Chapter 5: A Cheerful Duc Quang

Hoa Khuong was pissed. Extremely pissed. He couldn't think of any reasons why Linh Dau would target them. All they did was move on with their lives with their happy jobs, and this guy shows up years later because he sat in his house, sulking all day long? This guy is crazy!

Hoa Khuong wondered, was it because of the competition two millenniums ago? Or is it because his character is extremely weak and frivolous? Hoa Khuong just wants to beat him up!

Beside him, Hoa Xuan awoke with a little jolt. His skin appeared glossy from sweat and pale from shock. He noticed they're in a simple and empty bedroom with only one bed and a table.

"Little Khuong?"

"Brother Xuan, you're awake!"

"Yeah, I am." Hoa Xuan sat up and examined Hoa Khuong, noticing the scratches. He quickly asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Can I get some help?"

Hoa Khuong gestured to the silver rope wrapped around him. Hoa Xuan scootched closer, snapped the rope, effortlessly releasing Hoa Khuong. The younger brother smiled then stretched his stiff limbs.

Hoa Khuong quickly threw the rope under the bed. No one should see it.

Hoa Xuan looked around the room with a sense of deja vu. "Huh. This place looks quite familiar."

Hoa Khuong looked at him weirdly. "Brother Xuan, you are the expert then. What's happening?"

"Well..."

The two of them had recognized a forbidden spell cast by Linh Dau. The spell is called, Golden World. Yeah, creative name. The spell can grant you travel to different worlds linked together and time travel, too.

In the past, the spell was misused for greed and evil plans, so the jade emperor banned the spell. The documents and books related to the spell have been burned, no exceptions. The beings that had misused the spell are now gone from the world. However, there are deities from that time, still alive, who knew how to cast the spell, but they aren't allowed to use it by any means.

Hoa Xuan personally doesn't know the spell, neither does Hoa Khuong. They ascended to godhood a few years after the incident.

Back to the question, Hoa Xuan felt the familiarity, but not clearly.

"...we're now in the past and I don't know what year. That's all."

Hoa Khuong pinched the skin in between his eyebrows. Groaning and cursing under his breath. This is truly a misfortune. It's taboo to travel through different times. Time should stay how it is intended, it's troublesome to change history even it's a little thing.

Hoa Xuan suggested, "Your use of profanities is becoming a bad habit. I think you should stop for a while."

"I know, but-"

The door abruptly opened. A young lady in red held a tray of medicine and bandages, stepped in with another youth in purple next to her. The boy appeared younger than them, perhaps thirteen years old. He had a look of carefree and curiosity.

"Hey, you guys are awake!"

The two brothers looked at each other then back at the cheerful youth. The young lady stayed unfazed and nonchalant. Her face lacked wrinkles and she looked rather cute.

Hoa Khuong asked, observing them, "Where are we?"

The young lady placed the tray down onto the table, next to Hoa Khuong. She answered, "Cong Ly Institute." The young lady faced Hoa Khuong and said, "Take off your clothes."

Hoa Khuong's eyes widened. "Excuse me??"

"Take off your clothes or I'll do it for you." Her tone was icy and stern.

Hoa Khuong cried on the inside as he took off his top, letting the young lady treat his almost forgotten cat scratches.

Hoa Xuan sensed someone looking at him. He looked to his side to see the youth observing him with the most intense eyes he could muster.

Hoa Xuan smiled. He asked, "What are you doing?"

"Brother, I'm trying out my intimidation skills. Seems like it isn't working. Oh well."

The youth bowed slightly in respect, he said, "My name is Duc Quang and I'm a junior student. What is brother's name?"

Hoa Xuan thought about it. Should he use a fake name or his name? But he had already determined they are now in the time they haven't been born yet. He also determined he had to be careful in the young lady's presence.

In the end, he chose to say their real names. It's harmless because anybody could have the same surname and first name.

"I am Hoa Xuan." He gestured over to Hoa Khuong saying, "This is my younger brother, Hoa Khuong."

Duc Quang gave a look of disbelief. "Brother Xuan has to be lying. Brother Khuong looks way older than brother Xuan. What is this sorcery?!"

The young lady gave a look of warning to Duc Quang while applying a mint scent green medicine over the scratches. "Quang, be polite."

Hoa Xuan's smile didn't fade. He said, "Little Khuong had a healthier childhood than me."

Duc Quang rubbed his small chin. "I still have suspicions."

The young lady finished bandaging Hoa Khuong's scratches. She said, "Your wounds aren't deep but aren't shallow either. They'll completely heal in three days."

The young lady took her tray and began walking out. Before she left she instructed, "Explain to them thoroughly. Don't do the same mistake like last time."

The door closed and the three are left alone. The Hoa brothers sat together on the bed, watching Duc Quang rather intensely. Except, Duc Quang didn't feel threatened by Hoa Xuan. Hoa Khuong had the look of a tiger, watching him with dark eyes. Duc Quang felt chills on the back of his neck.

"Well, you guys are currently resting in the guest rooms of the school, Cong Ly Institute. We are a small group of students trained to eliminate evil and restore peace and harmony." Duc Quang struck a pose shamelessly. He proudly announced, "We are the heroes who should never dwell to evil! That's our motto!"

Hoa Xuan glowed, interested. "Oooh."

Hoa Khuong cringed.

Duc Quang explained further, "My teacher and senior found you guys unconscious out in the mountains. That place is dangerous and they feared for your guy's lives so they brought you guys back. You should thank them when you meet them."

When the boy finished blabbering, he excused himself and ran out when a bell rang outside. He somehow felt his senior glaring at him while it was actually Hoa Khuong. He suddenly became scared because of how similar the two men exude the same aura. He desperately wanted to escape from Hoa Khuong's intense eyes.

"That boy is now scared of you."

"Heh."