Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Timepassed.

Panting,Iasked,

Thestepedhishaly.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Inodded.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Oh?”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Thestewardsaid,

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Hetinued:

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Tch.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Halftheeffort...?

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Hecalmlyexpined:

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“You’retooi