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The passage of time forced people to grow in many aspects. In children, the height was the most noticeable to the naked eye. In adolescents, although the height remained remarkably similar for the past few years, the shape of the face and body denoted maturity.
If Chung Myung is taken as an example, then the youngest of them would be the last to show these developments on his body. His face was notably round, and his shoulders were narrow even though his muscles were as solid as steel, since he was still growing. The elder Hyun Young was aware of this fact, so he made sure to properly nurture this blessed child so that he would grow into an adult who could unfold his full potential and continue to bring fortune to his Sect.
So, Chung Myung ten years from now, would not be the same way. That Chung Myung would have been toughened through self-imposed training more oppressive than any of his kind, leading his developing body to adapt to the physical needs he demanded of it day after day. The well of pure spiritual energy that he would have amassed would be enough for cultivators to step back cautiously, not counting the fierce eyes filled with experience beyond his age. Actually, more than a young adult like Baek Cheon was at that age, that Chung Myung would be closer to an immortal who reached enlightenment, so his body has not aged but his soul tells stories of distant times.
That is the kind of nonsensical metaphors and explanations that arose when the young disciples of Mount Hua were faced with an unimaginable scene. In front of them, their young and innocent Chung Myung had been exchanged for a seasoned bandit who claimed to be himself from the future.
The man, Chung Myung from the future, calmly sat on the seat across from the Sect Leader, drinking from the bottle of liquor he was presented with as if he found nothing strange in this scenario. Baek Cheon, Baek Sang, Yu Iseol, Yoon Jong, Jo Gul, Tang Soso, and even Hye Yeon, had been called upon by Chung Myung's request to be among the select few who would hear the truth about the situation they were facing until now. that the effect of this exchange had ended.
Although they would like to pretend that they received the information calmly, accepting the facts for what they were, asking for some information and deciding what to do accordingly, the reality was far from these illusions. Even the Sasuks, Baek Cheon and Baek Sang, gaped at this incredibly powerful version of their younger martial brother. Yu Iseol's gaze pierced Chung Myung, as if she searched for the secrets of the universe in his every move, absorbing every bit she could get. Yoon Jong and Jo Gul tried to behave in front of this version of Chung Myung who seemed to be inexplicably tolerant, wanting to give the best impression of their younger selves to this person from the future, thinking of the faces of their older selves who would surely be embarrassed by the anecdotes that Chung Myung brought home. Jo Gul wasn't making things easy, making that stupid expression of confusion and talking with abandon about everything that came to mind to consult about their lives.
Despite criticizing Jo Gul's unrestrained disposition, everyone found themselves clinging to the edge of their seats to listen to every word coming from Chung Myung. The hands of the elders trembled subtly with emotion, hiding the spasms behind their teacups. No one mentioned it, even when everyone was aware of it.
The corners of Chung Myung's lips turned up, bursting into laughter unable to contain his amusement any longer.
"Come on! You don't need to be so tense,” he chuckled, leaning across the table toward the young faces who looked at him expectantly. "I didn't remember my Sahyung and Sasuk being so cute. Ah, i hope you never grow up..."
The smile on his face was that of an elderly father who had watched his son marry and start his own family, realizing how far he had come in life. Perhaps, for him as a kid the difference was big, but for the elders a decade of time elapsed was not a big deal.
Baek Cheon felt especially alluded, “Chung Myung-ah, you are still younger than me."
Chung Myung blinked like an owl, looking up and down at his Sasuk. "Eh... But aren't you very young?"
Yoon Jong almost lets out a giggle. Baek Cheon seemed so sincerely confused at Chung Myung's childish behavior, who looked him again, as he was about to count their ages with his fingers.
"Not much of a difference," he dismissed with a wave of his hand. "You haven't been through a war yet, so I count you all as brats."
The room fell silent.
“Chung Myung-ah, i know this may be difficult for you,” Hyun Jong chimed in, looking ten years older. "But please, i ask you for a little tact when transmitting information about future events to us."
“I don't think it's necessary to discuss it, Sect Leader. Of course, there are some things I'd like to say,” he adds. "But, in general... if it's you, things will work out."
A wave of warmth engulfed the hearts of those present. Chung Myung is not the type of person who usually verbalizes his feelings. He is stingy with flattery from him, almost as much as he is with physical displays of care. To have a person like him openly acknowledging his confidence in their abilities to protect the Sect, when he knew them better than they did themselves, was like balm to their heart.
Besides, my younger self must be receiving the important information in the future, Chung Myung thought with a shrug. Since it was Chung Myung who was currently leading them, he wouldn't do to put too much pressure on these kids' shoulders.
The hearts of said children would have shattered if they could hear his thoughts.
"Since the younger self won't be here to oversee your training, I'll take his place in the meantime."
Yoon Jong spoke in that instant, feeling that he must do something when the words he held the most had come true.
"But Chung Myung-ah, I'm sure our Sasuk can take over the training for now, why don't you take your time to discuss the future with our elders?"
Jo Gul nodded vigorously next to him, a huge nervous smile twitching.
"That's right, you've just implemented a new training method anyway, so there should be no room for changes any time soon, ah!" With a cry, Jo Gul lowered his head to hold back his tears. Both of his feet had just been stepped on by the people who sat next to him, Yoon Jong and Tang Soso.
Chung Myung didn't seem fazed. "Okay, let me observe my Sahyungs' training for today."
And hopefully he'll be gone by tomorrow, they thought with a shudder.
"How about you make a demonstration of your skills?" Hyun Sang suggested. "The children would do well to observe an expert in handling the Sect's style to learn from him."
Chung Myung was pleased with that assessment, beginning to twist his spine to lift his chin in that smug gesture they knew all too well. Even his cheeks had begun to take on a soft shade of pink that left them feeling dismayed.
