Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Oh?”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Panting,Iasked,

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“You’retooi

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Halftheeffort...?

Thestewardsaid,

Hecalmlyexpined:

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Tch.”

Timepassed.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Hetinued:

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Inodded.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Thestepedhishaly.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.