“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Tch.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Timepassed.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“You’retooi

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Inodded.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Oh?”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Panting,Iasked,

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Halftheeffort...?

Hetinued:

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Hecalmlyexpined:

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thestepedhishaly.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Thestewardsaid,

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.