The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 159

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Heavenly Supreme Has Died – Episode 159
On a day when winter was creeping in ever so gradually.
A prestigious sect in the Hannam region.
Within the Cheonwol Gate, a young man was striding about with an irritated gait.
“Damn it all–!!”
The eyes of those around him turned toward the curse spilled as he walked, but
upon confirming who it was, they quickly averted their gaze.
It had become a familiar sight by now.
“…That damned bastard…!”
His already fierce face twisted further, making him appear even more menacing.
Those who witnessed it flinched and trembled.
The young man’s name was Dang Cheon-il.
The Lord of the Dang Clan, direct bloodline of Dokuou Dang Gyeong-ak, and one of the Seven Prodigies—Dok-ryong.
Dang Cheon-il continued walking with an expression full of fury.
His destination was the most secluded corner within the Cheonwol Gate—so remote it was even questionable to call it part of the interior.
Normally, as a guest, Dang Cheon-il would never be permitted to go there.
‘I received permission from Moonju, so come back in a month.’
Dang Cheon-il could come and go because he had obtained permission from Wol Seon-geom, the Cheonwol Munchu. Damn infuriatingly so.
‘That bastard really is something.’
Dang Cheon-il ground his teeth repeatedly while recalling the one responsible for ruining his mood.
‘How long has it been since we made that agreement, and already–!’
The anger truly welled up inside him. How could it not?
‘A month? A whole month?’
Not seven weeks, but a full month.
He promised to teach him every few days, and already this nonsense.
‘I knew I couldn’t trust him.’
I never trusted him from the start. No matter how much it was Father’s command as Lord of the Clan, to receive instruction from such a man.
I had literally prostrated myself with my head to the ground just to get this one thing.
It was truly unbearable in every way, yet Dang Cheon-il endured it stubbornly.
But then.
‘I’ll be away for a month. Keep that in mind.’
A notification came out of nowhere. An absurd notice that he would be away for a whole month and to remember that.
Before I could even protest, he vacated his position and went into seclusion.
‘Insane bastard.’
How could he be so audacious?
The Dang Clan, the greatest under heaven. An agreement made with the very Lord of the Dang Clan no less.
Does he think he can disregard it like this?
‘Even if he is Geomseong’s Predecessor, this is too much.’
Crunch. Dang Cheon-il bit his lip. Had he applied more force, it might have drawn blood.
I admit it. Even though I hate to admit it, I had to.
That bastard is Geomseong’s Predecessor. Dang Cheon-il tensed his face as he recalled the martial arts match from back then.
The sword strength he displayed at that time.
Its brilliance and profundity had burned so deeply into Dang Cheon-il’s memory that he couldn’t shake it.
He couldn’t help but reflect on how arrogantly he’d acted, judging that man merely by his appearance.
‘That cowardly bastard. He was hiding his true power.’
If I had observed more carefully, I could have detected the strength he was concealing.
It was a reflection on my own carelessness and failure to properly assess him.
‘…If I could just master Manceon Hwau.’
Then I’d crush that bastard again. With that resolve, I’ve endured and persevered through these days.
‘And this is how he repays me?’
After only a handful of training sessions, he’s already pulling this nonsense.
Dang Cheon-il’s rage boiled up to the crown of his head—unbearable.
At this point, training and all that could go to hell.
‘I’ll pulverize him.’
This time will be different. Last time, I lost due to carelessness, but now things are different.
‘And he’s just finished closed cultivation?’
That bastard was in the process of emerging from closed cultivation, so his physical condition wouldn’t be in perfect shape.
I’ll exploit that and beat him to a pulp.
With that thought, Dang Cheon-il arrived at his destination.
A disciple had tried to block him at the entrance, but when he showed the seal that Bangseong-yeon—that dog of Geomseong’s Predecessor—had given him, he was allowed to pass.
A massive boulder. An iron gate constructed in its center.
This was the Closed Cultivation Chamber that members of the Cheonwol Sect used when entering closed cultivation.
Once you entered, it couldn’t be opened until someone from outside opened it for you.
“Tsk.”
Seeing this, Dang Cheon-il approached. The moment he opened the door, if that bastard appeared, he’d strike immediately.
