“Oh?”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Thestewardsaid,

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Panting,Iasked,

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Timepassed.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Halftheeffort...?

Hetinued:

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Thestepedhishaly.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Inodded.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“You’retooi

“Tch.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

So,Icalledforth“me.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”