“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Halftheeffort...?

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thestepedhishaly.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Oh?”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Thestewardsaid,

Inodded.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Tch.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Hetinued:

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Timepassed.

Panting,Iasked,

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“You’retooi

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.