But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“You’retooi

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Halftheeffort...?

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Oh?”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Inodded.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Thestepedhishaly.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Panting,Iasked,

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Timepassed.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Hetinued:

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Thestewardsaid,

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Tch.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.