“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Inodded.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Oh?”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Thestewardsaid,

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“You’retooi

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Hetinued:

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Timepassed.

Panting,Iasked,

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Thestepedhishaly.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Tch.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Halftheeffort...?