As soon as the Elder Dragon screeched with its powerful might and intent, they quickly realized the situation was amiss.
There wasn't a sound of fear or plead for mercy.
'Wait, this isn't going according to the script?' Confused, the Elder Dragon who remained posing in the air, decided to take a glance at the unruly people.
After all, by now the unruly people should have realized their mistake and apologized. It wasn't uncommon for the younger generation to be disrespectful simply because they had a good background.
However, the moment he laid eyes on the unruly people, the Elder Dragon nearly lost their balance in the air.
"This appearance… Why is it so familiar?" Alarmed, the Elder Dragon was positive that it had seen the face before, but couldn't quite pinpoint exactly where he had met them.
Not to mention, the Dragon Cleansing Pool was only available to one person in their entire lifetime, meaning he shouldn't have recognized them.
"Elder Dragon, it's been a while since we last met from your deep slumber." Amidst his confusion, Qing Lan finally took the lead and greeted him.
"Huh? You're… Qing Lan." Elder Dragon's mouth was left agape. "Wait a minute, aren't you the maid for the Young Master? How come you're escorting another person? There's no way the Mistress would allow it."
With a bittersweet smile, Qing Lan found it difficult to reveal the news herself.
'Sorry Elder Dragon, but your luck is running out this time.' Qing Lan sighed inwardly. There were numerous past incidents of new youngsters from the clan who got approved to enter the Dragon Cleansing Pool.
Since they were all spoiled from their birth, they naturally had an air of arrogance and even looked down upon Elder Dragon.
After all, their clan was the largest and the strongest of all. Even the so-called phoenix, dragon, and other mythical beasts must cower before them.
However, what they failed to realize was that the Elder Dragon's status was just like his name: an elder.
To be rude toward an elder of the clan, it didn't matter much. They all received a fierce beating, followed by harsh treatment during the pool. And when they went back to cry to their parents, they realized nothing could be done.
It was at that moment when many came to an understanding that the Elder Dragon must not be messed with.
That was long established and no one dared to act unruly anymore until today, when the Elder Dragon was surprisingly interrupted by another youngster.
"Replying to Elder Dragon, the person in front of you is the Young Master." Qing Lan introduced Ye Ming, who had been quiet throughout the interaction.
It wasn't that he was trying to pose and act cool, but rather his body froze from the aura exuded by the Elder Dragon.
'Damn, when is an aura this powerful?' Ye Ming cursed silently. Two times he had met with a being who could unleash an aura. The first time, he nearly died, and the second time, he was frozen solid in place.
Was this the life of a mere mortal?
"Young Master?" The Elder Dragon snorted coldly.
"Which Young Master is this again? The nerve of them to desecrate my holy pool and ruin my slumber. Could they be the Master and Mistress' child? How dare this youngster believe he is above me!" He continued, clearly disregarding Ye Ming.
However, when the Elder Dragon realized that Qing Lan's expression was rather peculiar, he became dumbfounded.
He then recalled his previous statement. 'Right, Qing Lan is a maid for the Young Master, and she wouldn't have tended to anyone else.'
Suddenly, a cold sweat broke down, and the Elder Dragon quickly transformed into a regular old man.
"Qing Lan, what is this Young Master's name?" He retracted his aura and asked awkwardly.
"This Young Master is called Ye Ming." Before Qing Lan could even respond, Ye Ming took the lead and answered. He was finally freed from the frozen status, so he naturally intervened in the conversation.
The Elder Dragon still refused to believe that was the case and gazed at Qing Lan, only to have his hope shattered immediately when she nodded in response.
It was as if his soul had left his body, the Elder Dragon's face turned pale and seemed immobilized— the same thing that Ye Ming experienced a few seconds ago.
"Hmm, why are you so quiet now?" Taking advantage of the opportunity, Ye Ming was positive the Elder Dragon had been frightened by his status.
He crossed his hands behind his back and stepped closer to him. "Weren't you quite imposing earlier? Saying this Elder Dragon here and there. Come on, show me that imposing look and aura again. I wonder if my mother would enjoy the news of her beloved son being bullied."
"I was wrong, Young Master." Instantly, the Elder Dragon went on his knees and pleaded. "I didn't know it was the real Young Master. Had I known, then I would have awakened from the beginning and tended to you."
As soon as the Elder Dragon finished his words, Ye Ming kicked him right in the face.
"Yuck, who wants you to tend to me?" He felt goosebumps just thinking about having an old man assisting him in the pool. "Qing Lan, come over here quick."
"Yes?" Confused, Qing Lan arrived next to him, unsure of what he wanted to do.
Meanwhile, Ye Ming quickly erased the horrifying imagination in his mind after seeing Qing Lan's face.
"Phew, much better." He breathed out a sigh of relief.
A few minutes later, Ye Ming used many threats to interrogate the Elder Dragon.
"Hmm, so if I use your scale to cover my body, I won't be feeling any pain. Is that correct?" Ye Ming held a colorful rainbow scale in his hand and inspected them somewhat.
"Yes, Young Master. My scales are top-tier material and they can shield you from any damage." The Elder Dragon explained enthusiastically.
Rather than nodding or responding to him, Ye Ming simply turned his attention to Qing Lan.
"Elder Dragon's scales are one-of-a-kind. Very few people could ever get their hands on his scale." Qing Lan explained. "If I may add, the scale on Young Master's hand is enough to purchase a ton of worlds."