With a flash of golden light, the Coiling Dragon Staff was already in Wang Nan's hand. He held it vertically in front of him, blocking the fist that was rushing toward him.
His body paused. Wang Nan only felt a powerful force. Caught off guard, he immediately retreated two steps.
A figure then appeared beside Long Aotian.
The person had a thick right arm, with eight spirit rings—four purple and four black—encircling his right arm.
"Young Sect Master, please step back." The person reached out and shielded Long Aotian behind him, looking at Wang Nan with an unfriendly gaze.
"Yu Tao, you…"
Long Aotian was about to say something, but this Spirit Master named Yu Tao had already thrown a punch at Wang Nan.
As his fists swung, a sound of rushing wind emanated, and his right fist struck down with seemingly immense power.
The Body Sect's requirement for its Disciples was never to easily use Spirit Abilities, as each use would make the opponent more familiar with them. Therefore, even though Yu Tao was an eight-ring Spirit Douluo, his attack method only utilized his right arm rather than Spirit Abilities.
Wang Nan's eyes flickered. This person in front of him was likely the one sent by the Body Sect to protect Long Aotian. However, attacking someone without distinguishing right from wrong was somewhat excessive.
Seeing the opponent's fist attack, Wang Nan pushed the Coiling Dragon Staff forward, placing it horizontally between the two.
The next moment, Wang Nan's essence, energy, and mental force united. The Coiling Dragon Staff, like a streak of light, "struck" toward Yu Tao's chest.
Long Aotian, who was observing from the side, immediately brightened his eyes.
As the Young Sect Master, Long Aotian's cultivation method was precisely what their Sect Master had taught him. However, his cultivation was still low, and he had only barely grasped the basics.
Although Wang Nan used a rod technique, the principles contained within it shared many similarities. This display, in turn, allowed him to gain some insight.
Yu Tao's expression also changed. Even though his cultivation surpassed Wang Nan's, he dared not directly take this strike. His right fist, which was originally aimed at Wang Nan, suddenly changed direction and smashed toward the tip of the Coiling Dragon Staff.
However, with this smash, the Coiling Dragon Staff did not budge an inch.
On the other side, Wang Nan had already gripped the Coiling Dragon Staff with both hands, his left hand in front and his right hand behind. With a pull and a push, the tip of the Coiling Dragon Staff lifted Yu Tao's right arm high.
Crossing his hands, the Coiling Dragon Staff traced a semicircle in the air, sweeping toward Yu Tao's waist.
Wang Nan's first spirit ring lit up, and his entire body emitted a faint golden glow. The three moves—strike, parry, and sweep—came one after another, each faster than the last. Yu Tao had just adjusted his stance when the Coiling Dragon Staff swept across his waist.
Instantly, a huge force caused his entire body to shift several meters sideways. Then, a powerful mental force mixed with spirit power drilled into his body. Compared to that, the pain in his waist was already negligible.
Long Aotian, observing from the side, saw it clearly. Although Wang Nan's spirit power rank was not as high as Yu Tao's, he surpassed Yu Tao in both his understanding of rod techniques and the cohesion of his essence, energy, and mental force.
The Body Sect's cultivation method had always been based on the Spirit Master's own body. Now, Yu Tao, with his higher cultivation, was outmatched by Wang Nan in this aspect.
Having landed a hit, Wang Nan's subsequent attacks followed. His first and second spirit rings lit up simultaneously, and the Coiling Dragon Staff in his hand danced so densely that it seemed impenetrable. In Yu Tao's eyes, his vision was filled with countless rod afterimages, making it impossible to discern Wang Nan's actual point of impact.
Immediately, his third spirit ring lit up, and his right arm suddenly enlarged, raising it in front of him like a shield.
Seeing this, Wang Nan retracted his hands, raised the Coiling Dragon Staff above his head, and then brought it down quickly.
This strike was both swift and powerful, seemingly simple, yet it carried the might of heaven and earth.
As the rod descended, a muffled groan came from Yu Tao's mouth.
His Spirit was originally his right arm, but this strike, landing on his right arm—which had activated a defensive Spirit Ability—still caused him unbearable pain, as if even his bones had fractured. Wang Nan's strike was no longer something a Spirit Douluo could easily withstand.
Seeing Wang Nan's next strike coming toward him, Yu Tao wanted to defend, but the pain in his arm still affected his movements, causing him to be a beat too slow.
Thus, a golden long rod, coiled with a mighty Dragon, landed on his chest.
For a moment, Yu Tao felt the world spin. The next moment, he heard a "plop" as his figure fell into the Ice Sea.
Long Aotian, observing from the side, was dumbfounded.
As a Disciple of the Body Sect, he considered himself to have some pride, but he never expected someone from their Body Sect to be defeated so easily, even by someone whose cultivation was inferior to his.
He watched the entire battle clearly. Except for the very first punch, the rhythm of the entire fight was firmly controlled by Wang Nan.
Starting with a counter-attack, all subsequent attack rhythms were initiated by Wang Nan. Yu Tao, with his higher cultivation, could only passively defend, eventually failing to resist and being swept into the sea.
He had not expected that besides the people of their Body Sect, there were others who meticulously studied combat techniques beyond Spirit Abilities, and even used such techniques to defeat people from their Body Sect.
While his thoughts raced, only an instant had passed in the outside world.
Long Aotian hurriedly took two steps forward. "Thank you, Senior, for showing mercy. Yu Tao was in the wrong first, and I apologize to Senior on his behalf."
Wang Nan glanced at Long Aotian. He was indeed the Young Sect Master of the Body Sect; though young, his words were quite polished.
However, Wang Nan had held back. Yu Tao had been eager to protect his master and had a fiery temper. A lesson was enough; it would be detrimental to cause a death and fall out with the Body Sect over this.
"However, as a Junior traveling for cultivation, I have no valuables with me. Only some food I've collected these past few days is somewhat presentable. If Senior doesn't mind, please accept it."
Although it was food, when Long Aotian presented several Deep Sea Spirit Beasts, it still made Wang Nan take a second look. Calling it food, it was actually considered medicinal ingredients.
These Spirit Beasts were all over a thousand years old. Although their age was not particularly high, their existence in the deep sea made them quite rare.
Moreover, the meat of these Spirit Beasts was beneficial for Spirit Masters in tempering their bodies. He occasionally saw a few of them in the Shrek Academy Inner Courtyard.
"Where did these come from?" Wang Nan glanced at them. Seeing their fresh meat, he did not put them away but instead asked.
"These were all caught by me from the sea."
Catching fish in the sea? Wang Nan looked at Long Aotian.
As they were speaking, in the Ice Sea nearby, the sea surface suddenly churned.
Wang Nan looked up and saw that Yu Tao, who had fallen into the sea, was quite at ease in the water. Soon, his figure reappeared.
However, a hint of apprehension was clearly visible on his face. His clothes were completely soaked, but he had no time to change. He just stood beside Long Aotian, shivering, and on his right arm, a faint bronze-like luster was discernible.
"I don't need these things." Wang Nan waved his hand. "I have received your apology."