Panting,Iasked,

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Hetinued:

Thestepedhishaly.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Timepassed.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“You’retooi

Thestewardsaid,

Inodded.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Halftheeffort...?

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Oh?”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Tch.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.