“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Thestepedhishaly.

Hetinued:

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Thestewardsaid,

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Halftheeffort...?

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“You’retooi

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Oh?”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Timepassed.

“Tch.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Inodded.

Panting,Iasked,

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.