Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Inodded.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Hetinued:

Hecalmlyexpined:

Panting,Iasked,

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Tch.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Thestepedhishaly.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Halftheeffort...?

Timepassed.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Oh?”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“You’retooi

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Thestewardsaid,

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.