"Don't look at me like that. I'm not talking about myself." The Dragon Emperor shook his head with a weak smile on his face. "Since you've only recently arrived in the Seventh Heaven, you probably haven't heard of any rumors on the Dragon Emperors since they rarely get passed down to the lower heavens." "There are only seven Dragon Emperors across the entire Nine Heavens—including myself," the Dragon Emperor said solemnly. "Yet most of them are steeped in controversy. Take the Blood Dragon Emperor, for example. He is infamous for his uncontrollable bloodlust, going on murderous rampages every few years. Entire cities and bloodlines have been reduced to ruins beneath his wrath." "Another example is the Poison Dragon Emperor," the Dragon Emperor continued. "A master of venom and toxins, he shows no regard for anything around him when he unleashes his power. Every battlefield he touches is left tainted for centuries, poisoning the land, the waters, and all life nearby. Many innocent beings have perished because of his recklessness." "Why do they behave like that? Hell, how did they even become Dragon Emperors?" Yuan asked. "How much do you know about Dragon Emperors? How they are chosen, for example?" Yuan shook his head and said, "I admit that I don't know much about Dragon Emperors since they weren't really a thing during the Immortal Monarch's Era." "I see. Then allow me to explain this system to you." "There are two main requirements to becoming a Dragon Emperor," the Dragon Emperor explained. "First, you must be born into one of the ten recognized royal bloodlines. Second, even if you possess a royal bloodline, it must reach a certain threshold of purity. Without fulfilling these two requirements, one cannot ascend to the title of Dragon Emperor." "There are many self-proclaimed Dragon Emperors out there, but only seven of us are true Dragon Emperors." "If someone is born meeting both conditions, they must still undergo the Dragon Emperor Ceremony, where they are tested through a series of rigorous trials," the Dragon Emperor continued. "However, that is not the final step. Even after passing the ceremony, they must receive the approval of at least six of the ten recognized royal bloodlines, along with the endorsement of at least two current Dragon Emperors." "If there are fewer than four Dragon Emperors in existence, one may ascend without needing their approval. However, there can never be more than seven Dragon Emperors at any given time." "If there are already seven Dragon Emperors, anyone who meets all the prior requirements may challenge an existing Dragon Emperor to a deathmatch—fighting for their title." Hearing this, Yuan asked, "Have you ever been challenged for your title before?" "I have only been challenged twice since I became a Dragon Emperor 120,000 years ago," the Dragon Emperor replied with a faint smile. "After all, a dragon who meets all the qualifications is born only once every few thousand years, and they tend to challenge the weakest Dragon Emperor out there." "Do Dragon Emperors face no consequences for their actions? What are the other dragon clans doing?" Yuan then asked. The Dragon Emperor sighed and said, "Unfortunately, that's the reality we live in. Dragon Emperors aren't just powerful individuals—they have the full backing of their clans, along with the support of various other forces. Unless someone possesses overwhelming strength and an unshakable reputation, it's nearly impossible to challenge or hold a Dragon Emperor accountable." 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺 "Even if someone qualifies to challenge them, it's rarely worth the risk, as such actions could easily ignite wars," the Dragon Emperor added with a heavy tone. "What about the Dragon Ancestor and the Great One? What are they doing now?" Yuan then asked about the Dragons of Origin. "The Great One is the very embodiment of aloofness and selfishness," the Dragon Emperor said. "He has no interest in the affairs of the Dragon Emperors—his only concern lies in expanding his personal collection of treasures. As for the Dragon Ancestor... he hasn't been seen for many thousands of years." "Is that so… I guess I'll do something about it." The Dragon Emperor looked at Yuan with wide eyes, but he didn't object. After all, Yuan was the Immortal Monarch, and he had Dragon Goddess Yeyou's backing. If anyone could deal with the Dragon Emperors, it would be Yuan. Unfortunately, Yuan lacked the capabilities to deal with the Dragon Emperors at this moment, so he had to wait until he did. Some time later, they arrived at the area situated just above the training grounds, where a single large building stood. It served a singular purpose, used exclusively by the higher-ups of the Holy Dragon Clan for important meetings and discussions. Since there was nothing of importance inside, they simply walked past the building and continued their ascent toward the mountain's peak. Eventually, they arrived at the summit, where an elevated circular platform stood, resembling a grand stage. In front of it stood a stone tablet, distinguished by a uniquely shaped hole carved through its center. "Is this…?" The Dragon Emperor nodded and confirmed Yuan's suspicions, "Yes, this is the teleportation device. Although it's capable of extremely long-distance teleportation, it's limited to the other Dragon Spiral Mountain." "But alas, the key used to operate it… is currently in the Azure Dragon Clan's possession." "Speaking of the Azure Dragon Clan, could you tell me more about them?" Yuan asked. "I'd like to better understand their situation before I confront them." The Dragon Emperor nodded and replied, "Of course. The Azure Dragon Clan once lived peacefully, hidden away in the Sea of Dragons. For countless years, they remained secluded, causing no conflict. However, for reasons unknown, they began making aggressive moves toward our Dragon Spiral Mountain a few thousand years ago, trying to appease the Great One. We tried asking for an explanation, but they refused to reveal anything. It's likely the Great One has something to do with it, but it's not like we can confront him. The Great One has a short temper and is easily offended, after all."