Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Halftheeffort...?

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Timepassed.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Hetinued:

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Thestepedhishaly.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Tch.”

Inodded.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Thestewardsaid,

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“You’retooi

Panting,Iasked,

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Oh?”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”