Panting,Iasked,

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Timepassed.

“Oh?”

“Tch.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Thestepedhishaly.

Halftheeffort...?

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Inodded.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Thestewardsaid,

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“You’retooi

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Hecalmlyexpined:

Hetinued: