Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Timepassed.

“Oh?”

likeaflowingstream.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

Theeokeup:

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

Quietly,Imuttered,

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Halftheeffort...?

Panting,Iasked,

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“gratutions.You’vepassed.Restfornow.Thefinaltrialwillbegininhalfanhour.”

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”