“You’retooi

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Panting,Iasked,

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Halftheeffort...?

Hetinued:

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Thestewardsaid,

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Timepassed.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Thestepedhishaly.

Inodded.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Tch.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Oh?”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.