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