Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Inodded.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Halftheeffort...?

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“You’retooi

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Tch.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Thestepedhishaly.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Thestewardsaid,

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Timepassed.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Hetinued:

“Oh?”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Panting,Iasked,

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”