“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Hetinued:

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Thestepedhishaly.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Tch.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Inodded.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Thestewardsaid,

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“You’retooi

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Timepassed.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Panting,Iasked,

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Oh?”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Halftheeffort...?

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain: