“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Thestepedhishaly.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Oh?”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Inodded.

Timepassed.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Tch.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Panting,Iasked,

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Halftheeffort...?

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“You’retooi

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thestewardsaid,

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Hetinued: