Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Panting,Iasked,

“Oh?”

Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

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

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

Timepassed.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Quietly,Imuttered,

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

likeaflowingstream.

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

So,Icalledforth“me.”

Theeokeup:

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

Halftheeffort...?

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared: