Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Thestepedhishaly.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Inodded.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Timepassed.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Tch.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Halftheeffort...?

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Oh?”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“You’retooi

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Hetinued:

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Panting,Iasked,

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Thestewardsaid,

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.