ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Thestewardsaid,

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“You’retooi

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Timepassed.

Hetinued:

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Oh?”

Panting,Iasked,

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“Tch.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Thestepedhishaly.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Halftheeffort...?

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Inodded.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout: