Thefirstformtainsfivemoves.”

Igaveaweaknodandcolpsedontheground.

Timepassed.

Halftheeffort...?

Notimetowaste.Iimmediatelyleaptandbeganclimbing.

Idon’tknowhowlongI’dbeenclimbing,butexhaustionstartedsettingin.

Panting,Iasked,

“Bytheway...whatisaLife-BoundTeique?”

“Oh?”

Aminiaturefigureappearedinmymind,demonstratingamartialsequence.Meanwhile,appeared:

Tweer,thefigurefisdemonstration.Imimickedit.

AmIsupposedtoclimbthat?

likeaflowingstream.

Thesteward’svoiceechoedagain:

So,Icalledforth“me.”

“ThisisthefirstformoftheSorSparrowBattleTeique.

Sofar,I’veohalf-dead.

Suddenly,themountaioshake.Atreetoppledtowar

Then,fromfarbelow,Iheardthestewardcallout:

Theeokeup:

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

Therewerefivedistinctmoves.Afterpletingthem,Iwasdrenchedi,myqipletelydepleted.

ButIdidn’tdwellonit.Irested.Afteraboutanhour,Ifeltrecoveredenoughandstoodup.

“Itmeansateiquethatisfatedtomatchyouperfectly.Trainingityieldsresultswithhalftheeffort.”

Thistime,somethingcriticappeared:theactualteique.

TomakeacultivatoratFoundatioablishmehismuch—itwastheequivalentofanordinarypersontrainingintenselyforhours.

“Halfanhourremaining.Interferencewillnowbegin.”

Heonlymuttered,“ain.”Butdespitehispint,hebeganclimbingwithfulleffort.

Islowedslightly,curiouswhetherthisso-calledinterferencecouldaffect“me.”

Themountaiobesappingmystrength.

Thegroundtrembled.Atmountainrosebeforeme.Injustafewbreaths,thesummitwashiddenbyclouds.

“Youmustreachthesummitwithinhalfanhour.Succeed,arialisplete.”

Quietly,Imuttered,

“I’mready.Let’sbeginthefinaltrial.”

“SorSparrowBattleTeique,FirstForm.”