“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“You’retooi

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Oh?”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Hetinued:

Inodded.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Tch.”

Panting,Iasked,

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Thestewardsaid,

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Halftheeffort...?

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Timepassed.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Thestepedhishaly.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.