Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Hetinued:

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Thestepedhishaly.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Halftheeffort...?

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“You’retooi

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Panting,Iasked,

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Inodded.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Thestewardsaid,

Timepassed.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Tch.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Oh?”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.