The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 26

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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 026
For a martial artist, inner energy is an indispensable treasure in executing martial techniques.
In a sense, it’s the most fundamental reason why martial artists are called martial artists at all.
Through cultivated mental discipline, one accumulates inner energy and weaves it into every movement.
That is what the Central Plains knows as martial arts, and thus inner energy was crucial.
The deeper and greater one’s energy reserves, the more one could accomplish.
However, inner energy was not something easily obtained through mere desire.
One either accumulated it through years of grueling cultivation, or consumed rare spirit pills that cost fortunes and were difficult to procure—those were the only paths.
So everyone obsessed over opportunities, didn’t they?
But then.
“…My inner energy has increased?”
[…What?]
Suddenly, my inner energy had grown.
When I mentioned this absurd situation, Yoo Cheon-gil’s expression faltered with confusion.
[What are you talking about?]
“No….”
What was I talking about? It was exactly as I’d said.
“My inner energy has increased.”
Not a tremendous amount, but it had definitely grown. I wondered if I was mistaken, but that was impossible.
How could I confuse something I possessed so little of?
[…Huh?]
Yoo Cheon-gil’s reaction to my words was remarkable.
Why was his expression like that? It was infuriating to look at.
[What in the world?]
“I didn’t even say anything—how did you know?”
[I just sensed it, and it seems you were cursing inwardly.]
“Now you’re even reading my mind…?”
I wondered if he’d gone mad.
Anyway.
“It really has increased.”
[But why would your inner energy suddenly increase?]
“I don’t know either.”
If I knew, why would I be surprised? The energy increased out of nowhere—what did he expect me to do about it?
“Hm?”
I stopped mid-question, pausing.
A memory from moments ago surfaced.
‘Surely….’
I recalled what might have caused the increase in my inner energy. It wasn’t certainty.
Only suspicion, but something came to mind.
‘Was it because of what just achieved enlightenment?’
The moment the Demon conveyed her intention and vanished.
That’s when I felt something react within my body.
A warmth wrapped around me, and I felt something unknown seeping in—was it because of that?
‘That would mean….’
No way.
‘If the Demon achieves enlightenment, the wager comes to me?’
The thought made me swallow hard.
It was absurd, but nothing else came to mind.

* * *
My past life was utterly wretched.
If I had to pick the most nauseating part of it, I’d say without question it was guiding spirits to enlightenment.
Resentment, regret, or longing accumulated through death.
When such feelings grew too thick, those spirits couldn’t depart without resolving them.
And I, having gotten tangled up with them, spent entire periods performing endless spiritual appeasement.
The number of spirits I guided to enlightenment was beyond counting.
Some were ordinary ghosts, others were malevolent Demons filled with malice.
Spirits of every gender and age imaginable, yet they all shared one thing in common.
And that was.
‘They never gave me anything for guiding them to enlightenment.’
No matter how hard I suffered, nothing ever fell into my hands.
Occasionally, there were cases where they’d attach conditions and give me money, or hand over hidden treasures.
‘But I nearly died more than once from eating such things.’
I could never touch objects left behind by spirits. Even with their permission, the world itself wouldn’t allow it unless I paid sufficient compensation.
As a result, struggling madly became my daily routine.
“…The wager is increasing.”
I sat in my chair, pondering the situation carefully.
The growing wager and its connection to enlightenment.
If my suspicion was correct, this was an extraordinary opportunity.
If I could obtain a wager this way, what else could it be but an opportunity?
The only problem was….
‘Is enlightenment the condition?’
What condition brought this about? If it truly was enlightenment….
“Then I’d be in serious trouble.”
Too many problems would arise.
[What problems?]
Yoo Cheon-gil interjected into my worries.
[We don’t even have time to round up all the spirits and guide them to enlightenment right now, so what’s the problem?]
If I could only guide spirits to enlightenment, the wager would increase. If that were truly the case, then according to Yoo Cheon-gil, I’d need to guide countless spirits to enlightenment for it.
But.
“…It’s not that simple, I’m afraid.”
I couldn’t easily accept those words.
“The more I involve the affairs of spirits in this living world, the more troublesome it becomes for me.”
As I mentioned before, karma exists. Ghosts achieve what they desire and attain enlightenment, then it’s over, but….
‘The karma that accumulates on me from doing so—I can never wash it away.’
The problem came after sending the ghosts on their way.
‘How terrifying karma truly is.’
If I carelessly acted arrogant, simply enlightening them for profit, there was a high chance of future retribution.
And beyond that.
‘If word ever spreads among them….’
If rumors about me spread among the ghosts, I might truly be ruined even in this lifetime.
Especially in a world where people are often killed by others.
“Tch.”
I couldn’t understand how enlightenment and the increase of my karma were connected, or what principle governed it if it were truly so.
‘If it’s as they say.’
How should I handle this?
It’s certainly an opportunity, that much is clear.
According to the Old Man’s words, it’s possible to extract energy through enlightenment.
‘But I can’t handle the consequences.’
I knew too little to verify this or use it effectively.
If I’d known sooner, I could have investigated….
‘How could I have known?’
Unlike my past life, I’d tried to live a life separate from ghosts, so enlightenment was my first experience in this lifetime.

