Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Timepassed.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Panting,Iasked,

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Inodded.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“You’retooi

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Oh?”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Tch.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Halftheeffort...?

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Thestewardsaid,

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Thestepedhishaly.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Hetinued: