Hecalmlyexpined:

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Halftheeffort...?

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thestepedhishaly.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Inodded.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Oh?”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Tch.”

“You’retooi

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Timepassed.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Hetinued:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Panting,Iasked,

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Thestewardsaid,