The Eight Gates Burned, at Twenty-Four

He lived from the age of sixteen to twenty-four. In those eight years, he burned through all eight gates, traded his life for eight victories, and his blood for two women's lifelong wait.

At sixteen, he opened his first gate. By burning a year of his life, he gained hands that could shatter iron and split stone.

He should have lived to twenty-four. But every gate he opened brought him one step closer to death.

At eighteen, he opened five gates and had only three years left.

At nineteen, he extended his life by one year.

At twenty, he opened another gate and extended his life by another year.

At twenty-two, he opened all seven gates.

At twenty-four, he opened the eighth gate.

The day the gate opened, a massive golden gate split the sky.

The Heavenly Dao asked him, “Will you enter the Heavenly Gate and attain immortality?”

He looked back at the woman who had waited eight years, then at the brothers who had died.

Then he smashed the Heavenly Gate with one punch.

“If I go, what will happen to them?”

With the last of his strength, he built the Northern Frontier Tower to guard the wilderness forever.

On the day the tower was completed, he collapsed into a woman's arms and smiled.

“That’s enough.”

He lived to be twenty-four.

But he was truly alive for only those eight years.