mpatient,”hereplied.

    “Youmayeanytime.Ifyou’reunavaibleoraintwodaysthe.”

    Ichuckledawkwardly.

    “Gotit.”

    Thenheadded,

    “Ifthere’snothingelse,return.Youhaveafewtasksawaiting.

    Later,Ishallteachyouateiqueortwo.”

    Hearingthis,Ibrightenedandskippedofftofieward.

    Speakingofwhich—heoncesaidhecouldtakeontheformofanyoneIdesired.

    Ihaddecidedonanyonespecific.

    Sofornow,IaskedhimtoappearasMeng,mypersonalbodyguard.

    Thoughcalleda“personal”guard,sheonlyprotectedmewhenIwasoutsidetheTianfamilyestate—

    which,holy,hadhappehaimes.

    Thestewardtransformedusingmymemories.

    1

    NowfullyinMeng’sform,shesmiledandsaid,

    “YoungMaster,howmayIserveyou?”

    “Whoa!”Iyelpedinsurprise.

    Thevoice,appearance,gestures—everythingwasidentical.

    Thisrealmistrulybeyondprehension.

    “Iwanttotakeonatask,”Isaid.

    TheAsuraRealmhasresidents—justastheYangRealmhasmortalsandcultivators.

    Wheretherearemortals,thereareneeds—andsometimesevenmissiobehindbyoldercultivators.

    Mengreplied,

    “Uood.Twotasksarecurrentlysuitableforyourlevel:

    1

    SparringPartnerorPillFurendant.”

    “I’lldothesparringpartaskfirst.Whatdoesitinvolve?”

    “Itmeansfightinganoppoofthesamecultivationlevel,butwithoutinfligseriousharm.”

    Inodded.

    Theseryged,andIfollowedthepathshepoioward—akindofarena.

    Ierwasaroundbatptformwithonlyafewpeoplenearby.

    Myoppowasanolderyouth—PeakFoundatioablishmentstage.

    Helookedatme,astonished.

    “You’retellihisbaby-facedkidismyoppo?”

    Hehadthatsmuglook,thekindthatmademeirritated.

    1

    Ipickedupawoodensword,narrowedmyeyes,andstaredhimdown.

    Thewhistleblew.Wecshed.

    Hewasstrong.SothisiseakFoundatioablishmentfeelslike?

    Afterfiveminutes,Iwasatmylimit.

    Isummoned“me.”

    Suddenly,thesmugexpressiononhisfacedisappeared.Hefeltthepressure.

    Fivemoreminutespassed.

    “I”wasired,butmyoppowasonthevergeofcolpse.

    Hethrewdownhissword.

    “Alright,alright,Isurrender!”

    1

    Onlythendid“I”stop.

    Hepaaggeredupto“me,”andmuttered,

    “You’rewayt…”

    Bythetimehefinished,Ihadreturomyself.

    “Thanksforthematch.”

    Headmittedholy,

    “Ijustwaomesswitharookie,butdidn’texpectabegiFoundatioablishmenttobethistough.”

    Ichuckledawkwardlyaurhecultivationroomtopreparefortheask:

    PillFurendant.

mpatient,”hereplied.

    “Youmayeanytime.Ifyou’reunavaibleoraintwodaysthe.”

    Ichuckledawkwardly.

    “Gotit.”

    Thenheadded,

    “Ifthere’snothingelse,return.Youhaveafewtasksawaiting.

    Later,Ishallteachyouateiqueortwo.”

    Hearingthis,Ibrightenedandskippedofftofieward.

    Speakingofwhich—heoncesaidhecouldtakeontheformofanyoneIdesired.

    Ihaddecidedonanyonespecific.

    Sofornow,IaskedhimtoappearasMeng,mypersonalbodyguard.

    Thoughcalleda“personal”guard,sheonlyprotectedmewhenIwasoutsidetheTianfamilyestate—

    which,holy,hadhappehaimes.

    Thestewardtransformedusingmymemories.

    1

    NowfullyinMeng’sform,shesmiledandsaid,

    “YoungMaster,howmayIserveyou?”

    “Whoa!”Iyelpedinsurprise.

    Thevoice,appearance,gestures—everythingwasidentical.

    Thisrealmistrulybeyondprehension.

    “Iwanttotakeonatask,”Isaid.

    TheAsuraRealmhasresidents—justastheYangRealmhasmortalsandcultivators.

    Wheretherearemortals,thereareneeds—andsometimesevenmissiobehindbyoldercultivators.

    Mengreplied,

    “Uood.Twotasksarecurrentlysuitableforyourlevel:

    1

    SparringPartnerorPillFurendant.”

    “I’lldothesparringpartaskfirst.Whatdoesitinvolve?”

    “Itmeansfightinganoppoofthesamecultivationlevel,butwithoutinfligseriousharm.”

    Inodded.

    Theseryged,andIfollowedthepathshepoioward—akindofarena.

    Ierwasaroundbatptformwithonlyafewpeoplenearby.

    Myoppowasanolderyouth—PeakFoundatioablishmentstage.

    Helookedatme,astonished.

    “You’retellihisbaby-facedkidismyoppo?”

    Hehadthatsmuglook,thekindthatmademeirritated.

    1

    Ipickedupawoodensword,narrowedmyeyes,andstaredhimdown.

    Thewhistleblew.Wecshed.

    Hewasstrong.SothisiseakFoundatioablishmentfeelslike?

    Afterfiveminutes,Iwasatmylimit.

    Isummoned“me.”

    Suddenly,thesmugexpressiononhisfacedisappeared.Hefeltthepressure.

    Fivemoreminutespassed.

    “I”wasired,butmyoppowasonthevergeofcolpse.

    Hethrewdownhissword.

    “Alright,alright,Isurrender!”

    1

    Onlythendid“I”stop.

    Hepaaggeredupto“me,”andmuttered,

    “You’rewayt…”

    Bythetimehefinished,Ihadreturomyself.

    “Thanksforthematch.”

    Headmittedholy,

    “Ijustwaomesswitharookie,butdidn’texpectabegiFoundatioablishmenttobethistough.”

    Ichuckledawkwardlyaurhecultivationroomtopreparefortheask:

    PillFurendant.