Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Tch.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Timepassed.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

“You’retooi

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Halftheeffort...?

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Hetinued:

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Thestepedhishaly.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Inodded.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Panting,Iasked,

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Oh?”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Thestewardsaid,

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.