The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 374

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

The Heavenly Supreme Has Died – Episode 374
The air had grown bitterly cold. Night was creeping in gradually.
As the sun had set, night arrived naturally.
A magnificent moon had risen, but its light dimmed momentarily as clouds obscured it in the darkness.
Clink.
The sound of a teacup echoed softly through the space. Beneath the quiet noise that permeated the room, someone appeared.
“This is troublesome.”
The figure seated himself with an exasperated tone, his gaze falling upon the tea. As he observed the steaming cup that had just been poured, Paewang furrowed his brow.
“I’m already busy enough without being summoned like this.”
To Paewang’s words directed at the tea, the man before him—Baek Yeon, Elder Lee of the Cheongwol Sect—responded.
“It’s fine. I’ve ensured there are no complications.”
At that, Paewang chuckled softly.
“Your phrasing is curious. It sounds as though we’ve gathered to commit some heinous act.”
“…I merely meant to minimize unnecessary troubles.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter.”
Paewang rested his chin on his hand and asked Baek Yeon.
“So. Did you find it?”
…
As the conversation turned to the main topic, Baek Yeon’s expression twisted.
His face said enough.
“You haven’t found it, then. That’s strange. You clearly said there was a secret vault, didn’t you?”
“…The vault is not small. It will simply take time to locate what you seek, Paewang.”
“That may be true, but is it really?”
“What do you mean?”
“Yoo Cheon-gil. Even if you know of the vault created by that mad man, do you truly know everything about it?”
Sword Saint Yoo Cheon-gil.
Even if one knew of the vault created by that eccentric and strange man.
“A man like him would surely not have made it so easy to see so much.”
Paewang spoke with a certainty that was not quite certainty. Baek Yeon, hearing these words, added nothing in return.
He knew better than anyone that this would be the case.
‘…Yoo Cheon-gil.’
Beneath the table, Baek Yeon clenched his fist. Irritation welled up within him.
‘These men and their so-called Moonju.’
The memory of Wol Seon-geom from earlier today, the current Moonju—thinking of that encounter left him in foul spirits.
Yoo Cheon-gil’s vault. Several years had passed since discovering it. It was found after Yoo Cheon-gil’s death, and he had been accessing it for quite some time now.
‘What was inside was not much.’
Despite claims of its vastness, the reality was cramped. The items within were certainly precious, but they were not what Baek Yeon sought.
What he desired was something else.
The fragments of the Cheongwol Sword Technique that he had left behind.
Baek Yeon had hoped for that, but.
‘…There was nothing.’
Nothing at all. Yoo Cheon-gil had devised a different Cheongwol Sword technique himself, yet he hadn’t left any records of it in the Secret Archive.
‘Damn bastard.’
Anyone could see that Yoo Cheon-gil’s sword differed from the Cheongwol Sect’s techniques. That’s why others had sought to obtain it, but Yoo Cheon-gil never passed it on to anyone.
The reason was that they lacked both the qualifications and the talent.
‘Yet someone appeared with such martial arts.’
A figure had emerged possessing martial arts that weren’t even recorded in the Secret Archive.
Bangseong-yeon. Currently called Wol-hyeop, the young upstart who claimed to be Geomseong’s Predecessor.
‘…That man possesses Yoo Cheon-gil’s power.’
The Wolrang he displayed when I first saw him.
Judging by his subsequent actions, it was certain. That man carried traces of Yoo Cheon-gil that no one else possessed.
His white hair would be the proof of that.
‘Yet he said he burned all traces of the martial arts.’
The claim that Yoo Cheon-gil had memorized and burned everything he left behind. Baek Yeon didn’t believe it. How could he possibly contain all that vast essence?
And he burned something so precious? It made no sense.
‘…There’s something somewhere.’
He must have left something behind. Baek Yeon thought so and stopped entering the Secret Archive any further.
Since there was nothing inside and traces of the martial arts existed with someone else, there was no need to search anymore.
‘Who would have thought I’d enter again.’
What I had seen before. The letter I discovered immediately upon entering the Secret Archive was the problem.
I had taken all the items that were there and placed them in my own space.
Among them was a letter I had left with Paewang.
‘It was a passage saying I had taken Paewang’s belongings, so why not try to find them.’
The tone was cruder than that, and there were plenty of sarcastic remarks, but considering Yoo Cheon-gil’s filthy nature, I let it slide.
What mattered was that Yoo Cheon-gil had taken what he needed.
‘Which means he brought it to his Secret Archive.’
Having seen this, I sent a letter to Paewang.
That I knew what object Paewang needed, and that I knew the location of the space where that object was.
Paewang, having received that message, truly left Seo-an and came to this place.
“So it’s taking longer to find it. This changes things, doesn’t it?”
“Grant me a little more time. Searching the Secret Archive is not so simple.”
“That’s why I said it. I’ll go in with you.”
“…It exists within the Cheongwol Sect’s interior, and this is an important space for our sect as well. I cannot easily grant access to outsiders.”
“Haha.”
Paewang laughed at Baek Yeon’s words.
“What a stingy excuse. Yet you’re not keeping it secret from others, are you? Even from Wol Seon-geom.”
“….”
Baek Yeon’s eyes narrowed. It was a valid point.
“Humans all have greed in them by nature, so I don’t mind that. That’s why I also haven’t mentioned it to Wol Seon-geom unnecessarily. But….”
Tap, tap.
Paewang tapped his fingers on the table, speaking deliberately.
“Keep your word, and I shall do the same—”
His eyes grew grave as he spoke, and Baek Yeon sensed something profound in the weight of his voice.
“Paewang.”
“What is it?”
“What exactly is this object you seek?”
“I told you. It’s just an armband.”
“You came all the way to the Cheongwol Sect for that armband? And Yoo Cheon-gil—the previous Moonju hid it away?”
“That’s right.”
Paewang answered with a faint smile, and Baek Yeon understood his meaning. He didn’t wish to elaborate.
A clear resolve emanated from that smile—to take only what each could gain.
“I understand.”
As long as it was hidden somewhere within the sect, he would find it somehow.
The possibility it wasn’t there? Baek Yeon didn’t consider it.
If it was Yoo Cheon-gil, he would have done something with it.
‘The problem is simply finding it.’
Time was scarce, yet he intended to search regardless.
“So when I find it, I trust you won’t forget the favor you promised me.”
“Of course. That’s only right.”
Paewang withdrew his extended body and spoke.
“If you find the object for me, then you—no.”
The favor Baek Yeon had asked.
“I’ll lend my strength to the Successor Moonju competition where the Heavenly Supreme participates.”
It concerned Cheonhye-in.
He had promised to grant whatever was requested. That was Paewang’s answer.
‘If you find the object for me, that is.’
Such things were entirely possible.
The problem was.
‘…Whether.’
this man Baek Yeon could actually find it, and moreover.
‘…Something.’
It seemed the hidden place wasn’t known only to him.
What he had seen during the day.
Paewang smiled, thinking of Bangseong-yeon emerging from somewhere.
It continued to weigh on his mind.
Strangely so.

