But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Thestepedhishaly.

“You’retooi

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Oh?”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Timepassed.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Halftheeffort...?

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Panting,Iasked,

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Inodded.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Hetinued:

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Tch.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Thestewardsaid,

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.