The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 28

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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 028
They dropped to their knees in unison, facing me directly.
As I watched these individuals introduce themselves as the “Small Moon” and conduct themselves with proper courtesy, I quietly swallowed hard.
‘Insane.’
Their physiques were clearly honed with perfect form.
Genuine martial masters—the kind you’d never see at a branch office.
No matter how ignorant I was, I could tell that every single one of them was at least at the level of a Daeju from the branch.
And judging by the atmosphere they radiated, they were far beyond that.
Overwhelming strength and restrained sharpness.
Each one of them emanated the keenness of a legendary blade.
‘…Formidable.’
Just looking at them made me instinctively want to cower. Cold sweat broke across my skin, and I swallowed dryly.
Pressure born of instinct. As I felt it and my breathing began to quicken—
[A sharp cry—!]
“…!”
Thunder struck against my ears, and my eyes snapped open.
My body stiffened, and my reaction shifted. I neither panicked nor cried out.
My heart and mind turned cold.
Steadying my trembling gaze, I parted my lips.
“So ‘Small Moon’ means….”
My composed voice, fortunately, remained as it always was.
“Sowoldae?”
“That is correct.”
The middle-aged man affirmed my question. Hearing this, I furrowed my brow.
Sowoldae.
The name of an elite unit belonging to Cheonwol Gate.
Like the Plum Blossom Sword Masters of the Huashan School or the Tai Chi Sword Masters of the Wudang School, they were a martial force composed of the sect’s greatest power. This meant that all of them were masters I couldn’t even dare to look upon, unlike a lowborn martial artist like myself.
[Ha, masters my foot.]
As if reading my thoughts, the old man let out a laugh of disbelief.
[Are your eyes crooked? Your vision seems rather poor.]
His constant clicking of his tongue was a genuine expression of incomprehension.
Of course, I couldn’t respond or ask questions.
“We came to escort you upon hearing the news. I am Do Kyeong, commander of Sowoldae.”
‘…Do Kyeong, you say.’
Information about the middle-aged man surfaced in my mind.
Do Kyeong of the Azure Wolf Sword.
A renowned martial master of Cheonwol Gate.
‘…I’m meeting quite the remarkable person.’
I’d wondered if I’d ever encounter such a figure in my lifetime, yet since before, I’d been meeting Socheongeom and the Azure Wolf Sword master, so it was simply astounding.
Excitement surged within me despite my years, though I showed nothing on the surface.
“You’ve come to escort me? What do you mean?”
I subtly elevated my speech. If I had raised my tone upon learning his identity, it would have been entirely plausible.
Do Kyeong’s expression shifted slightly at my response, but he quickly composed himself.
Just as he was about to say something to me—
“Bang Disciple!”
Someone descended from the sky, landing directly before me.
It was Cheon Euijin, his face etched with urgency.
“You startled me.”
I widened my eyes in surprise as Cheon Euijin’s gaze fixed upon Do Kyeong.
The way their eyes met was peculiar.
“…Vice Daeju.”
“It has been some time. Heavenly Supreme.”
An oddly tense atmosphere permeated the air. Watching this exchange, my mind raced swiftly.
Ah, I see.
‘This was not a planned meeting.’
From Cheon Euijin’s reaction, it appeared he had not anticipated anyone from Cheonwol Gate arriving.
In other words—
‘Either Cheon Euijin failed to inform Cheonwol Gate,’
or someone different from the expected person had arrived.
It was one of the two.
‘Regardless, judging from Cheon Euijin’s reaction, he and Do Kyeong don’t seem to share a particularly favorable relationship.’
My assessment proved accurate.
“How did you come to know of this?”
Cheon Euijin asked Do Kyeong, his expression guarded.
“We simply act according to our orders, as we always do.”
“Orders, you say?”
“We received word from headquarters that the successor of the Sword Saint would arrive shortly, and we were instructed to receive him.”
“…How on earth—”
‘Just as I thought.’
Observing Cheon Euijin’s reaction, I became certain.
‘This fellow failed to send proper information.’
He had failed to properly relay information about my arrival. More precisely…
‘He likely never mentioned my departure.’
Perhaps he had never informed them that I was departing together with him for Cheonwol Gate.
Indeed, it had been strange from the beginning.
‘We set out without proper escort.’
We departed with merely a carriage, a driver, Cheon Euijin, and myself.
That alone had struck me as odd from the start.
‘The successor of the Sword Saint appeared, yet Cheonwol Gate assigned no escort.’
It was an extraordinarily reckless decision, one I could not comprehend.
‘So that was the problem.’
If Cheon Euijin had failed to relay the information properly from the start, or if they’d moved hastily before the rumors spread further, then it made sense.
‘But why?’
Why on earth had they done it?
When I tried to recall the reason, one major detail stuck out.
It was probably.
‘…The Old Man’s beloved sword.’
That half-broken, weathered blade stored in a wooden coffin and kept in the carriage.
I suspected that might be why Cheon Euijin hadn’t properly conveyed the information.
“You’ve worked hard. From now on, we shall guide you safely.”
“However, the Bang Disciple should be….”
“The Sect Leader awaits you.”
“…!”
At the mention of the Sect Leader, Cheon Euijin’s body stiffened.
Seeing that reaction, I walked forward.
“I’m overwhelmed by such kindness. Well then, I’m in your hands.”
I spoke with a sly smile. I could verify the actual situation once I got there.
Since it had come to this, I had to go anyway.
“Then, we’ve prepared a carriage for….”
“Ah, I’d rather not. We’ll just take the one we came in.”
I immediately refused Do Kyeong’s offer.
“I can’t sleep well if I change my surroundings.”
“….”
At such an odd excuse, Do Kyeong’s eyes wavered slightly.
“Understood.”
He let it pass without further objection.
“I shall escort you.”
“Yes. Very well.”
Do Kyeong moved. He immediately patted Cheon Euijin’s shoulder.
The stiffened Cheon Euijin responded.
For some reason, he wore an indignant expression. Watching that, the Old Man spoke to me.
[I’ll say it once more—it would be wise to keep your wits about you.]
As if he’d already forgotten the mess he’d made, he threw a warning my way. I laughed.
It was a hollow laugh, and yet it was genuine.
‘Did he call me a fox?’
Whether he’d called Sowoldae a fox or the Cheonwol Gate a fox, I couldn’t quite remember.
It didn’t matter.
‘I’ve already been torn apart by everything there is.’
Whether by foxes, wolves, or lions, I’d been bitten and mauled by them all. Especially by creatures like foxes—I’d been toyed with by them time and again.
And through all that suffering, I’d learned how to hunt in return.
‘Is that why?’
To be honest.
I wasn’t scared at all.

