Under the tutelage of the God of Swords, Qingxu, Vorthis quickly gained a deeper understanding of the sword.
Only after truly learning did he realize just how simplistic his prior understanding of the sword had been.
As Qingxu, the God of Swords, had stated, only by understanding the sword could one learn to wield it.
And the highest level of swordsmanship lies in the unity of man and blade.
The God of Swords had achieved this since his very creation.
Why was this? Could it be that Qingxu's comprehension was simply that profound?
Haha, that was because the God of Swords' true form was none other than the Qingxu Sword itself!
Over the following month, Vorthis traveled back and forth between Qingxu Pool and Liyue, learning the way of the sword under Qingxu's guidance.
Each day, he brought two bottles of Arak liquor as his tuition fee to Qingxu.
Qingxu taught with great precision, almost as if he were teaching hand-to-hand. Vorthis had limited understanding of swordsmanship, and Qingxu patiently explained everything he didn't grasp.
Learning was a lengthy process.
During his spare time, Vorthis sought out Morax to discuss plans for the development of Liyue's territory.
There was no other way. Each time Vorthis visited Qingxu's domain, he couldn't help but notice the stark contrast.
Although Qingxu didn't care much for the size of his territory, its quality of life and housing conditions for humans were far superior to those of Liyue.
The people of Liyue still lived in thatched huts.
In terms of comfort, insulation, and shelter, thatched huts were far inferior to wooden or stone houses.
Thus, the development of Liyue needed to be prioritized immediately.
Initially, Vorthis planned to wait until Guizhong and Morax allied and relocated to Guizhong's territory, building a city like Guili Assembly before starting urban development.
However, comparison sparked a sense of urgency in Vorthis, activating his desire for progress ahead of schedule.
When Morax saw Vorthis approach, he looked slightly surprised.
In recent times, Vorthis rarely came to see him, instead heading straight to the domain of Qingxu, the God of Swords.
Now that Vorthis had come to him, it surely meant something was up.
"Not practicing swordsmanship today? How do you have time to come here?" Morax asked, looking at Vorthis.
Vorthis smiled and replied, "Not every day has to be about training. Today is a rest day for me and Qingxu. Why, is it not allowed? Or did I disturb your rest, old man?"
"Haha, not at all," Morax chuckled softly.
Vorthis got straight to the point.
"Morax, don't you think the quality of life and living conditions of the people of Liyue are rather dismal?"
"Don't you intend to develop and govern your territory properly?"
Vorthis looked at Morax and posed the question.
After thinking it over, Morax replied, "I believe that as Gods, we should not intervene in everything. If humans become overly reliant on us, they won't survive once we're gone."
"Sigh, I know you want to let things progress naturally, allowing humanity to grow using their own wisdom.
"But to the untrained eye, it just looks like you don't want to bother and prefer to loaf around. Am I right, Morax?"
"All I'm suggesting is a bit of guidance, not doing everything for them. Do I look like I have so much free time, Morax?"
"A little guidance, not hand-holding," Vorthis said, looking at Morax.
A little guidance?
After hearing Vorthis' words, Morax realized he might have been a bit too indifferent in the past.
Ah, when it came to battle, Morax excelled.
But in terms of governing a territory, Morax was still a novice.
Of course, he had not yet experienced the era of Guizhong.
"So how should I guide them?" Morax asked, looking at Vorthis.
As a God, Morax could do many things with ease. For humans, however, what aspects should he guide them in?
There were many things Gods could accomplish effortlessly, but humanity had not yet reached that level.
Vorthis smiled and said, "Why not start with housing?"
"Encourage the people to gather stones, cut down trees, and use these materials to construct sturdier and more comfortable houses."
"Improved living conditions are the most direct enhancement to their lives."
"Additionally, humans currently rely solely on hunting and foraging for food. These methods are too limited, making them vulnerable to risks."
"One day, the animals they hunt will be wiped out, and the berries and fruit trees they forage will eventually be depleted. Their growth cycles are too slow."
Morax listened carefully to Vorthis' words.
Housing was relatively easy to address, but food was a more complex issue.
Unlike Vorthis, who, as the God of Manifestation, could conjure all sorts of incredible foods, Morax had to deal with the realities of the current era.
Hunting and foraging were the primary sources of food.
Morax asked, "That is indeed a problem, but are there other options?"
Vorthis chuckled.
Unlike Morax, Vorthis carried within his mind the accumulated knowledge of thousands of years of human culture from his homeworld. Naturally, he understood more.
"Of course, Liyue's coastal location offers fishing opportunities. Its winter waters don't freeze, making it an excellent food source."
"Unfortunately, someone decided to use a mountain to separate Liyue from the sea, cutting off this resource. While it's commendable to protect humans from tidal waves, it does come with trade-offs."
"Speaking of which, some people talk about letting humanity grow independently, yet they're out there clearing out beasts and building mountains to block tsunamis—creating an overly safe environment."
It's widely known that disasters and challenges are what drive human evolution and progress.
An overly comfortable environment could rob humanity of its motivation to advance.
No big deal, though—future Archon War would provide plenty of motivation...
After hearing Vorthis' words, Morax bowed his head, reflecting on his past decisions. He realized there might have been some mistakes.
But without the mountain, how would they face the tsunamis?
Vorthis continued, "In addition to fishing, there's another option: farming! You're aware of this, aren't you, Morax?"
"Yes, some people have tried farming, but the long growth cycles and meager yields discouraged them from continuing," Morax replied.
This was based on his observations within his domain.
Some had transplanted berry bushes and fruit trees into Liyue, but their annual harvests were minimal and hardly worth the effort.
As a result, people stopped attempting it altogether.