TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Timepassed.

Hetinued:

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Thestepedhishaly.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Halftheeffort...?

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Inodded.

“You’retooi

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Oh?”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Panting,Iasked,

Thestewardsaid,

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Tch.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Hecalmlyexpined: