Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Thestepedhishaly.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Timepassed.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Halftheeffort...?

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Tch.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Inodded.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thestewardsaid,

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Hetinued:

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“Oh?”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“You’retooi

Panting,Iasked,