Hecalmlyexpined:

“You’retooi

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Thestewardsaid,

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Inodded.

Hetinued:

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Oh?”

“Tch.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Panting,Iasked,

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Thestepedhishaly.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Timepassed.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Halftheeffort...?

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”