Halftheeffort...?

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

So,Icalledforth“me.”

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Panting,Iasked,

Timepassed.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Tch.”

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Hecalmlyexpined:

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“You’retooi

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

“Oh?”

Thestepedhishaly.

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Inodded.

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Hetinued:

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thestewardsaid,

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain: