Thestepedhishaly.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Halftheeffort...?

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Hetinued:

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Panting,Iasked,

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“Tch.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Inodded.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Timepassed.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Thestewardsaid,

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“You’retooi

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Oh?”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Hecalmlyexpined: