This is the final step.
Gripping his sword, Victor Wang realized he didn't yet feel the aura of being able to accomplish anything.
Thinking that steel couldn't be cut was one thing; actually, being unable to cut steel was another.
Even if it truly couldn't be cut, if one concluded it was impossible without trying seriously, then no step forward could ever be taken.
A swordsman without faith in his sword is like painting a prison around himself.
That must have been what Kuiyuan was laughing at before.
This is willpower.
Having broken through his sword-intent and shattered the bottleneck of his mental capacity, Victor Wang sheathed his sword, closed his eyes, and quietly absorbed the feeling.
When a person is severely injured or gravely ill, especially at the brink of life and death, as long as the will to survive exists, the chance of living often rises dramatically. On Earth, there might be scientific explanations, but in Teyvat, the fact was that will made the difference, because this is the power unique to humans.
Will resides in the mind, without fixed form, and is hard to describe, but its strength is never illusory.
Applied in martial arts, it can make the elemental fluctuations generated when wielding a weapon—what one might call "aura"—far more potent.
Applied to elemental manipulation, it allows for more precise control over elemental power, enabling one to cast elemental skills as if an extension of the body, with no barrier in controlling forces that don't belong to oneself.
Applied elsewhere… Victor Wang didn't yet know where else it could be used. Will could not directly summon elemental power; humans seemed to need an intermediary to convert their personal strength into elemental energy. Thus, most of will's effect was naturally confined to martial arts.
Finally feeling the force of will, Victor Wang's previously stagnant mental limit surged like a volcanic eruption. The previously imperceptible results of his training had not been wasted—he effortlessly reached the "River-level."
After careful meditation, he realized that at this level, he was nearly on par with Shenhe. Combined with multiple elements, his combat strength was superior. Coupled with other strategies, he would now be unafraid to face The Fair Lady, the Harbinger, or even the non-Ascended form of Scaramouche.
After quickly treating his injuries, Victor Wang pressed onward toward the next Withering. Any power required consolidation, and this level was still far from sufficient. His hypothetical enemy was likely the Doctor.
His prior face-to-face encounter with the Fatui had already revealed too much. Those Fatui, to complete the Doctor's mission, would likely be even more ruthless toward Vimara Village.
As for the Doctor, while his most powerful fragment currently focused only on creating gods, he had other fragments as well. Sumeru didn't have just one Doctor. The most obvious example was the one at Port Ormos who pretended to leave.
If other fragments of the Doctor were drawn out, their strength was unknown. Could he defeat them?
Thinking this, Victor Wang sighed.
Sumeru truly was walking a tightrope. One Doctor alone kept the entire region under immense pressure. After all, this was the first time the combat power of an Archon's nation had been surpassed—no one could guarantee safety. It was unsettling.
With a mix of thoughts, Victor Wang eliminated one Withering after another. Suddenly, he looked back. Thousand Winds detected two figures rapidly approaching, one with long ears.
"This device is really sensitive. Got more of them? Can we borrow a few? We can pay."
"I only have one, and it requires the boss to maintain it, so I'm afraid you can't use it."
"Somewhat disappointing…"
The voices grew closer. It was Tighnari and Kuiyuan.
Less than two hours had passed. Kuiyuan, wrapped in bandages, returned at a brisk pace. Meeting Victor Wang's gaze, he shrugged. "Little Tighnari, look at him—full of killing intent."
"Ahem…" Tighnari quickly stepped between them and said to Victor Wang, "We noticed the Withering Zones disappearing and guessed you'd be here. Turns out we were right."
Honestly, forbidden knowledge is the enemy of divine order. The Withering should be the enemy of the South Wing, especially that 'Mirrormaster,' who seemed a devoted follower of divine order. Yet the Doctor and the Fatui were researching and producing Withering Zones.
If the South Wing were to confront them… that would be good.
So, in this matter, Victor Wang had no intention of fighting the South Wing. Otherwise, the Fatui would benefit from watching the chaos unfold.
Ignoring Kuiyuan entirely, he asked Tighnari, "How's Vimara Village?"
"I've reinforced patrols, and the children have been well instructed. Hopefully, nothing more will happen."
"That Alphonso… I can't shake the feeling he's suspicious," Victor Wang said bluntly.
"Don't worry. I've arranged everything. If he's a bad person…"
Reluctant to dwell on that possibility, Tighnari shook her head and changed the subject:
"I came to ask you to join us. Clearing Withering Zones will be faster together, and with the time saved, we hope to use your abilities to sweep the old, hidden Withering Zones in Gandharva Ville. Withering Zones won't disappear naturally; even those that don't harm humans still endanger animals and the environment."
Victor Wang readily agreed, then glanced at Kuiyuan.
"What are you looking at? Failure isn't shameful… no, as long as I'm alive, I haven't failed. I just need to keep growing. One day, I'll be the strongest."
"How do you know others won't grow too?"
Kuiyuan was momentarily stunned, then smiled and let it go.
"All right, let's go."
Urged by Tighnari, the three swiftly cleared the Withering Zones around Vimara Village, then turned northeast toward Gandharva Ville. There were significantly fewer Withering Zones there. After clearing the hidden few, the sun hung perfectly on the horizon.
"I'd stand out too much if I stayed in Vimara Village, so I'll rely on you to keep watch."
"Clearing Withering Zones is my task anyway. If it relates to this, we're helping each other."
At the parting, Tighnari chatted briefly with Kuiyuan, then looked at Victor Wang with concern.
The previous fight had made it clear that Kuiyuan lost. He was in a weaker position and feared conflict between the two if left alone.
"Don't worry, I've got this—" Kuiyuan produced a mirror reflecting the Black-Robed figure, showing no fear of being alone with Victor Wang.
Victor Wang had no desire to fight, only wanting to return and heal his body and mind with Nilou's dance. His spirit had recovered somewhat with the new limit breakthrough, though the physical strain from earlier exertions lingered. With Zubayr Theater under renovation today and tomorrow, he couldn't even watch performances.
Fearing any Fatui moves, he left first, heading for Vimara Village.
Kuiyuan followed.
"Don't stare like that. We're staying in Vimara Village now. You're not going to stop me from returning, are you?"
"You live in Vimara Village?"
"Yes, is that a problem?"
Well, that's convenient. Victor Wang thought. With South Wing present, he needn't worry too much about Vimara Village.
Still, he waited outside Vimara Village until midnight. After the day's skirmishes, he realized the Fatui were indeed acting strangely. They hadn't deployed any Withering Zones, and he wasn't sure if that was good or bad.
===BREAK===
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