Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Hetinued:

Thestepedhishaly.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Tch.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Thestewardsaid,

Panting,Iasked,

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Halftheeffort...?

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Timepassed.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Oh?”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“You’retooi

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Inodded.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”