“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Panting,Iasked,

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Thestepedhishaly.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thestewardsaid,

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Tch.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Timepassed.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“You’retooi

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Hetinued:

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Halftheeffort...?

“Oh?”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Inodded.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.