ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Oh?”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Thestepedhishaly.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Halftheeffort...?

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Timepassed.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Hetinued:

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Inodded.

“You’retooi

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Panting,Iasked,

“Tch.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Thestewardsaid,