“You’retooi

“Tch.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Thestewardsaid,

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Hetinued:

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Halftheeffort...?

So,Icalledforth“me.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Timepassed.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Thestepedhishaly.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Oh?”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Panting,Iasked,

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Inodded.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.