Halftheeffort...?

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Trainforoneday,thenyoumayleave.”

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

“Sinceyouarenowmydisciple,therearethingsImustcrify.

Hecalmlyexpined:

TwoyearshereequalsonedayintheYangRealm.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Bytheday—thoughtimewasstraheskyneverdarkened,evenwithoutasun,andtherewasnosenseofnightorday.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Thestewardsaid,

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Heallowedmeafulldaytorestandreplenishmyqi.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Returningtothepcewhereitallbegan,IfoundtheAsuraDivineLordalreadywaiting.

Isteppedforwardandbowedrespectfully.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

“Oh?”

“gratutions,YoungMaster.Youhavepletedallthreeentrytrials.

“Today,YoungMaster,youshallmeetyourmaster—theAsuraDivineLord.”

“You’retooi

Sothat’swhyonlyanhourhadpassedierworld.

Breathless,Irecimedtrol.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Hetinued:

“Ieanytime?etheschedule?”

Inunderfiveminutes,myqiwasnearlydrained—butthesummitwaswithinreach.

ThispceistheAsuraRealm.

Panting,Iasked,

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Withanannoyedclickofthetongue,“I”spriraightupward.

Inoddedandfollowedthepathhejured.

Inodded.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

tions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Fromthismomenton,youareofficiallythediscipleoftheDivineLord.”

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowardme.

“YoumustetotheAsuraRealmonceperweek.

But...twoyearswithoutseeingmyfamily?That’lltakegettio.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Master,thisdiscipleTianyasyou.”

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Timepassed.

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

“Tch.”

Thestepedhishaly.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout: