Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Halftheeffort...?

Hecalmlyexpined:

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Inodded.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Oh?”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“You’retooi

Hetinued:

Thestepedhishaly.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Timepassed.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Thestewardsaid,

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Panting,Iasked,

“Tch.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.