ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thestewardsaid,

Panting,Iasked,

Hetinued:

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Inodded.

“You’retooi

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Tch.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Timepassed.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Oh?”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Thestepedhishaly.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Halftheeffort...?

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.