Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Inodded.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Tch.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Panting,Iasked,

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Hetinued:

“You’retooi

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Thestewardsaid,

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Halftheeffort...?

Timepassed.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Oh?”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Thestepedhishaly.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.