Hecalmlyexpined:

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Thestepedhishaly.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Halftheeffort...?

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Hetinued:

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Panting,Iasked,

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“Oh?”

Inodded.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Thestewardsaid,

“You’retooi

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

“Tch.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Timepassed.

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”