Strike first, win first. He’d beat that weakened bastard without killing him.
Deal with the aftermath later? He didn’t care anymore. Dang Cheon-il had decided to stop worrying about such things.
If he didn’t act now, he felt he’d simply die from this rage.
So, steeling himself completely, the moment he grasped the iron gate of the Closed Cultivation Chamber to open it.
“….”
He paused.
His hand stopped right at the door handle.
‘If I just don’t open it like this….’
They said no one inside could open it anyway, so wouldn’t it be fine if I just pretended not to know?
‘Not a bad idea?’
Even by his own assessment, it was a rather clever approach.
Dang Cheon-il nodded and began to withdraw his hand.
Or rather, he tried to.
Then.
Screech—!
“Huh?”
A sound of something being sliced through echoed.
Crack—! A blue line was drawn across the iron gate before my eyes, and across the surrounding rocks that encased it.
“What?”
What is this?
The moment Dang Cheon-il voiced his confusion upon seeing the line ahead.
쿠구궁—!!! 콰가강-!!
The rocks shattered along the line.
“Cough!?”
As the rocks suddenly collapsed, Dang Cheon-il hastily retreated backward. What in the world was happening?
After putting distance between himself and the debris, he narrowed his eyes and stared straight ahead.
Beyond the swirling dust, something stirred.
Thump.
“…!”
At the sound of footsteps, goosebumps erupted across Dang Cheon-il’s spine.
Thump—!
The sound drew closer. Dang Cheon-il looked down at his own trembling hands. His eyes widened. Without realizing it, he was gripping a dagger.
‘What is this?’
What on earth is happening?
With tense eyes, he looked straight ahead once more.
Flash—!
Blue eyes gleamed from within the dust.
Whoosh—!
Wind swept through, scattering the dust that had obscured the view, and what emerged was a young man in a disheveled state.
Long bangs covered his eyes entirely, yet they still shone with brilliance, and though his face appeared gaunt and worn, even accounting for that, his features remained striking.
However.
“Ptui. Damn, what is this?”
Despite his refined and gentle appearance, his manner of speech was rough.
“This rotten… I swear I’ll never do this again.”
Grumbling, the young man sheathed the sword he’d been holding at his waist.
Watching this, Dang Cheon-il found himself unable to speak.
‘What is this?’
What is that?
‘How?’
How did he escape? Could it be…
‘…Did he cut through it?’
Did he slice through those thick rocks and iron gate? They said it was absolutely impossible to escape from inside?
Moreover.
‘What is that killing intent?’
The murderous aura radiating from Bangseong-yeon was not merely thick—it was suffocating.
I don’t know what kind of cultivation he performed inside, but just looking at him makes my legs tremble.
Cold sweat continued to pour down my face. My tense body refused to lower its guard.
The dagger I gripped was saturated with qi of its own accord.
Separate from my instincts standing on end, Dang Cheon-il’s mind was consumed by a single thought.
‘I want to run.’
I want to escape this place.
I cannot stand against that killing intent.
Just as such thoughts filled my mind completely.
“Hmm?”
“…!”
Bangseong-yeon’s blue eyes turned toward me.
Meeting that gaze, I flinched.
And then.
Creak—!
Bangseong-yeon smiled.
“Ah, it’s been a while?”
“….”
“What brings you here… ah, that’s right.”
As he spoke, Bangseong-yeon approached. I tried to step back, but.
‘…My legs.’
My legs were frozen.
“I asked you to open the door a month later, didn’t I? Did you come to open it for me?”
Bangseong-yeon asked as he drew closer.
Seeing this, I forced my rigid body to move.
It’s close range. If I strike with the dagger, perhaps something could be done.
Thinking thus.
“Yes, that’s correct…. I’ve come… to open the door for you.”
I pulled out the cloth from my robes and handed it to him.
“Oh, you’ve got some sense about you?”
Bangseong-yeon chuckled upon seeing the cloth and accepted it.
“….”
Seeing this, I thought to myself.
Perhaps it would be better to fight later.
‘Yes, he’s just finished his closed-door cultivation, so attacking and striking him down now would be meaningless.’
It would be better to fight properly, when my body is in perfect condition, and crush him then.
That would surely be the case.
Making that judgment, I decided to postpone the fight for later.
