Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Panting,Iasked,

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Thestepedhishaly.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Hetinued:

“Oh?”

Timepassed.

Halftheeffort...?

Thestewardsaid,

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“You’retooi

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Tch.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Inodded.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Hecalmlyexpined: