The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 432

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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 432
Gungwi.
A member of the Celestial Demon and a woman of otherworldly status who had saved the Central Plains countless times.
Her arrows pierced through the horizon and struck with ghostly precision regardless of distance.
Even the Celestial Demon of all creation had nearly lost his life to her archery multiple times.
Having reached a realm so supernatural, she earned the name Gungwi.
‘…And yet.’
Whether it was due to her foreign appearance or simply her inherent beauty, Gungwi’s most famous epithet was the Most Beautiful Under Heaven.
Just how beautiful could she be? As a man, I had instinctively wondered about this, and only today could I finally satisfy that curiosity.
‘She’s absolutely stunning.’
The moment I saw the semi-translucent woman sitting before me, that was the thought that came to mind.
Let me be clear about something—my standards are quite high.
The women around me were all beautiful without exception. My sister Bang Seo-jin was one, and so were Muyong Youngsoon and Yoo Yeon.
Wherever I went, there were women whose beauty could turn heads, so naturally my standards had become refined.
‘What is this?’
This was different.
‘…How can someone be this beautiful?’
A human could look like this.
I had never felt this way except when looking at my father. He was like a sculpture.
‘Or perhaps not.’
In her current state, it’s ambiguous whether to call her human. Yet I was observing her with such eyes.
-How curious.
The woman, Gungwi, spoke to me while shaking her white hair.
-That look of surprise isn’t quite what I was hoping for.
“…What feeling were you hoping for?”
-Usually, people would be shocked by this situation.
She spoke while waving her semi-translucent hand.
-But you’re not shocked by my appearance.
“…”
She seemed to have noticed I was shocked by her face. But what made it ambiguous was—
“That’s not it. Usually people would be shocked by the face.”
The face she possessed held far greater potential to shock than this semi-translucent state. That’s just how she looked. Obviously.
-Haha. I appreciate the compliment. Even though I’ve always heard it.
Someone who knows well that she’s beautiful. I was the same, but once you reach a certain level, you can’t help but know.
“…First, I must ask.”
Yes, Gungwi was stunningly beautiful—I’ll grant that.
“Why did you seek me out?”
How had she found me? That was what I needed to ask.
-You’re not going to ask about this state?
“I don’t need to ask much about it because I can already tell.”
What’s there to be surprised about? I’ve seen it more than once.
I shrugged as I spoke.
“It’s not really that impressive.”
-Oh?
At my words, Gungwi smiles. Without realizing it, I nearly felt my heart flutter at the sight of her face. From what I’d heard, she should be a grandmother well advanced in years, yet how does she maintain such youth?
‘No matter how slowly martial artists age.’
This was bizarre enough to defy such categorization. She appeared to be around my age, or at most in her early twenties.
-Not impressive, you say… That’s an amusing remark.
Ignoring Gungwi’s reaction, I stepped forward.
“Is there something you need with me? Or perhaps-”
I narrowed my eyes as I asked.
“Is there something you need with the Sword Saint, my master?”
-Mm.
The moment I mentioned Yoo Cheon-gil, Gungwi’s expression became peculiar.
-Your question is different. Normally, one would ask how I came to be in that place.
“Ah, I was planning to ask that as well… but would you tell me if I asked?”
-Haha.
Gungwi let out a cold laugh and spoke to me.
-Well. After we finish this conversation?
‘She won’t tell me.’
I was certain of it. Or rather, it was easier to think that way.
-Will you sit beside me.
“Since I’m not even beside you, I’ll just stand.”
After all, I came here using astral projection as a spirit body, so what does sitting beside her matter.
Astral projection. It was a technique one could employ after extreme cultivation of spiritual energy. A method of sending only the spirit body while the physical form remained asleep.
‘A dangerous method.’
This meant temporarily separating the soul from the body, which also meant the physical form remained behind.
An empty vessel. Especially an empty body that wielded spiritual energy.
‘That becomes a tempting meal for other spirits.’
It became a fine vessel for those who coveted the body. A physical form containing spiritual energy would be invaluable to them.
‘The fact that I left it behind.’
Meant I had left someone to guard the remaining body.
‘That would most likely be the Death King.’
The situation made sense.
‘With this much clarity in the projection, the distance shouldn’t be very far.’
The clarity of astral projection was determined by the caster’s spiritual energy and distance. From that, I could tell Gungwi’s location wasn’t far from here.
-Hmm.
Just as I was analyzing such things, Gungwi suddenly burst forward. Instinctively, I stepped back at the shortened distance.
“What is this…?”
-Your eyes are quite beautiful.
What’s this, are you testing me? The thought flashed across my mind for a moment, but I knew better than to believe it.
Especially not in a situation like this.
-Your Wol-an is qualitatively different from the others in the Cheongwol Sect. You must know that yourself, right?
“…I’m not sure?”
I narrowed my eyes. Despite what I said, I knew the truth—my Wol-an was different from theirs.
‘Of course it would be.’
I had consumed a Deity Pill, and the inner strength flowing through my body was fundamentally different. That was likely the reason.
-Yes, it resembles Yoo Cheon-gil’s. Or should I say it’s identical?
“…”
A chill ran through me at the tone of recognition in those words. Killing intent. I couldn’t possibly miss it.
As the eyes observing me up close narrowed, a hand extended toward me.
Before the translucent hand could touch my cheek—
“I don’t particularly enjoy being compared to others.”
I created distance between us again.
“Especially not to that man.”
