“You’retooi

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Oh?”

Hetinued:

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Panting,Iasked,

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thestewardsaid,

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Halftheeffort...?

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Thestepedhishaly.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Timepassed.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Hecalmlyexpined:

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Tch.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Inodded.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.