Hetinued:

“Oh?”

“Tch.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Halftheeffort...?

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Panting,Iasked,

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Thestewardsaid,

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“You’retooi

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Timepassed.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Inodded.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Thestepedhishaly.

Hecalmlyexpined: