Song Jing was indeed much faster on his own, but it wasn't smooth sailing at first.
The slope was gentlest at the bottom, allowing him to walk upright by leaning his upper body forward. But the higher he went, the steeper it became, forcing him to use both his hands and feet, crawling his way up. He even slipped and slid back down several times.
He didn't lose heart, though. Even when he slid all the way back to the start, he quickly regrouped and started climbing again.
The falls weren't for nothing. From each slide, he quickly learned the rhythm and tricks of climbing, and his progress became much smoother after that.
Ji Huan seized the opportunity to teach Dabao. "Look, see? Failing and trying again, over and over—that's part of the Robinson Crusoe spirit, too."
The words had barely left her mouth when Song Jing reached the very top.
Ji Huan was overjoyed. She leaped to her feet, waving and shouting up at him, "You did it!"
