Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“You’retooi

Thestepedhishaly.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Halftheeffort...?

Thestewardsaid,

Panting,Iasked,

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Inodded.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Hetinued:

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Timepassed.

“Oh?”

“Tch.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.