Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Panting,Iasked,

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Oh?”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Hetinued:

Halftheeffort...?

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Timepassed.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Hecalmlyexpined:

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Tch.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Inodded.

“You’retooi

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thestepedhishaly.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Thestewardsaid,