Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Thestepedhishaly.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Tch.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Panting,Iasked,

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Halftheeffort...?

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Thestewardsaid,

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“You’retooi

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Oh?”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Hetinued:

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Timepassed.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Inodded.