Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Oh?”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Timepassed.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Thestewardsaid,

Inodded.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Panting,Iasked,

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“You’retooi

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Hetinued:

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Halftheeffort...?

Thestepedhishaly.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Tch.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout: