【2】TeEtryTrialsTeLife-BoudTecique

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

    Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

    Panting,Iasked,

    “Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

    “Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

    Halftheeffort...?

    Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

    ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

    “I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

    Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

    AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

    Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

    “Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

    Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

    Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

    Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

    So,Icalledforth“me.”

    Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

    Timepassed.

    Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

    “Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

    “Oh?”

    Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

    Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

    “Tch.”

    Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

    Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

    Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

    Thestepedhishaly.

    “gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

    Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

    Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

    Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

    Thestewardsaid,

    “Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

    Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

    Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

    Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

    “Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

    Hecalmlyexpined:

    “Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

    ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

    TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

    Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

    But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

    Hetinued:

    “YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

    Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

    Inodded.

    “Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

    “You’retooi