AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Panting,Iasked,

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Timepassed.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Tch.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Hetinued:

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Thestepedhishaly.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Thestewardsaid,

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“You’retooi

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Inodded.

Halftheeffort...?

Hecalmlyexpined:

“Oh?”