Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Oh?”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Tch.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Panting,Iasked,

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“You’retooi

Hetinued:

Timepassed.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Halftheeffort...?

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Thestewardsaid,

Inodded.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thestepedhishaly.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”