Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Halftheeffort...?

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Hetinued:

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Panting,Iasked,

Thestewardsaid,

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“You’retooi

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Oh?”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Thestepedhishaly.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Tch.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Timepassed.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Inodded.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”