Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“You’retooi

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Inodded.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Hetinued:

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Halftheeffort...?

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Tch.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Oh?”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Panting,Iasked,

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Thestepedhishaly.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Timepassed.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Thestewardsaid,

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”