At Shrek Academy, in front of the Sea God Pavilion, a red figure would occasionally appear, looking toward the Outer Courtyard from the Sea God Lake.
It was only when two rays of light descended from the sky that she revealed a smile.
"How are you? Are you alright?" Ma Xiaotao quickly approached Wang Nan.
"I'm fine. Not only am I fine, but I also gained something," Wang Nan said with a smile.
"Elder Xuan." Yan Shaozhe's figure appeared from within the Sea God Pavilion. Since Ma Xiaotao had been running back and forth, he had kept a close eye on Xuan Zi and Wang Nan's whereabouts. Upon seeing them return, he came out to greet them.
"Mm." Xuan Zi nodded, his expression serious. "Shao Zhe, inform all the elders. I'm calling a Sea God Pavilion meeting."
"Yes."
"Also, Xiaotao and that girl Le Xuan—have them both come."
Ma Xiaotao and Zhang Lexuan's cultivation had not yet reached Titled Douluo, but it was clear that their entry into the Sea God Pavilion was inevitable.
"Academy matters are urgent. Let's talk about anything else later," Wang Nan said as he noticed Ma Xiaotao looking at him.
"Okay." Ma Xiaotao nodded in agreement and then walked into the Sea God Pavilion.
Wang Nan watched their retreating figures, then paced over to the Golden Tree. A gentle breeze seemed to blow, and the tree's leaves swayed, creating a soft rustling sound.
Wang Nan sat cross-legged under the tree and, as usual, entered meditation.
A flash of light appeared in his hands, and a fragment emerged, followed by an endless stream of tempting, evil thoughts. However, Wang Nan remained unmoved. As soon as these evil thoughts appeared, golden light illuminated around him, rapidly absorbing them.
For a time, his mental force ocean began to surge, and both his mental force and spirit power slowly began to grow.
Gradually, he entered a familiar state of meditation, though various thoughts began to rise in Wang Nan's mind again.
Although he had only exchanged a few moves with Nightmare Douluo back then, the feeling of facing a powerful enemy still lingered in Wang Nan's heart.
The rod he swung at that time had felt different.
This rod technique was learned when he and Pan Huai entered another space, from the two ancestors of the Qian Family. It was also there that Wang Nan realized the Profound Truth of 'breaking' in the Coiling Dragon Staff.
In fact, this rod technique was quite similar to the 'cleaving' rod of the Coiling Dragon Five Moves that he had comprehended himself, but the will contained within it was far more powerful than his original. It was the Dragon Soul's unbending will, a will to stand against the world.
As that rod was swung, Wang Nan felt as if a shackle on his body had been broken. Although his spirit power and mental force didn't seem to increase at all, his understanding and connection with his Spirit had greatly improved.
The more he faced a powerful enemy, the stronger the power of this rod would become. At the moment the rod was swung, Wang Nan's eyes would see the most fundamental Laws governing all things in this world.
As Wang Nan thought of this, his consciousness had already appeared in his mental force ocean.
In the mental force ocean, a figure suddenly appeared on the mountaintop, in Wang Nan's likeness, with a golden long rod in his hand.
Wang Nan seemed to return to the first time he fused with the Scarlet-Faced White Ape's right arm bone. He vaguely forgot everything, with only the long rod in his hand and the world before him.
The world seemed to grow smaller and smaller, like a cage imprisoning him, the heavy pressure making him feel breathless.
Yet, the more this happened, the brighter his eyes became.
Since that initial 'cleave' could break through this world and allow him to grow, there was no reason why other moves couldn't.
Outside, the Evil Breaking Dragon circled around Wang Nan. Dark clouds swirled in the sky, and the Golden Tree behind him emitted a faint golden light, with streams of bright energy surging toward him.
Within the mental force ocean, Wang Nan's figure was growing larger and larger, his hands dancing. The long rod in his hand gradually became indistinguishable, with only streaks of rod shadows appearing around him.
Will. Unbending will.
In Wang Nan's memory, the image of the black-headed golden carp suddenly appeared. Those repeated leaps into the sky—wasn't that precisely an unbending will?
He was born to be a person of the high heavens; his state of mind had long merged with the Dragon Soul's will, refusing to be constrained by the world.
A dragon roar echoed throughout the entire mental force ocean. Wang Nan had an epiphany. The tip of the long rod in his hand, initially pointing downward, was abruptly lifted.
Only this time, his opponent was the world before him.
Outside, Wang Nan's aura suddenly surged. It seemed as though invisible lines were constantly breaking, then gradually reorganizing according to Wang Nan's own will. New "lines" rushed into the sky, colliding with the original laws of the world.
A tremendous roar echoed through the clouds. At Shrek Academy, all students outdoors almost simultaneously looked up at the sky.
However, the sky was already clear of clouds and mist, with only the echoing sound of the roar drifting through the air.
Wang Nan felt that the pressure the world had previously brought upon him was swept away. The Evil Breaking Dragon circled around him, its dragon mouth slightly open, seemingly cheering with joy.
Wang Nan felt that his connection with the Dragon Soul and his Spirit was becoming even closer. Although his spirit power showed no change, there was no doubt that his strength had significantly improved.
Wang Nan slowly opened his eyes. Under his intimidating gaze, the space before him seemed to subtly distort, but it quickly returned to normal.
Based on the Coiling Dragon Staff technique, using mental force to explore the will of the Coiling Dragon Staff and the Dragon Soul, and then integrating Wang Nan's own insights, a new rod technique was formed.
Or rather, it had already surpassed ordinary rod moves, even containing methods for cultivation and self-breakthrough. This had become Wang Nan's own unique skill.
Calling it the Coiling Dragon Staff technique was no longer entirely appropriate.
Wang Nan looked up and pondered for a moment. Since each cultivation was an inner challenge to the will of the world, and only an unbending will in the face of the world offered the possibility of breakthrough, he decided to call it the Unbending Staff Technique.
Although, to be precise, Wang Nan's current move had not yet been tested in actual combat, his Unbending Staff Technique could only be considered one and a half moves at present. However, he believed that this set of rod techniques would continue to grow with his insights and would surely become a rod technique that could be passed down for ten thousand years.
Wang Nan let out a soft breath and looked up at the tall Golden Tree.
That strike just now seemed to have completely dispelled the sadness in his heart over Mu En's death.
Wang Nan stood up, about to leave, when Ma Xiaotao's figure appeared at the entrance of the Sea God Pavilion. She looked left and right, then walked toward Wang Nan.
"The Sea God Pavilion meeting ended so quickly?"
"Quick?" Ma Xiaotao looked at Wang Nan in surprise. "This meeting lasted a full day and night. How is that quick?"
Wang Nan then realized that he had been meditating under the Golden Tree for an entire day and night.