“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”
Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.
Thestepedhishaly.
Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.
Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.
“Oh?”
Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.
Breathless,Irecimedtrol.
Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.
“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”
Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.
So,Icalledforth“me.”
“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.
Inodded.
Timepassed.
ThispceistheAsuraRealm.
“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.
“Tch.”
Themountaiobesappingmystrength.
“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”
Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.
Panting,Iasked,
“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.
Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”
ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.
Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.
Hecalmlyexpined:
Halftheeffort...?
Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:
Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.
“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”
Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”
Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.
Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.
Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.
But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.
“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”
tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”
“You’retooi
Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.
Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.
Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:
“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”
“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”
“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”
Thestewardsaid,
Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”
AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?
Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.
TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”
Hetinued: