“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Hecalmlyexpined:

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“You’retooi

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Hetinued:

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Thestewardsaid,

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Timepassed.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Inodded.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Tch.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Thestepedhishaly.

Halftheeffort...?

So,Icalledforth“me.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Oh?”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Panting,Iasked,

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”