tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Hetinued:

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Thestepedhishaly.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Timepassed.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Panting,Iasked,

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Tch.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Thestewardsaid,

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Halftheeffort...?

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Inodded.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Oh?”

“You’retooi

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.