ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Panting,Iasked,

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Oh?”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Thestewardsaid,

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Tch.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Inodded.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Hetinued:

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Halftheeffort...?

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Thestepedhishaly.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Timepassed.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

“You’retooi

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.