Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“You’retooi

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Timepassed.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Halftheeffort...?

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Tch.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Hetinued:

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Inodded.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Thestewardsaid,

Hecalmlyexpined:

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Oh?”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Panting,Iasked,

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Thestepedhishaly.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”