* * *
“…Hmm.”
This was not a matter to be decided lightly.
Four more days had passed since the wager increased, yet I remained trapped in deliberation.
Still, my hands continued their work.
That was necessary to pack my belongings.
As I was packing for some time.
“Bang Disciple, are your preparations complete?”
“Ah, yes. Nearly finished.”
A voice from beyond the door. I answered urgently to Cheon Euijin’s words.
‘I don’t have much, so why is there so much to pack?’
I’d thought it would finish quickly, but it took longer than expected.
After filling it to a certain point, I barely managed to lift the wooden coffin beside me as well.
“Ugh….”
I wanted to abandon it right then and there. Suppressing such thoughts, I walked forward.
“…I’ll think about the rest on the way.”
The reason I packed was simple.
It was today.
The day I was leaving Anhui to go to Cheonwol Gate.

* * *
After that, with Cheon Euijin’s help, all my belongings were loaded onto the carriage.
“…This thing is huge.”
The carriage was so large that putting in some luggage posed no problem whatsoever.
It was fortunate.
‘What kind of carriage is this anyway?’
I’d never seen one like it before.
As I examined it curiously from every angle, Cheon Euijin explained it to me.
“The Branch has graciously provided this carriage for you.”
“…You have something like this at the Branch?”
I’d never seen it before, and I suspected even the Branch Leader’s carriage was smaller than this.
“Hahaha… If you find it burdensome, we could prepare another carriage….”
“No, well, comfort is always welcome.”
Especially if it’s expensive. Who would refuse such a thing?
I should simply accept gratefully what was offered.
As I was thinking this, as expected, someone approached me from afar.
“Hehehehe—! I hope the carriage suits your taste.”
It was the Branch Leader.
“Not at all. I’m quite pleased with it.”
“Well then. I’m relieved.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“What—! Our Bang Disciple is departing; I must prepare at least this much.”
Our Bang Disciple—a title I’d never heard before made my ears feel like they were rotting.
“Haha….”
I laughed awkwardly to hide my feelings. The Branch Leader continued nodding his head as he spoke to me.
“Please do not forget us even after you depart. That alone would suffice for me….”
It was too burdensome a request to say that alone would suffice. He was asking me not to forget when I wanted to forget immediately.
“…Of course.”
I answered reluctantly and boarded the carriage.
Behind me, not only the Branch Leader but quite a number of Alliance members had come out, though I did not direct my gaze toward them.
‘I’ve already finished my farewells with my senior anyway.’
Before boarding the carriage, I had met with Yoo Hyeong-in and even exchanged final words.
I had no further business with them.
As I boarded quickly, Cheon Euijin asked with a puzzled expression.
“Do you not require more time, sir?”
“No. Let us depart immediately.”
“Ah…. Understood. Please begin our journey.”
“Yes!”
Whiiiing–!!
The coachman responded and moved the reins, and the horses reacted, causing the carriage to begin moving.
Glancing out the window, I could see we were gradually leaving the Branch.
“…Sigh….”
I exhaled and pondered.
‘Is this what they call advancement…?’
The path to Cheonwol Gate that others only dreamed of.
I had ascended to that place, yet I felt no joy whatsoever.
A grueling ordeal lay clearly before my eyes.
The brightly unfolding path seemed to welcome me as though I were arriving in hell, leaving me in an unusually foul mood.
Yet there was little I could do about it, so I simply closed my eyes and felt the wind from beyond the window.

