“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Thestewardsaid,

Panting,Iasked,

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Inodded.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Timepassed.

Hetinued:

“Tch.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Thestepedhishaly.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Halftheeffort...?

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“You’retooi

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Oh?”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.