“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Thestepedhishaly.

“You’retooi

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Tch.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Thestewardsaid,

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Hetinued:

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Halftheeffort...?

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Panting,Iasked,

Inodded.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Timepassed.

“Oh?”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.