Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“You’retooi

Thestepedhishaly.

Thestewardsaid,

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Timepassed.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Panting,Iasked,

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Hetinued:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Halftheeffort...?

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Tch.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Oh?”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Inodded.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.