* * *
We returned to the carriage and received an escort and guide from Sowoldae.
As I had anticipated it would take another day, our arrival time matched exactly that.
Hannam.
We had arrived at the prefecture where the Martial Alliance’s headquarters existed, along with the Cheonwol Gate.
‘Wow.’
So many people. That was my first thought upon seeing it. Anhui had a large population too, but it was incomparable to this place.
It was only natural, given that the Martial Alliance’s headquarters was located here.
‘The place where I was is a bit removed from here.’
A bit further out from Anhui.
Since I had been positioned away from the prefecture to distance myself from the Namgung Clan, it was even more so.
‘How fascinating.’
It was a sight I occasionally saw back in my homeland of Yeolyeong, but it was truly fascinating.
The problem was.
“Aren’t those Sowoldae members?”
“Who are they escorting…?”
The fact that Sowoldae was escorting the carriage was drawing people’s attention.
‘Everyone’s staring.’
Not a single person missed it—those walking the streets all looked at the carriage I rode in.
The reason was obviously Sowoldae.
They were the elite of the Cheonwol Gate. The standing that the Cheonwol Gate held in Hannam was certainly not low.
‘Even so, this much?’
Their gleaming gazes were full of admiration. It was a gaze I had never received while working at the Anhui Branch.
‘Though I can’t say I’m envious of it.’
I deliberately averted my gaze and closed the window. Many people meant that many wandering spirits also roamed about.
‘If this is how it is, I’ll have to memorize them all over again.’
I had memorized all the spirits on the paths I frequently traveled in the Anhui Branch. It was to avoid being startled if I happened to encounter them.
‘…When will I ever get it all figured out?’
Just imagining having to start this all over from scratch gave me a headache.
Because of that, I was holding my forehead, and the one sitting across from me didn’t look much different in expression.
‘Anyone looking at us would think the world was ending.’
Cheon Euijin, sitting across from me without saying a word.
His expression was as dark as it could be.
He’s had that expression ever since last night.
It was unclear whether he was worried or angry, and even if it wasn’t that, I had much to think about on my end.
‘I’ve managed to finish a good portion of it.’
I’m not entirely certain.
I can only hope that the plans I’ve prepared will work out as intended.
It was while I was earnestly praying for that.
“We’ve arrived.”
A voice called out from beyond the carriage. It was the moment I’d been waiting for.
Only then did I notice—the murmuring sounds and bustling noises from before had completely ceased.
I carefully grasped the door and opened it. The first thing that came into view was an enormous gate.
‘Wow.’
Why was the gate so massive? It was absurdly large.
The nameplate affixed above it bore the character for “Blue” in unmistakable clarity.
Seeing that, there was no way I could mistake where I was.
‘I really came here.’
Cheonwol Gate. The great sect with the most influence in the current Central Plains. This was its entrance.
With an unusual feeling, I slowly descended from the carriage.
Thud—! Thud, thud—!
The martial artists of Sowoldae who had escorted me here suddenly dropped to their knees, just as they had when they first saw me.
I wasn’t flustered. This was the beginning of what I had already anticipated.
[Hoho.]
The old man seemed to have discovered something, a smile playing at his lips.
Following his gaze, I too looked beyond the entrance.
From far away, someone was walking toward me.
Thump—!
“…!”
The moment I saw him, my heart began to race uncontrollably.
The sensation from when I first met Do Kyeong—this was several times more intense than that signal.
Thump—! Thump—!
My heartbeat grew louder and louder. My eyes felt strangely hot too. Was I running a fever?
I angled my palm away to hide the sweat that had beaded there.
Quietly, I simply waited for him to draw closer.
And so a fleeting moment passed.
[Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle.]
Along with the old man’s laughter, the figure came to stand before my eyes.
A sharp-featured middle-aged man—if Cheon Euijin were to age, I was certain he would look exactly like this.
His black sword at his waist was impressive enough, but his tall stature and the solid build of his muscles were exceptional.
I wondered how he possessed such a dignified aura, yet what truly captured my gaze was.
‘…His eyes.’
This middle-aged man’s irises were blue.
This signified that he had awakened the Lunar Eye, and it also vaguely revealed what kind of existence he was in this place.
Or rather, it would be impossible not to know.
In the current Central Plains, there were few who wouldn’t recognize the man standing before me.
The man’s epithet was Wol Seon-geom, the Lunar Virtuous Blade.
Among the masters of the realm, he ranked within the top twenty when counting the strongest.
He was the father of Cheon Euijin, who now stood behind me with a ghastly pallor upon his face.
And simultaneously.
[So that stubborn wretch has come to this without my knowing.]
He was the current Sect Leader of the Cheonwol Gate.

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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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