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