Hetinued:

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Timepassed.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Inodded.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Oh?”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Halftheeffort...?

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thestepedhishaly.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Panting,Iasked,

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Thestewardsaid,

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“You’retooi

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Tch.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.