Hetinued:

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Thestewardsaid,

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Timepassed.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thestepedhishaly.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Tch.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Oh?”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Panting,Iasked,

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Halftheeffort...?

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“You’retooi

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Inodded.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.