AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“You’retooi

Halftheeffort...?

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Panting,Iasked,

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Timepassed.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Hetinued:

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Oh?”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Thestepedhishaly.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Tch.”

Thestewardsaid,

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Inodded.