This day, just as usual, the soldiers of the Tribunal Knights, responsible for guarding the peace and security of the Holy Capital, were meticulously inspecting the merchants and pedestrians entering and leaving. At that moment, a clear, piercing sound suddenly erupted from the distant sky, echoing through the heavens and shattering the serenity of the Holy Capital.

The merchants undergoing inspection at the city gates immediately felt an intensely oppressive sensation bloom within their chests, an almost involuntary urge to yield to the sheer majesty of the sound. The common magical beasts and animals became uncontrollably agitated, and the previously orderly city gate instantly devolved into a cacophony—a chaotic mix of animal cries, the angry curses of the soldiers, and the grumbling complaints of the merchants.

However, the few veteran officers of the Tribunal Knights directing affairs at the gate instantly changed countenance. These officers were at least Sword Masters in strength, seasoned by long years of combat, and they could immediately discern the nature of that sound that had pierced the heavens. No magical beast other than the roar of a Dragon possessed such devastating power.

Thinking of this, the faces of these officers paled slightly. The Dragon race had always been an enigmatic presence, rarely showing themselves on the continent. Although their numbers were small, the strength of every single Dragon was an entity that could never be underestimated.

Therefore, despite their limited numbers, the Dragons firmly held the honor of being the foremost power on the Dragon Ascent Continent.

No race dared to casually provoke conflict with the Dragons. One needed only consider that, as of now, perhaps no race on the continent believed it could genuinely defeat the Dragon race—not even the Elves, renowned for their mysterious magic, nor the Beastmen, celebrated for their sheer fighting prowess.

Neither race was confident in resisting an assault from the Dragons, let alone any other race on the continent.

Yet, the Bright Holy Capital and the Dragons had always maintained a peaceful separation, each respecting the other’s territory. Occasionally, quite a few Dragons visited the Holy Capital, but they were always respectful enough to transform into human form before entering, and never had any Dragon dared to be so brazen as to unleash a roar from so far away.

After all, the accumulated might of the Church of Light, built up over millennia, was something even the continent's strongest race, the Dragons, would not lightly dismiss. Should a full conflict erupt, even if the Dragons were ultimately victorious, the cost would surely be one they could not bear.

Thus, even the proud Dragons maintained a polite demeanor when facing the Church of Light. This behavior made the current situation utterly perplexing to the officers, leaving them momentarily flustered. Nevertheless, the soldiers of the Tribunal Knights were, after all, highly trained elites.

Despite the initial disruption, they rapidly restored order under the command of their officers, which spoke volumes about the strength of the Tribunal Knights.

Could the Dragon race be preparing to wage war against the Church of Light? Why else provoke the Church of Light with such blatant disregard? The small squad leader responsible for security at the city gate suddenly conceived a terrifying possibility, his heart beginning to race. He hesitated, wondering whether he should sound the alarm.

Although everyone in the Holy Capital who wasn't deaf must have heard the initial Dragon’s roar, his duty compelled him. Even knowing the potential consequences, he had to fulfill his role. Yet, he couldn't ascertain the true meaning behind that roar, and thus dared not act rashly. If his actions inadvertently sparked a war between the Dragons and the Church of Light, wouldn't he become the ultimate culprit?

As the squad leader wrestled with his dilemma, a single point of golden light suddenly appeared on the distant horizon. This golden light swiftly approached the Bright Holy Capital, and before long, it was hovering high above the city walls.

It was only then that the squad leader could clearly see the appearance of the Dragon. It was a colossal beast, emanating a faint golden sheen, its very scales a lustrous gold, circling several hundred meters above the Holy Capital.

The faint, innate majesty belonging to a sovereign immediately radiated from the golden Dragon, causing the magical beasts and animals at the gate, who had only just begun to calm down, to erupt once more. They shrieked in terror and, completely disregarding their masters, surged frantically toward the city, desperate to escape the Dragon’s oppressive aura.

This sudden surge caught even the well-drilled Tribunal Knights somewhat off guard. Although the officers struggled desperately to control the situation, the soldiers themselves were already laboring under the pressure of the Dragon's might, making their movements and reactions noticeably slower than usual.

Seeing the scene at the gate rapidly descending into chaos, with the beasts brought by the merchants showing signs of going berserk, another resounding roar issued from the golden Dragon’s maw. Upon hearing the second roar at close range, the rampaging beasts immediately let out cries of agony and collapsed limply onto the ground.

