“Oh?”

“Tch.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Hetinued:

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Halftheeffort...?

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“You’retooi

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Thestewardsaid,

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Inodded.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thestepedhishaly.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Timepassed.

Panting,Iasked,

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.