ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Panting,Iasked,

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Thestewardsaid,

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Timepassed.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Inodded.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Halftheeffort...?

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Tch.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

So,Icalledforth“me.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Hetinued:

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Thestepedhishaly.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“You’retooi

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Oh?”