ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Halftheeffort...?

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“You’retooi

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Hetinued:

Thestewardsaid,

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Tch.”

Thestepedhishaly.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Panting,Iasked,

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Oh?”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Timepassed.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Inodded.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.