Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Panting,Iasked,

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Inodded.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Thestewardsaid,

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Timepassed.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Tch.”

Halftheeffort...?

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“You’retooi

“Oh?”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Hetinued:

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Thestepedhishaly.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?