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Based on my experience, the young girl before me is indeed completely devoted to martial arts and ignorant of worldly affairs. However, passing my information to her and even encouraging her from behind to make such demands just as the Temple and Sacred Dragon Mountain are about to begin negotiations undoubtedly represents some purpose of the higher-ups in Sacred Dragon Mountain. Of course, whether it's to gauge the Temple's strength or to convey certain information to the Temple, none of that is something I need to concern myself with. Although I have pondered whether the "Dual Saints" alliance might have negative implications for the Orc Alliance, in reality, once the alliance declares war on the human world, the Temple and Sacred Dragon Mountain will inevitably unite. Therefore, Sacred Dragon Mountain's current moves don't significantly differ for the alliance. Instead, forming an alliance now might allow us to uncover some of their hidden tactics, which could be advantageous for us.

Of course, if we could prevent the "Dual Saints" alliance from forming, drive the Temple into madness, and instigate a conflict among the other major human empires, resulting in the deaths of Sword Saints and Forbidden Spellcasters, that would be ideal. But this scenario can only be imagined; humans, despite their greed and internal strife, still possess reason. With my current abilities, there is no way to stir up such a massive upheaval, so I must settle for the next best option.

Putting aside these useless thoughts, I quickly agreed to the other party's request. Firstly, as guests, we are on their territory, and since the host wishes it, I naturally couldn't refuse. Secondly, I am known as a martial fanatic, and declining would raise suspicion. Even if the Temple has concerns, they would find ways to remedy the situation themselves rather than let me refuse. Moreover, I hope to use this opportunity to understand the subtleties of Sacred Dragon Mountain's martial arts, preparing for future cultivation improvements.

It was already night, and the location was the magnificent Crystal Palace, so we certainly couldn't immediately engage in combat. After setting a time and place, the girl named Zhu Liya took her leave.

"Oh, oh, I thought someone couldn't stand the hypocrisy of the old men inside and had run out, but it turns out you had a date with a beauty. Truly... 'the best playboys always wear a saintly halo.'" As soon as the girl left, the artist and Holy Grail Knight Lansino, who rarely wore normal attire, emerged with a bottle of wine, swaying slightly.

"That's 'the most evil demon often wears a saintly halo.' Don't make up proverbs at will. Besides, weren't you supposed to perform your new composition at the banquet? Why did you come out?" I knew he had been eavesdropping all along, so I wasn't surprised. Rather than argue with this amusing fellow, I asked him directly.

"Hmph, those commoners could never appreciate my refined art. Performing for them is like performing for a bunch of pigs; at least the pigs wouldn't pretend to understand." At this point, Lansino suddenly looked dejected and turned away, carrying his bottle of wine. Watching his back, I couldn't help but shake my head. When we first met, I had no fondness for this eccentric character, but over the course of our month-long journey, I discovered that although he defied convention, he was indeed a genius. His poetry and music were unique and extraordinary, not to my taste, but I had to admit he had created his own style. Moreover, he managed to reach the level of Sword Master while deeply immersed in his creations, making him a martial genius with a natural pride that gradually improved my impression of him.

For some, the night was tense; for others, it was depressing or boring. The next morning, when most of the envoys and Sacred Dragon Mountain's high-ranking officials were drinking tea and eating breakfast while preparing negotiation materials, I and the substitute Dragon Emperor Knight girl Zhu Liya were already engaged in a fierce battle in the arena.

My martial arts primarily revolve around the *Nine Yin Manual* and my cultivation of Aura, especially the "Nine Yin White Bone Claw" and "Heaven and Earth Silence Blade." However, this doesn't mean I don't know other martial arts. My previous master once said that in martial arts, mastering one method means mastering all methods. To cultivate the "Doushui Eight Scenic Sword Technique," I read through the vast martial arts library of Saint Spirit Mountain, using the recorded techniques as material to refine my swordsmanship while also mastering a large number of Temple martial arts. This mastery is purely in terms of techniques, as the internal energy used still comes from the *Nine Yin Manual*. Thus, while the power isn't lacking, the details are somewhat different, and the actual effects aren't as perfect as the Nine Yin techniques. Hence, I usually don't use them. However, since they want to understand Temple martial arts, I might as well display them now.

The second phase of the "Ice Prison Magic Thorn Technique," "White Gold Mirror Magic Armor," has been mastered by me to perfection, no longer limited to armor form. All the white gold light condenses on my hands, transforming into spears, swords, hammers, whips, axes, and halberds, each with several to a dozen unique techniques. The transformations are endless, leaving the watching Sacred Dragon Mountain warriors and the bored Lansino Knight speechless.

In contrast to my overwhelming array of techniques, the girl opposite me uses only a simple skill, wielding her oversized sword with straightforward, powerful strikes that block most of my attacks. The remaining assaults are deflected by the giant dragon phantom that appears and disappears behind her. We fought for nearly an hour, and although Zhu Liya was at a disadvantage, she suffered no damage. While I focused on techniques and only unleashed about sixty to seventy percent of my power without activating the "Holy Ice Thorn Halo," for a girl with only the third level of Moon Flame Aura, this was an astonishing achievement.

To be honest, her strength should not be so formidable, but due to the "Dragon Aura" and dragon crystal core, her physical strength far exceeds what a human should possess, rivaling the five major orc races. Her strength and speed are remarkable, allowing her to implement a straightforward combat style effectively. Ironically, this is typically how orcs fight humans, but now it's the reverse. The giant dragon phantom, though formed by Aura, is surprisingly resilient, almost comparable to a real dragon's body. If I used an epic divine weapon, it would be fine, but with weapons condensed by Aura, even though they can cut through steel armor, they cannot break through this defense. Thus, despite being pushed back, the girl from Sacred Dragon Mountain maintained her defenses without any damage.