The beasts and animals trembled on all fours, displaying the innate terror they held for the supreme authority of the Dragon race. Yet, suppressed by the Dragon's immense power, they remained docilely where they lay, daring not to move an inch. Gradually, the situation at the city gate, which had teetered on the brink of losing control, stabilized.

At this point, the squad leader, the highest-ranking officer present, was using his cultivation base to barely withstand the crushing Dragon’s might washing over him. Seeing that the situation had calmed and that the Dragon displayed no overt hostility, he mustered his courage, approached the colossal beast, and spoke with profound respect, "Venerable one of the Dragon race, I am Lauld, Captain of the Fifth Squad of the Knights of Light. You are welcome to the Bright Holy Capital. Is there anything at all I can do to be of service to you?"

Lauld deliberately emphasized the words "Bright Holy Capital" to subtly remind the visitor that this was the domain of the Church of Light; no matter how arrogant a Dragon might be, they had no business acting so imperiously here.

It was then that a faint voice drifted down from the Dragon's back: "I am Chen Mohan. I have urgent matters to discuss with His Holiness the Pope of Light. I request that this good sir inform him of my arrival."

Hearing the voice from the Dragon's back, Squad Leader Lauld was jolted. He had failed to notice Mohan, who had been sitting casually on the Dragon's back. He was astonished; everyone knew the Dragon race was arrogant and would never allow anyone to ride upon their heads, save for the legendary Dragon Knights.

But the Dragon before him was clearly a member of the royal lineage—a Golden Dragon. There was never any rumor of anyone on the continent being able to use a Golden Dragon as a mount, not even a Dragon Knight.

It was easy to deduce that the person before him possessed an extraordinary background. Furthermore, judging by the voice, the speaker couldn't be very old. Though he couldn't see Mohan's true appearance, the voice suggested his approximate age.

It was clear this matter was beyond his clearance level; he would have to report it to his superiors. With this realization, Lauld’s tone toward Mohan became exceedingly deferential. He quickly bowed and said, "Respected powerhouse, please wait a moment. I shall inform His Holiness immediately."

"Heh, no need to announce me. Someone will be here shortly," Mohan said with a smile from the Dragon’s back. Then, Mohan suddenly leaped down from his position hundreds of meters in the air. Only then did Lauld get a clear look at the mysterious powerhouse. He saw a man in his early twenties, dressed in a long, pale-blue robe, with thick brows, large eyes, and an unusually gentle smile perpetually on his face. The man had spoken to him with such warmth, completely devoid of the arrogance typical of powerful figures.

On this continent, which powerhouse didn't have their eyes fixed on the heavens, always looking down on a low-ranking officer like himself? Thinking this, Lauld's good impression of Mohan grew immensely. He understood Mohan was speaking the truth; it was likely that representatives were already being dispatched from the Holy Capital to greet him. After all, no matter how haughty the Church of Light was, they would not want to unnecessarily offend such a powerful entity as the Dragon race. While this particular Dragon had been somewhat aggressive, they certainly had the pedigree to back it up. The Golden Dragons were the royalty among Dragons, far superior to the common varieties. Even the Pope himself would likely treat a Golden Dragon with courtesy; as a mere squad leader, Lauld certainly wouldn't dare to prosecute them for the disturbance caused by the roar.

Simultaneously, the Golden Dragon shimmered with light, and in an instant, a beautiful young woman in a pale-yellow silk dress appeared before the crowd. Unexpectedly, this Golden Dragon was a stunning female. Yet, no one dared to stare directly at her, fearful of provoking the powerful being before them.

Just then, a series of melodious chimes rang out from within the Holy Capital, striking ten times before slowly fading, the pleasant sound lingering in the air above the city. At the same moment, several white figures shot out from the mountain within the Holy Capital, flying swiftly toward the city gates.

Seeing this display, the anxious heart of Lauld finally settled. That bell tolling was the special chime the Church of Light used to welcome distinguished guests, calibrated across ten levels according to the status of the visitor, with each chime representing one rank.

To his astonishment, the Holy Capital’s bell had rung ten times—the highest possible honor. It had been an eternity since such a ten-chime salute had been heard in the Holy Capital. However, given the haughty status of the Golden Dragon race, ten chimes were certainly warranted.

Lauld felt immense relief that he hadn't acted rashly earlier. Just as he thought this, the white figures arrived at the city gate. Lauld finally recognized the welcoming party: among them were two Ascetic Elders of transcendent status, alongside three Archbishops.

