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