“You’retooi

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Oh?”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Halftheeffort...?

Timepassed.

Thestewardsaid,

Inodded.

Panting,Iasked,

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Hetinued:

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Tch.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Thestepedhishaly.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.