Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Thestewardsaid,

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Inodded.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Halftheeffort...?

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Oh?”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Panting,Iasked,

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Thestepedhishaly.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Tch.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“You’retooi

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Timepassed.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Hetinued:

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.