* * *
After finishing his conversation with Baek Yeon, Paewang moved through the night.
The night had already grown deeply dark. Clouds hung thick, obscuring the moon from view.
‘Hmm.’
Paewang walked alone through the murky air.
Normally, as an outsider, he would have required surveillance, but Wol Seon-geom had said there was no need to monitor Paewang specifically.
Understanding the meaning behind those words, Paewang could only marvel at his arrogance.
‘After all, this space is his domain.’
Wherever Paewang went, as long as he remained within Cheongwol Sect, Wol Seon-geom would know of it.
So roam freely.
That was the intent behind his words.
‘Remarkable.’
Truly extraordinary.
‘How is it that the sect masters of this lineage are all so arrogant?’
The previous one was the same, and so was the current one. He had always considered himself quite arrogant, but compared to these men, he was like a wrinkle before a butterfly.
‘Which is precisely why I’m curious.’
If Wol Seon-geom, who rose after the Sword Saint’s death, is at this level.
‘What about the next one?’
Wol Seon-geom was in his prime and would likely hold that position for some time yet.
‘But one never knows.’
The nature of Cheongwol Sect. The strongest becomes the sect master.
By that principle alone, the position could change at any time.
‘Of course.’
Not now, certainly.
Currently, no one existed here who could replace Wol Seon-geom. So for a while, the sect master would not change.
Paewang harbored hope.
After all, unexpected events happened suddenly.
‘But setting that aside.’
He turned his head. The matter with Baek Yeon was also a problem.
‘Where could it be?’
Was it truly here? A question.
‘…Yoo Cheon-gil.’
That beggar-like man who stole and fled with the object.
Though it was called an ‘Aidae,’ the reality behind that name was something entirely different.
‘Hmm….’
Whether Baek Yeon’s words were true or false, he had to find it first given the information he possessed.
Since the man who stole it had died, this was the only way to search.
“Tsk.”
Paewang clicked his tongue. No matter how much he thought about it, Baek Yeon didn’t seem trustworthy.
‘The greed gleaming in his eyes displeases me as well.’
A man I simply cannot trust.
With that thought, Paewang turned to walk away again.
Uuuuuuung—!
“…Hm?”
Paewang turned his head. The air had shifted subtly. As he directed his gaze toward the faint but perceptible aura, his eyes widened.
“What is that?”
In the distance, something was emanating light. Against the darkness of night, it shone all the more brilliantly.
It was truly luminous.
As if the moon itself had descended to earth.
“….”
Upon witnessing it, Paewang moved without conscious thought. It was pure instinct.
Thud—!
In an instant, he closed the distance and reached the source of the light. It was the Training Hall. A man training at this hour?
For a martial artist, such dedication was expected. Yet he had never imagined someone would train so openly while radiating such brilliant light.
And such light at that? Intrigued, Paewang peered inside to observe the source more clearly.
In that moment.
콰가가가가각—-!!!
“What?”
The structure shattered, fragments scattering everywhere. Light erupted upward. An enormous beam of radiance pierced through the heavens.
Paewang stared at the light with astonished eyes.
“Damn.”
From the center of the gradually fading light, a voice emerged.
“…That startled me.”
Paewang identified the voice’s owner. White hair and azure eyes. A young man whose blade was wrapped in resplendent, dazzling energy.
“Insane. What is this? Why is it flying away? I’m losing my mind…. Ah….”
The young man stared at his own blade and the destroyed structure with an expression of bewilderment that exceeded even Paewang’s shock.
Witnessing him, Paewang momentarily froze.
It was only for an instant, but Paewang had been mistaken.
‘…Yoo Cheon-gil?’
For just a fleeting moment, the image of Yoo Cheon-gil—who had fought the Celestial Demon in that war—had overlapped with the diminutive young man before him, Bangseong-yeon.

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