Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Hetinued:

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“You’retooi

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Timepassed.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Inodded.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Panting,Iasked,

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Thestepedhishaly.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thestewardsaid,

“Tch.”

“Oh?”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Halftheeffort...?

Hecalmlyexpined:

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”