Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Inodded.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“You’retooi

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“Oh?”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Thestewardsaid,

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Tch.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Thestepedhishaly.

Panting,Iasked,

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Halftheeffort...?

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Timepassed.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Hetinued:

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.