Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“You’retooi

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Timepassed.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Inodded.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Panting,Iasked,

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Oh?”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Halftheeffort...?

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Thestewardsaid,

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Hetinued:

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Thestepedhishaly.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Tch.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”