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"I apologize, Grand High Priest, Your Highness. We were rude. Sacred Dragon Mountain hasn't formally received guests in a century. Please forgive any shortcomings," said an elderly man with red hair, jumping off one of the four ferocious dragons. He was dressed in unique armor, and upon closer inspection, it became clear that their armor was made from dragon scales of various sizes, imbued with a hidden yet powerful force that commanded respect. These were epic-level sets of "Dragon Emperor Armor," worn only by "Dragon Emperor Knights." In other words, these visitors were four out of the five current "Dragon Emperor Knights" of Sacred Dragon Mountain.

"The four Dragon Emperors are too kind. It is already an honor for Helen and her companions to be greeted by such a grand procession from Sacred Dragon Mountain," replied Saint Helen, who was responsible for diplomatic relations, gracefully dismissing the earlier incident.

According to the Grand High Priest's introduction, the "Dragon Battle Qi," refined over a thousand years, was more than just the "Beast King Art" combined with dragon crystal cores. Even without the dragon crystal cores, it remained an extremely powerful martial art. Any genius who could elevate this battle qi to the Sword Master realm during their youth would be selected as a candidate for "Dragon Emperor Knight," implanted with a dragon crystal core. They would then use the power of the dragon crystal core to temper their bodies, gaining strength comparable to the five major races of the Orc Alliance, quickly advancing to Sword Emperor and becoming a "Dragon Emperor Knight." However, few people were suitable for implanting dragon crystal cores, and they were limited to those with special bloodlines within the five noble families, which led to the constant shortage of Dragon Emperor Knights. Additionally, while this method of external enhancement allowed rapid advancement, it prevented them from ever reaching the Sword Saint realm through personal effort. The only option was to rely on the power of the "Abyssal Dragon King" contained within the "Dominion Dragon Slaying" technique to achieve the Saint Realm. However, this shortcut also had its drawbacks: even the strongest human Sword Saint, the "Supreme Dragon Saint," could not enjoy the centuries-long lifespan typical of other Sword Saints and usually died before reaching a hundred years old. Thus, outsiders knew only the title "Supreme Dragon Saint" but not their names, due to the frequent changes and the detrimental impact on Sacred Dragon Mountain's reputation. Of course, major powers like the Temple were well aware of this but chose not to provoke Sacred Dragon Mountain.

Therefore, the Dragon Emperor Knights were not only the strongest armed force of Sacred Dragon Mountain but also the backup for the "Supreme Dragon Saint," playing a crucial role. Dispatching four Dragon Emperor Knights was indeed the highest form of welcome.

The delegation traveled another day before reaching the foot of Sacred Dragon Mountain. Saint Spirit Mountain was located on a plain, rising only about four or five hundred feet, similar to Mount Tai. In contrast, Sacred Dragon Mountain stood tall on a plateau, towering thousands of feet high, majestic and perilous. Without the presence of dragons and numerous flying beasts, establishing a stronghold on such a mountain would have been impossible, let alone controlling the vast and desolate Mainland highway.

The group camped at the foot of the mountain, with the core members and some Holy Chain Knights riding flying beasts directly to the summit, bypassing the three-day climb required for ordinary people. From the base to the peak, the number of defensive systems was astounding, complementing the natural advantages of the mountain itself, surpassing even Saint Spirit Mountain. This sanctuary, supported by the dragon race and carrying the legacy of the "Dragon Sealing Emperor," was impregnable to any army.

After resting for a day, the Temple's leadership began extensive interactions with Sacred Dragon Mountain, given the long absence of high-level activities between the two sides. On the second day, representatives from Sacred Dragon Mountain invited us to a welcoming banquet held at the famous Crystal Palace on the Beryl Peak of Sacred Dragon Mountain.

Sacred Dragon Mountain had five main peaks: the highest, "Dragon Sealing Peak," where Dragon Knights underwent the Dragon Sealing Ceremony and established contracts; "Slumber Ridge," the habitat of dragons and dragon beasts; "Amethyst Terrace," the fortress of Sacred Dragon Mountain's armed forces; "Thousand Cloud Cliff," the residence and training ground; and "Beryl Peak," the best environment and furthest from "Dragon Sealing Peak," serving as the administrative center. The massive building known as the "Crystal Palace," constructed from enormous crystals, was used to receive the most important guests. This palace, carved and refined using dragon flames, resembled a colossal gemstone, reflecting sunlight and moonlight atop the mountains, radiating rainbow hues, combining elegance and grandeur, and hailed as a marvel of architecture. Its interior was equally magnificent, with the crystal hall, though not a high-grade magical material, possessing astonishing magical storage capacity after being purified and shaped by dragon flames. It offered various fantastical services and functioned as a war tool, fully justifying the efforts and resources invested by its builders.

The banquet was grand and solemn, attended by all the elders and key figures of Sacred Dragon Mountain, the five Dragon Emperor Knights, and several Archmages studying Draconic Magic. The atmosphere was lively and harmonious, but both sides tactfully avoided discussing substantive interests, instead using various means to foster goodwill and engage in trivial conversations while subtly probing each other's stances and conditions. The hall buzzed with activity, but the real negotiations had yet to begin.

I had no understanding of political maneuverings. In my previous life, the officials and scholars of the imperial court were worlds apart from me, and I only saw them as either "honest officials" or "corrupt ones." In this life, born into the Orc Alliance, the alliance's upper echelons, despite their greed, were straightforward in their methods. How could they compare to these human elites, who spoke sweetly and acted like brothers but harbored hidden agendas? The conversations left me dizzy and confused, and soon I retreated under some pretext.

As night fell over Sacred Dragon Mountain and the Crystal Palace remained festive, someone else had already secretly infiltrated the highlands.