"Hehehe," he chuckled softly. "Since the elder insists, i could teach my dear Sahyung a thing or two."
During the afternoon, Chung Myung made sure to take the Mount Hua disciples to a secluded spot, where he went over the techniques from lower level to the highest level. Unfortunately, he didn't have an opponent to fight against to bring out some battle strategies like he'd like, though passing each of the kids onto the court to kick their asses would have to be replacement enough.
That same night, Hyun Young organized a large banquet for the disciples, and in a private room, a personal feast for the members who knew of Chung Myung's peculiar situation. Exhausted, the children choked on food as if they had spent months in isolated training surviving on supplements.
Hye Yeon sighed longingly at the sight of the served beef so close to his reach. On his plate, however, he could only find rice, lettuce and cooked vegetables.
"Hey, monk, are you still a monk?" Yoon Jong muttered with a frown. "It seems that since your arrival, you have become more and more..."
"Please, stop."
Hye Yeon couldn't bear the reality.
"Ahh, so that's when you still followed those principles," Chung Myung sighed with melancholy. 'Now you're like one of those, the great monks of my day, downing flasks of alcohol in one gulp and eating meat like you weren't fed in Shaolin."
What times, it's not like elders have changed in ten years, Hyun Jong thought.
"Si-Siju, I don't..."
"Come on, isn't it better to drop those pretenses as soon as possible? In the end, your will couldn't hold on to the Shaolin principles anyway."
Each word was a stab in the heart of the young monk.
“Th-that and this are different things!"
“Chung Myung-ah, please stop bullying Hye Yeon…” Baek Cheon intervened like an angel from heaven. "Come on, the food is getting cold."
"You are right, mini Sasuk."
With his mouth full, now the Mount Hua disciples and a monk were safe from Chung Myung. If before the young disciples trembled when that bastard's mouth opened, now that he found himself backed by the facts of the future that they couldn't discuss, he had become insufferable. They could only thank the lucky stars that the first victim was Hye Yeon, so the others were able to put their guard up before they were singled out.
“Chung Myung-Sahyung,” Tang Soso called softly. "How are we in the future?"
There was a person who was not afraid of future assessments. That was Tang Soso, who was confident in her ability to reach her Sahyungs with her honest effort.
"Hmmm." Chung Myung pondered for a moment, deciding on the appropriate word to express the changes they had faced through the experience. "They are master swordsmen."
Masters, said the person with exorbitant standards. The person who could spit in the eye of the elders of other Sects without regret while calling them novices in their own profession.
Seeing the stars in their eyes, Chung Myung felt the need to break down their ego before they sinned because of pride. "They still have a lot to improve, they certainly have not met the minimum requirements to achieve their own style, nor could I in good conscience let them wander the world without supervision."
That was because Chung Myung had become extremely paranoid about the children's safety, but they didn't need to know that.
Baek Sang did not seem particularly depressed. "Didn't Chung Myung say that before? We have decades to perfect the basics."
Hyun Sang tilted his head at that assessment. The children had grown a bit grim at the reminder of the ridiculous amount of time they would continue to undergo this torture called training. Hyun Jong, on the other hand, looked fondly in Chung Myung's direction.
"You've become a great teacher," praised the Sect Leader." You always have been, but it seems you've finally opened up to them."
Chung Myung was surprised at the Sect Leader's accurate assessment. To think that even though Chung Myung was supposed to be several decades older than him, he couldn't emulate the same air of wisdom that the Sect Leade seemed to exude. Perhaps it was the gray hair and wrinkles, he mused.
"The Sect Leader is correct," he agreed." After the war, I'm sure this Chung Myung has a thing or two to tell you."
That all-knowing smile, a little melancholic, did not suit him.
“We will wait,” Yu Iseol replied. "We can wait for you."
Chung Myung fixed his eyes on those young faces that looked at him without a hint of reproach, just full of trust in him, and what he can now recognize as love.
"What Yu-samae says is true," Baek Cheon added. "There is no need to rush things."
"Anyway, I don't think there's anything about you that can surprise us after this," Jo Gul teased, not knowing how wrong he was.
Chung Myung laughed at this careless statement with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Look forward to it, Sahyung."
“Haaah, this is like playing with a sleeping lion,” Tang Soso sighed.
“Amithaba,” Hye Yeon murmured sadly.
"I'm glad you are my fam—"
Chung Myung opened his mouth to say something else as a wisp of smoke engulfed his body. The disciples got up from their chairs quickly, acknowledging the smoke with the same one that swallowed Chung Myung before switching places with his future self.
"Kids..." Chung Myung growled, his voice much higher and younger. "Look how young today are. I go through so much work to raise them, and in a couple of years, they think they can get away doing those kind of thing."
"Chung Myung-ah?"
"I'm going to make your next few months hell!"
"C-Calm down...!"
"Oh, Sahyung, I've never been calmer…" Chung Myung clenched his teeth. "Do you dare make fun of me like this? I'll make sure you never grow up to be that way!"
Isn't this change a bit...?
But looking at his appearance...
His chubby cheeks were red, as if they'd been pinched multiple times, and his hair was a mess, probably disheveled after a little too rough petting.
If they had the chance to meet a Chung Myung ten years younger...
Wouldn't it be the perfect opportunity to play with him?
Suddenly envious of their futures, they found themselves looking forward to that moment, without an ounce of remorse.
Chung Myung noticed the wandering eyes that didn't dare to make eye contact in anger. If before he wasn't going to be harsh with them since they weren't the same versions that bothered him, now that bit of consciousness had disappeared.
“You will definitely pay for this!"
"We haven't done anything yet!"