Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Halftheeffort...?

Hetinued:

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Thestepedhishaly.

Timepassed.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Oh?”

“Tch.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Thestewardsaid,

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Inodded.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“You’retooi

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Panting,Iasked,