Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Oh?”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Inodded.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Panting,Iasked,

Timepassed.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Thestepedhishaly.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Halftheeffort...?

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Thestewardsaid,

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“You’retooi

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Tch.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Hetinued:

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”