Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Oh?”

“You’retooi

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Hetinued:

“Tch.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Timepassed.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Halftheeffort...?

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Panting,Iasked,

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Inodded.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Thestepedhishaly.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thestewardsaid,

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.