“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Panting,Iasked,

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Oh?”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Timepassed.

Inodded.

Halftheeffort...?

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Thestewardsaid,

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Hetinued:

Hecalmlyexpined:

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Thestepedhishaly.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Tch.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“You’retooi

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.