Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Hetinued:

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Oh?”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Timepassed.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Tch.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Halftheeffort...?

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Thestepedhishaly.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“You’retooi

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Thestewardsaid,

Inodded.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Panting,Iasked,

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.