Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Hetinued:

“Oh?”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Tch.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Timepassed.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“You’retooi

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Inodded.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Panting,Iasked,

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Halftheeffort...?

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Thestewardsaid,

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Thestepedhishaly.