tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Panting,Iasked,

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Tch.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Inodded.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Oh?”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Timepassed.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Halftheeffort...?

Thestepedhishaly.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Hetinued:

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Thestewardsaid,

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“You’retooi

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.