【2】TeEtryTrialsTeLife-BoudTecique

nrosebeforeme.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.

    Isteppedforwardandbo