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Granny Ping continued recounting Guoba's past, matching perfectly with Victor Wang's memories:
'The God of the Stove and Soil' Marchosius was born from the sparks of colliding stones. He governed flame and livelihood, a benevolent god fond of humankind, who once split himself into countless avatars to help every household light their fires and cook their meals.
However, every land faces too many ordeals—natural disasters, man-made catastrophes, remnants of ancient gods' power—and in Liyue, calamities have never been fully extinguished. Mortals suffered under these forces…
Guili Assembly, for instance, was destroyed by a massive flood. The residents living there were forced to migrate south back to Liyue Harbor. Though the journey was not far, they endured violent storms, and even with adepti escorting them, it took more than ten days to arrive. The portable, damp-expelling, and warming Chili-Mince Cornbread Buns was invented by the Stove God during that time.
Perhaps it was after witnessing too many tragedies that the Stove God ceased appearing frequently. Instead, he poured all his divine power into the land itself, suppressing disaster after disaster.
Exhausted, the Stove God's wisdom waned, his form shrank, and he eventually fell asleep within the mountains and forests. Until he happened to meet Xiangling. Though he no longer remembered anything, he was moved by the Chili-Mince Cornbread Buns. The god left behind all that he once was, and Guoba was born.
After hearing the tale, everyone was touched. But the truth they had chased for so long was at last fully revealed.
As for Victor Wang's personal gain, it was the first time he had ever seen—at such close range—the effect of wish-power. After everyone parted ways, he kept thinking.
Wish-power, the primary force of the mortal realm, was scarcely understood. It seemed that only Archons and the ley lines could transform it into usable energy…
One thing was certain: wish-power must be linked to mental power. The two should be proportional. The stronger the mind, the greater the wish-power.
Just as Granny Ping said: heart's passions and heart's desires. Skill, talent, and experience leaned toward memory. Heart's desires was undeniably desire. Both were born from the human spirit.
Granny Ping had called heart's desires the purest power in people's hearts.
The difference was clear: memory is the road already traveled; desire is the road not yet reached—the goal one must continuously strive toward. One is stillness, the other motion. Both could serve as power, but continuous desire was undoubtedly the more potent.
And in terms of purity, memories were not convenient to give others; and receiving them would be dangerous. Accumulate too many and one might fall into madness. The Archons sought only belief—impure belief did not even suffice at times—yet no deity sought to harvest anyone's memories.
A rather inelegant comparison rose in his mind: memory was like a Pyro Slime's body, and desire was the fireball it spits?
As this thought surfaced, Victor Wang chuckled. It was not a perfect metaphor, but it was oddly fitting.
Then he sighed. He had hoped to use wish-power to enhance his mental power. Yet if he thought about it… there were cases where a small Pyro Slime became a large Pyro Slime and thus produced larger fireballs. But no case where the fireball became large first and then helped the Pyro Slime grow large.
"Still no good…"
Ever since cleansing himself of Electro residue, considerable time had passed, and his mental power had not increased at all. Solving this was his most urgent priority.
Thus Victor Wang contacted Hu Tao, hoping to visit the border of life and death again. Reversing karmic afflictions seemed to drastically increase mental power. But Hu Tao refused him flatly. "When we first met, if you and that Dainsleif hadn't threatened me with the border, I would never have taken you there in the first place."
Eventually, Victor Wang turned to Zhongli.
"Traveling more, seeing more, experiencing more, letting yourself settle… indeed, that can solve your problem. But compared to the pace you are used to when strengthening your mental power, it is far too slow."
"Then what should I do…?"
"In my view, what hinders you is not your mental power itself, but your control over it."
"Control?"
After understanding the situation in detail, even though he had never experienced such growth himself, Zhongli still offered insight from a lofty vantage point:
"I divide mental power into two parts: mental power intensity and mental power control. Mental power control can be further divided into precise control and broad control.
These three things normally grow in sync. But according to what you describe, your mental power intensity grew too quickly, leaving your control unable to keep up.
If your precise control is lacking, it would be like giving a child the strength of a giant. He would need time to adapt before he could use the giant's power to perform the actions he intends.
If your broad control is lacking, imagine the same child suddenly gaining a thousand hands and a hundred eyes, yet still being accustomed only to using two hands and two eyes. He would likewise need time to learn how to use the extra limbs.
The fact that you can use my shield shows your precise control is well trained.
Thus the issue lies in broad control. Since you have made it this far, your willpower is not weak. However, after your dramatic leap in intensity, the gap became too large.
So I hypothesize this: your mental power has not stopped growing. Rather, the range you can consciously utilize is limited. Everything beyond that range is simply out of sight for now."
Hearing a familiar term, Victor Wang repeated, "Willpower?"
"Correct. The solution is simple. If you do not wish to spend time adjusting to a new 'body,' then strengthen the mind directly."
"Willpower is the mind of mental power?"
"Having traveled across three nations, you should know by now—human spirit can be divided into many parts. Mental power is merely one form of usable energy among them.
"Memory, emotion, desire, belief, will… these cannot be mixed together. But yes—strengthening mental power requires strengthening willpower."
"But do not worry. Only energy meant to be consumed has an upper limit. Will… hmm. Your circumstances are far too unique, and I have never faced such difficulties myself. Since you use the sword, try approaching from the perspective of martial cultivation."
Ah… martial cultivation…
The mortals of Teyvat have never truly wielded elemental power unaided. Vision holders needed their Visions. The Fatui used their Delusions. Even Treasure Hoarders required elemental potions. No human body could endure the scorching heat of Pyro or the paralysis of Electro unaided. The bodies shaped by primordial forces had no such concepts as "sanctified flesh," "limiters," or "genelocks."
Thus martial cultivation incorporated mental power. Warriors trained not only martial arts but also the power accessible to mortals.
To break through his mental barrier, he needed to fully advance to the realm of Sword Intent. Not because martial cultivation was mandatory, but because that was simply the path he had always walked. Imbuing elemental skills with will was also an application of willpower—he could start from there.
After parting from Zhongli, Victor Wang walked through the streets deep in thought.
Jiangxue once said: "Comprehending Sword Intent marks a new stage not only in martial cultivation but also for Vision holders. It signifies the ability to create one's own true technique."
Among the martial skills he had mastered, only the [Favonius Bladework] reached the level of Sword Intent. Among elemental skills, only the will-infused shield technique learned during the battle at the Sacred Sakura Tree—and the [Starshift] and [Starfall] he unconsciously created when the false sky had imprinted itself onto his spirit.
Though few, these were enough for him to begin exploring his willpower.