ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Timepassed.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Hetinued:

Thestepedhishaly.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Panting,Iasked,

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Thestewardsaid,

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Oh?”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Halftheeffort...?

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Tch.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

“You’retooi

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Inodded.