“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Hetinued:

Thestewardsaid,

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Halftheeffort...?

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Tch.”

“You’retooi

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Oh?”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Thestepedhishaly.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Inodded.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Panting,Iasked,

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Timepassed.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.