So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Inodded.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Timepassed.

“You’retooi

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Hetinued:

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Halftheeffort...?

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Oh?”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Thestewardsaid,

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Panting,Iasked,

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Thestepedhishaly.

“Tch.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”