Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Hetinued:

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Oh?”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Inodded.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Timepassed.

Thestewardsaid,

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Hecalmlyexpined:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Tch.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“You’retooi

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Halftheeffort...?

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Thestepedhishaly.

Panting,Iasked,