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