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