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