Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Inodded.

Hetinued:

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Halftheeffort...?

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Thestewardsaid,

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Panting,Iasked,

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Timepassed.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Tch.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“You’retooi

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Thestepedhishaly.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Oh?”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.