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.”