Thestewardsaid,

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“You’retooi

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Timepassed.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Thestepedhishaly.

Inodded.

Halftheeffort...?

Hetinued:

“Tch.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Panting,Iasked,

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Oh?”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.