Thestewardsaid,

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Oh?”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Thestepedhishaly.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“You’retooi

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Inodded.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Timepassed.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Hetinued:

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Panting,Iasked,

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Halftheeffort...?

“Tch.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout: