tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Thestepedhishaly.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“You’retooi

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Halftheeffort...?

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Oh?”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Tch.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Inodded.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Thestewardsaid,

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Timepassed.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Hetinued:

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Panting,Iasked,

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.