Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Thestewardsaid,

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Inodded.

Hetinued:

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Oh?”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Halftheeffort...?

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“You’retooi

“Tch.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Thestepedhishaly.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Panting,Iasked,

Timepassed.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”