AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“You’retooi

Panting,Iasked,

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Thestewardsaid,

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Hetinued:

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Timepassed.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Tch.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Thestepedhishaly.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Inodded.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Halftheeffort...?

Hecalmlyexpined:

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Oh?”