Panting,Iasked,

“Tch.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Halftheeffort...?

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Hecalmlyexpined:

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Oh?”

Hetinued:

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thestewardsaid,

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“You’retooi

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Thestepedhishaly.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Inodded.

Timepassed.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.