“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Halftheeffort...?

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Oh?”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Tch.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Hetinued:

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thestewardsaid,

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Thestepedhishaly.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Panting,Iasked,

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Inodded.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Timepassed.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“You’retooi

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.