Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Hetinued:

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“You’retooi

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Halftheeffort...?

Timepassed.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Hecalmlyexpined:

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Thestewardsaid,

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Oh?”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Panting,Iasked,

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thestepedhishaly.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Inodded.

“Tch.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.