“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Oh?”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Timepassed.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Inodded.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Tch.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Panting,Iasked,

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Thestepedhishaly.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Hetinued:

Thestewardsaid,

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“You’retooi

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Halftheeffort...?