“Tch.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Timepassed.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Hecalmlyexpined:

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Oh?”

Hetinued:

Thestewardsaid,

Inodded.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Halftheeffort...?

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“You’retooi

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Thestepedhishaly.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Panting,Iasked,

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”