“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Timepassed.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Panting,Iasked,

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Hetinued:

“Tch.”

Thestewardsaid,

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Oh?”

Halftheeffort...?

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“You’retooi

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Inodded.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Thestepedhishaly.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.