tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Inodded.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Halftheeffort...?

“You’retooi

Thestewardsaid,

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Timepassed.

Hetinued:

“Tch.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Oh?”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Panting,Iasked,

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Hecalmlyexpined:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Thestepedhishaly.