Thestepedhishaly.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Timepassed.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Oh?”

Panting,Iasked,

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Inodded.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Thestewardsaid,

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Halftheeffort...?

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“You’retooi

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Hetinued:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Tch.”