Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Oh?”

“You’retooi

Thestepedhishaly.

Hetinued:

Halftheeffort...?

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Thestewardsaid,

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Inodded.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Panting,Iasked,

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Timepassed.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Tch.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.