ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Timepassed.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Inodded.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Panting,Iasked,

Hecalmlyexpined:

Hetinued:

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Thestewardsaid,

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Thestepedhishaly.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Oh?”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Tch.”

Halftheeffort...?

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“You’retooi

So,Icalledforth“me.”