“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Panting,Iasked,

Hecalmlyexpined:

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Halftheeffort...?

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Hetinued:

Thestepedhishaly.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Timepassed.

“Oh?”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Tch.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Inodded.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Thestewardsaid,

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“You’retooi

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.