Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Hetinued:

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Thestepedhishaly.

“You’retooi

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Tch.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Timepassed.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Panting,Iasked,

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Halftheeffort...?

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Inodded.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thestewardsaid,

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Oh?”