ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Hetinued:

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Thestewardsaid,

“Tch.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“You’retooi

Halftheeffort...?

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Timepassed.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Thestepedhishaly.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Inodded.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Panting,Iasked,

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Oh?”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.