Autumn leaves fall around Wei kneeling in ascended form, white streak visible. Panel 2: Winter snow piles around his knees and the grave marker while the vermilion aura remains faint under the cold. Panel 3: Third spring grass grow

Panel 1: At the grave, Wei rises slowly for the first time after the prescribed mourning, ascended variant, robe knees caked with old earth, grave marker behind him in clear morning light. Panel 2: Close-up of his hand brushing dirt from th

Panel 1: Wei stands in a shadowed doorway of the family compound, ascended with white temple streak, bone pin, and faint vermilion aura; his face is 3/4 visible, calm and tear-marked. Panel 2: Wei Lanyi is in the sunlit courtyard, face full

Panel 1: Lanyi runs across the courtyard toward Wei, sleeves lifted, sparrow hairpin catching light, smile wide. Wei steps forward from the doorway with both arms opening. Panel 2: Final close embrace: Lanyi's face is hidden against his sho