Any single one of these individuals could command significant respect across the Dragon Ascent Continent. They constituted the highest echelon of authority in the Church of Light, second only to the Pope and the Saintess. Their joint appearance to greet them indicated the extraordinary importance the Church placed on the visitors.

At that moment, the leading Ascetic Elder burst into hearty laughter. "Haha, I knew it was you! Who else dares to be so impudent right here in my Holy Capital?"

Upon seeing the elder, Mohan adopted a respectful demeanor and spoke, "Mohan pays his respects to Elder Guang Huo. It has been a long time, Elder. How has your health been?"

"Good, very good! I thought you brat had forgotten about this old man and wouldn't visit for ages," Guang Huo said cheerfully, walking toward Mohan and raising a thick hand, ready to clap him heartily on the shoulder in excitement.

Seeing Guang Huo’s gesture, a wave of warmth washed over Mohan. This old fellow hadn't changed at all. It was fortunate his own cultivation was strong; a normal person struck by that blow might have suffered paralysis in half his body.

With that thought, Mohan smiled faintly and replied, "Actually, I wanted to come much earlier, but I was held up by other matters, which caused this delay. I beg your understanding, Elder."

Guang Huo waved a generous hand upon hearing this. "Heh, I am not that petty."

He then smiled toward Bai Xue beside Mohan. "Little girl, you've grown stronger in just a few months! That sound earlier almost gave me a fright."

Rou Xue, who was acquainted with Guang Huo, blushed slightly at his words and responded, "Senior, you jest. It was all this scoundrel's idea. He said time was of the essence, or we might not have seen you so easily."

Guang Huo chuckled. "Very well, His Holiness the Pope awaits you inside. Follow me."

With that, he took the lead, guiding Mohan and the others toward the peak of the Holy Capital. The other Ascetic Elders and Archbishops exchanged pleasant greetings with Mohan and Rou Xue before accompanying them skyward.

Under the guidance of Guang Huo and the others, Mohan and Rou Xue soon arrived at the Grand Cathedral of Light atop the Holy Mountain. The sheer scale of this Cathedral dwarfed any other Mohan had seen; it was at least ten times the size of the Grand Cathedral in Tianlong City.

The two massive doors alone stood dozens of meters high. The imposing architecture radiated overwhelming grandeur. Combined with the fully armed Tribunal Knights guarding the entrance, any ordinary person witnessing such a sight would likely be humbled by the sheer presence.

Such structures could not be erected merely with wealth. The densely packed runes covering the exterior of the Cathedral indicated that the building itself functioned as an enormous magic array. Creating such a massive array would require an incredible investment of manpower and resources—a feat no human empire on the continent could achieve. It was evident that the Church of Light's centuries-long dominion over the Dragon Ascent Continent was no accident.

Upon entering the main hall, Mohan saw the Pope of Light, clad in golden robes, seated in the center, gazing at Mohan and Rou Xue with a placid smile. Although Mohan had never met the Pope before, he could ascertain his rank from the embroidery on his vestments. The image of the God of Light embroidered on the clothing, coupled with the twelve pairs of golden angels arrayed below, signified an attire no ordinary person could wear—only the Pope of Light held this singular privilege.

Rou Xue, as a Golden Dragon, maintained decorum in the presence of the highest human sovereign, offering a respectful salute and greeting to the Pope.

Mohan, however, was entirely different. Ever since learning the truth about Shui Ling'er, Mohan had taken a distinct dislike to the Pope. Consequently, upon meeting him, Mohan merely offered a slight cupped-hand gesture—a minimal acknowledgment of greeting. Yet, given Mohan's transcendent status as a God of Magic, even this gesture was entirely justifiable.

The members of the Church of Light, however, were not privy to this development. Seeing Mohan's minimal acknowledgment, several Archbishops and Ascetic Elders in the hall frowned slightly. But the Pope seemed utterly unperturbed, continuing to greet Mohan with enthusiasm.

With the Pope's current level of strength, he could naturally perceive Mohan’s extraordinary power, and a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes. The Pope was himself a Saint-level powerhouse, bolstered by the artifacts of the Church of Light, he likely possessed peak Saint-level strength. Yet, he could not discern Mohan’s true power.

There was only one explanation: Mohan’s inherent strength surpassed his own. A power capable of exceeding the peak Saint level could only belong to the legendary Divine Realm. The Pope had never imagined Mohan could reach that tier so quickly, hence his momentary astonishment.