“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Tch.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Oh?”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Timepassed.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Thestepedhishaly.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Hecalmlyexpined:

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Halftheeffort...?

“You’retooi

Panting,Iasked,

Hetinued:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Inodded.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Thestewardsaid,