-Wouldn’t he be your master?
“Masters and disciples don’t always get along, you know.”
-Hahaha…
Gungwi smiled coldly.
-You speak as if you were right beside him.
“…”
Are you probing me? My eyes narrowed at the cryptic words.
-I sense that damned thing’s presence in you.
So it wasn’t a probe—damn it. Now I understood the reason. An eerie sensation brushed across my body. Yes, merely brushed. It hadn’t burrowed in. That much was fortunate, at least.
-That’s why I found you.
“…”
The worst-case scenario I’d anticipated had come true. Ah, this is going to be troublesome.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
-Is that so? You could not know… I also hope you never do.
It was an incomprehensible statement. I was leaning in to understand its meaning when—
-That foolish man was fierce, yes, but he didn’t seem like the type to leave lingering attachments in this world. Moreover—
Gungwi’s eyes turned savage.
-It had to be that way. If it weren’t, I would have found him myself and torn his soul to shreds.
“…”
Truly chilling words. Not the body, but the soul. In a way, that was far more terrifying to me.
-If it wasn’t Yoo Cheon-gil, then who was the one playing tricks?
“…”
-I don’t believe it was you who did what was done to my disciple and to me. I acknowledge you were born with precious eyes, but you don’t seem to possess the power to accomplish such things.
Ah.
Upon hearing those words, I couldn’t help but admire inwardly. It was half and half—that she’d realized it was the Celestial Demon who’d done it, not me, and that realization itself.
‘You think it wasn’t me?’
The fact that he saw me as someone incapable of such a thing. My surprise was only half of what it could have been.
I held back a laugh that was about to escape. Though it seems a hint of it showed anyway.
-Why are you laughing?
“Ah, my apologies. I didn’t expect you to see through it.”
-Is that so? Then that means… something is clinging to your side.
Gungwi’s sharp eyes scanned my surroundings.
-I don’t see anything though.
“There’s truly no one beside me.”
-Is that so?
She didn’t seem convinced. Still.
‘She can’t see it.’
Gungwi cannot perceive the Celestial Demon. That part was fortunate.
Fortunate? Yes, it must be.
“So then. What is your reason for joining hands with that Young Master?”
-Aha ha…
Gungwi’s expression shifted slightly at my words.
-I thought you’d at least ask more gradually, but you’re diving straight into the main point.
“I came here specifically to ask that. Did you perhaps consume someone from the same faction?”
-…The same faction?
The air grew heavy at my question. I swallowed dryly, an instinctive reaction.
Gungwi’s discomfort had an effect on me.
-Me and the Demonic Sect? I’d sooner forgive Yoo Cheon-gil than shake hands with those repulsive creatures.
Is that even a comparison? What exactly did Yoo Cheon-gil do? I was curious about that, but.
“…Then why?”
Right now, listening to Gungwi’s explanation was more important.
-We simply had need of each other. Ah… Yes, we joined hands? There’s nothing strange about expressing it that way.
“You’re saying the Demonic Sect had something they needed.”
This person who had just shown such hostility. Now says it’s acceptable to say they joined hands within seconds.
I felt a subtle sense of discord in this contradiction. Something was off.
-Your eyes are full of questions.
“Yes. You spoke in a way that leaves no room for anything else.”
-The Demonic Sect, and truly anyone at all—I trust no one and view all those of the Central Plains identically. Don’t you understand well how foolish it is to trust humans?
“Me?”
-Yes. You who see what cannot be seen. The Celestial Demon, myself, we all shared the same thoughts.
“Mm.”
Distrust of humanity. A fundamental hostility born from the ability to perceive souls.
I understand what she means. Generally, those who see spirits despise humans more than the spirits themselves—those cleaner beings that move by instinct.
‘Humans who deceive themselves, betray, and give birth to demons.’
Most of those I knew were like that.
However.
“I apologize, but please don’t lump me in with them.”
-What?
“I don’t particularly dislike humans.”
There were those I despised, but I didn’t hate humanity itself.
‘My grandchild.’
My Grandmother once told me.
‘Do not hate humans. If you must hate, hate the circumstances that made them evil.’
Don’t hate humanity, she said.
‘How absurd.’
The circumstances that made humans evil were created by humans themselves—how could I not hate them?
That was a question in my childhood, but now it’s different.
Rather than understanding it.
‘I came to accept it.’
Living, and living some more.
That’s how it became.
-…Has the time not yet come?
“No. It’s burned too much, charred black. But it burned differently.”
This time, I laughed. The need for further conversation diminished.
“Ah, and. About what you said earlier.”
-Earlier?
“You said I don’t seem to possess such power.”
The words about how I couldn’t do what the Celestial Demon did. That came to mind.
-Why bring that up?
“I thought I’d correct that misunderstanding.”
The reason I can be confident now, facing Gungwi.
I reached out my hand toward Gungwi. Simultaneously, I loosened the ring around my heart ever so slightly.
Thump.
-…What?
My hand touched Gungwi’s body, which was close to a spirit form. The moment her eyes widened.
“I apologize.”
Uuuuuuuuuuuuuung–!!!!
Flesh manifested from my soul pierces through Gungwi.
“If it were me, it wouldn’t have ended at merely that.”
Kuuuuung-!!!
-…!!!!
Gungwi’s body convulsed violently.
Appearing before me as a spirit form.
That was her mistake.
I.
‘If it were a ghost rather than a human.’
Even a Deity could be toyed with.

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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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