* * *
A day had passed since Bangseong-yeon’s departure.
The atmosphere remained as it always was.
“…What do you mean by that?”
Jin Gyeong-chan, the current Branch Leader of the Murim Alliance Anhui Branch, furrowed his brow and asked back.
“Someone came to the Branch?”
Disbelief was written plainly across his face. It was only natural—this was truly difficult to accept.
“That is….”
A staff member answered Jin Gyeong-chan’s question with evident difficulty.
“We are currently verifying their identity, but according to the visitor’s claim… they are from the Muyong Clan….”
“The Muyong Clan….”
Jin Gyeong-chan swallowed hard at the same answer as before.
Among the numerous prominent families of the current Central Plains, the five most distinguished were called the Five Great Families.
And the Muyong Clan was one of those Five Great Families, and among them especially.
‘How could the Muyong family, known to have terrible relations with the Namgung….’
They were the ones with particularly poor relations with the Namgung Clan, which was called the ruler of Anhui.
For the Muyong Clan to suddenly send someone to the Anhui Branch?
Faced with this unexpected situation, Jin Gyeong-chan immediately rose to his feet.
He needed to verify it.
He had to confirm whether this was true or not.
‘If it’s not true.’
They would face severe punishment for impersonating the prestigious Muyong Clan.
‘But if it really is….’
For Jin Gyeong-chan, the truth would be the bigger problem.
Thus he hurried forward toward the entrance of the Branch.
The moment he arrived at the entrance, he saw the figures standing there.
“…I am Jin Gyeong-chan, the current Branch Leader of the Anhui Branch….”
The figure standing at the front turned to face Jin Gyeong-chan as he began his introduction.
“…!”
Jin Gyeong-chan caught his breath as their eyes met.
First, the visitor was a woman.
With long natural black hair and wearing obviously expensive silk robes, she held a fan that partially obscured her face.
‘…What is this feeling.’
The aura emanating from the woman made Jin Gyeong-chan unconsciously swallow dryly.
Furthermore.
‘The man beside her is no ordinary person either.’
The man who appeared to be the woman’s escort was clearly a formidable master, even by Jin Gyeong-chan’s standards.
The woman opened her mouth toward Jin Gyeong-chan.
“Ah, how delightful to meet you.”
Her voice was cold, devoid of any emotion.
“…I hear you’re from the Muyong family.”
“That’s right. I came looking for someone… and they said they’d bring a person for verification. Is that you?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Good. How should I proceed with the verification? I’m not particularly fond of waiting.”
“….”
Something was off.
More than off—something was deeply wrong.
Jin Gyeong-chan’s instincts were pricking at his spine relentlessly.
“…Miss.”
“Yes.”
“Before I verify your identity… you mentioned you came looking for someone….”
“That’s right. He….”
Was it a misunderstanding? The woman who’d been about to speak closed her mouth. Her brow furrowed and then smoothed in an instant.
“…Some cunning raccoon who’s supposedly hiding here.”
“…A raccoon, you say?”
Jin Gyeong-chan asked, confusion evident in his tone. A raccoon? Where did that come from?
“Yes. A raccoon.”
The woman answered with a slight smile in her eyes.
“There’s this man who has nothing going for him except a handsome face. Oh, and he thinks he’s incredibly clever too.”
“….”
At her successive remarks, a name suddenly flashed through Jin Gyeong-chan’s mind.
That man who’d turned the branch upside down not long ago.
It had to be a coincidence, right?
“Then… might I ask the name of the person you’re looking for….”
Jin Gyeong-chan asked carefully.
Snap! The woman folded the fan she’d been holding. At that sight, Jin Gyeong-chan had to be astonished twice over.
‘…What beauty.’
The woman’s appearance without the fan was far more striking than he’d imagined.
‘Surely not.’
Looking at the woman’s face, Jin Gyeong-chan recalled someone.
There was indeed a person famous in society for the remarkable beauty of the Muyong family name.
The woman, indifferent to Jin Gyeong-chan’s shock, spoke.
“Bangseong-yeon.”
“…!!”
“He’s here, isn’t he? That cunning raccoon. Ah, if he tries to pretend he’s not here, please relay a message for me.”
At the mention of that name, Jin Gyeong-chan swallowed hard.
At the same time, the woman spoke to him.
“His fiancée has taken the trouble to find him, so the least he can do is show his face. And.”
Her name was Muyong Youngsoon.
Twenty years old.
“And tell her that if she runs away again this time, I’ll really catch her and burn every last strand of hair on her head.”
She was the woman known throughout Yeolyeong as the most beautiful.

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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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