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