Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Halftheeffort...?

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Timepassed.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Oh?”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Thestepedhishaly.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Inodded.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Tch.”

Hetinued:

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“You’retooi

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Hecalmlyexpined:

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Panting,Iasked,

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thestewardsaid,

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.