Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Thestewardsaid,

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“You’retooi

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“Oh?”

Thestepedhishaly.

Halftheeffort...?

“Tch.”

Timepassed.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Panting,Iasked,

Inodded.

Hetinued:

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.