ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Panting,Iasked,

Hecalmlyexpined:

Timepassed.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Oh?”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Thestewardsaid,

Hetinued:

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Tch.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Thestepedhishaly.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Inodded.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“You’retooi

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Halftheeffort...?

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”