Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Thestepedhishaly.

“You’retooi

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Halftheeffort...?

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Thestewardsaid,

Inodded.

Panting,Iasked,

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Timepassed.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Hetinued:

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Oh?”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Tch.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”