Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Inodded.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Hetinued:

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Thestewardsaid,

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Halftheeffort...?

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Thestepedhishaly.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Oh?”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Panting,Iasked,

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“You’retooi

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Timepassed.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Tch.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”