“Tch.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Inodded.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Timepassed.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“You’retooi

Hetinued:

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Oh?”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Halftheeffort...?

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Thestewardsaid,

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Panting,Iasked,

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Thestepedhishaly.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”