“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“You’retooi

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Tch.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Hecalmlyexpined:

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Hetinued:

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Inodded.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Oh?”

Panting,Iasked,

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Thestewardsaid,

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Halftheeffort...?

Timepassed.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Thestepedhishaly.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”