Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Thestewardsaid,

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“You’retooi

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Inodded.

Thestepedhishaly.

“Oh?”

Panting,Iasked,

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Halftheeffort...?

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Timepassed.

“Tch.”

Hetinued:

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.