Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Inodded.

“You’retooi

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Thestepedhishaly.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Panting,Iasked,

“Oh?”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Tch.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Halftheeffort...?

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Thestewardsaid,

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Timepassed.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Hetinued:

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”