At least… it didn’t seem like now was the right time.

* * *
The moment I stepped out of the closed chamber, the first thing I did was wash myself.
After a month without bathing, my body reeked, and having rolled through dust and grime, I was an absolute mess.
The instant I submerged myself in water to wash, I couldn’t help but gasp when I saw how murky it became.
“Ahhhh… Now I feel alive again.”
After scrubbing every inch of my body and changing into fresh clothes, I exhaled with relief.
Now I finally felt human again.
“Seriously… Never again.”
Recalling the past month, I shook my head with disgust. No matter how I thought about it, this was no way for a person to live.
Though I’d managed to escape, it felt like something I could never do again.
Especially.
‘Even if I did gain something from it.’
Even if I’d obtained results from the closed chamber, I had no desire to do it twice.
It was that miserable.
[Tsk tsk tsk.]
I heard laughter. Looking up, Yoo Cheon-gil was grinning at me.
[You’re something else. Anyone listening would think you gained nothing at all.]
Yoo Cheon-gil spoke, his blue eyes gleaming.
[After I spoon-fed you knowledge for a month, yet you wear such a miserable face.]
“Spoon-fed? I crawled through that myself, sir.”
Anyone hearing this would think he’d taught me something all month long.
‘I just desperately clawed my way through it alone.’
Yoo Cheon-gil couldn’t appear because he was using Spirit Dream, and during the day I had to train by myself.
Brutishly and repeatedly following the method he’d shown me.
When I fell asleep from rolling around, I experienced hell in the Spirit Dream.
That cycle repeated for a month.
‘And I barely broke through at the very end….’
An endless repetition of situations with no solution in sight.
I died hundreds of times in a single night. That was my daily existence for a month.
Relentless and agonizing.
Days filled with wondering when I could finally overcome this.
Only on the final day of the closed chamber could I finally awaken from the Spirit Dream.
Because I’d obtained something in that final moment.
[That alone made this entire month worthwhile. You’re aware of that yourself, aren’t you?]
“….”
I didn’t argue back. Aside from how miserable it was, Yoo Cheon-gil was right—I had gained something at the end of the closed chamber.
However.
[Listen here. I say this again.]
“Yes. I know. You’ve already told me countless times.”
I spoke with a sigh, looking at Yoo Cheon-gil.
“Don’t use it recklessly until you’ve grown accustomed to it. Do you understand?”
[Understood.]
Yoo Cheon-gil had issued this warning because there was a problem with what I’d obtained.
Moreover.
‘Even I can see that.’
It was still a power that was difficult to wield carelessly.
It was useful when I did employ it. After all, I’d sliced through the sealed chamber and escaped with that power.
Recalling that, I clenched and unclenched my fist.
‘Just how much stronger have I become?’
I wondered exactly what harvest the sealed chamber had yielded.
My realm hadn’t advanced at a rapid pace. I remained at the peak realm, but.
‘It does seem to have improved somewhat?’
Compared to before, the sensation felt considerably better.
Just how significant was that improvement? Part of me was curious, though I tried to suppress it.
[You’re an amusing one.]
Yoo Cheon-gil, reading my thoughts, spoke with a smirk.
[What could you possibly achieve in a mere month? Your greed knows no bounds.]
“…I was merely curious.”
[Set even that aside. You’ll know soon enough anyway.]
“…”
He had a point.
I smacked my lips and opened my clenched fist again.
I would know before long.
I understood perfectly well what he meant by that.
It was something Wol Seon-geom had brought up.
And I’d spent the past month wandering about for that very reason.
As I was contemplating this.
“F-forgive the intrusion.”
I turned around at the sudden voice.
It was one of the Three Disciples of the Cheonwol Sect.
“…The Moonju seeks your presence.”
“…Heh.”
They say even a tiger comes when you speak of it.
How did he know I’d emerged? He found me with uncanny timing.
“Tell him I’m coming now.”
As I spoke, breath misted from my lips. It was the moment I felt the change of seasons.
Moreover.
The season was growing gradually colder.
Beyond merely noticing the chill, something immense was approaching.
A grand festival of the orthodox sects held once every few years.
It was the time when the Dragon Phoenix Assembly convened.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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