“Oh?”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thestepedhishaly.

Timepassed.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“You’retooi

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Inodded.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Tch.”

Halftheeffort...?

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Panting,Iasked,

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Hetinued:

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Thestewardsaid,

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?