Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Halftheeffort...?

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Thestewardsaid,

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Timepassed.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Thestepedhishaly.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Tch.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Oh?”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Inodded.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“You’retooi

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Hetinued:

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Panting,Iasked,

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.