tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Thestewardsaid,

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Hetinued:

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Oh?”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Tch.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“You’retooi

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Inodded.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Timepassed.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Panting,Iasked,

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Halftheeffort...?

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Thestepedhishaly.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”