“Tch.”

Timepassed.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Thestepedhishaly.

Halftheeffort...?

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Panting,Iasked,

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Oh?”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Inodded.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“You’retooi

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Hetinued:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thestewardsaid,

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.