“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Inodded.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Thestepedhishaly.

“You’retooi

Halftheeffort...?

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Oh?”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Tch.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Panting,Iasked,

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Timepassed.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Thestewardsaid,

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Hetinued:

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?