Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Hetinued:

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Timepassed.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“You’retooi

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Halftheeffort...?

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Tch.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Thestewardsaid,

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Panting,Iasked,

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Thestepedhishaly.

Inodded.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Oh?”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.