Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Hecalmlyexpined:

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Oh?”

Halftheeffort...?

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Timepassed.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Hetinued:

Panting,Iasked,

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“You’retooi

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Thestewardsaid,

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Tch.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Thestepedhishaly.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Inodded.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.