“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Timepassed.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Oh?”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Tch.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Thestepedhishaly.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Halftheeffort...?

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Inodded.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“You’retooi

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Hetinued:

Panting,Iasked,

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Thestewardsaid,

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.