“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“You’retooi

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Timepassed.

Thestewardsaid,

Hetinued:

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Halftheeffort...?

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Panting,Iasked,

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Tch.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Inodded.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Oh?”

Thestepedhishaly.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.