Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Timepassed.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Inodded.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Halftheeffort...?

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Panting,Iasked,

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“You’retooi

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Hetinued:

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“Tch.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Thestewardsaid,

“Oh?”

Thestepedhishaly.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.