ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Halftheeffort...?

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Oh?”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“You’retooi

Inodded.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Thestepedhishaly.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Timepassed.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Tch.”

Hetinued:

Panting,Iasked,

Thestewardsaid,

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.