“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Halftheeffort...?

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Oh?”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Hetinued:

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Panting,Iasked,

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thestepedhishaly.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Thestewardsaid,

“Tch.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Inodded.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“You’retooi

Timepassed.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”