AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Inodded.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

“You’retooi

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Halftheeffort...?

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Tch.”

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Timepassed.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“Oh?”

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Panting,Iasked,

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Thestewardsaid,

Thestepedhishaly.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Hetinued:

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.