The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 477

—————
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 477
I needed a place to gather those young boys.
Though I’d been sticking my nose into everything, my household remained impoverished.
So I wondered if there was somewhere to collect them all together. Shouldn’t I provide them with at least some humble dwelling?
That’s how the academy came to be. It wasn’t anything particularly grand.
In this world, opening an academy didn’t require anything extraordinary.
If I had to be specific.
‘The landowner’s permission.’
A simple condition—I needed to obtain permission from the land’s owner before opening. That was all that was necessary, and fortunately, I happened to know the largest landowner in this neighborhood.
The Moyong clan. I received their assistance.
I’d handle everything myself. I just needed to borrow the land.
That’s how I obtained it.
Muyong Youngsoon’s influence played a role, and Baekwang’s arrangements helped as well. Thanks to them, I opened the academy.
But there was a problem.
‘Who should I make the dean?’
To open an academy, I needed a building and land, but I also needed a dean.
But I couldn’t do it myself. I was too busy trying to earn a living—where would I find time to teach children?
So I decided to find someone.
There happened to be one in Yeolyeong. An old man who was clearly no ordinary person.
So I asked.
‘You probably have nothing to do anyway. Why not just take this position? Then I’ll keep quiet about it.’
I still remember it. That grandmother staring at me in disbelief.
And.
“It’s always fascinating. What exactly are you always doing?”
Even now, years later, that old man still looked at me with the same expression.
“It’s been a while, Dean.”
I ignored her words and greeted her first.
“I brought some tea and pastries. Should I leave them here?”
“Not necessary.”
“You said they were delicious last time.”
“I said not necessary.”
“Ah, I should at least clean up. What’s all this dust?”
….
“I’ll sit down.”
This was getting dangerous. If I provoked her further, that temperament would explode. Knowing her well, I settled lightly into a chair.
Smoke rose from the long pipe. The old man sat in a chair, earnestly smoking from it.
“There are children here—I’ve told you not to smoke like that.”
“The smoke won’t escape the room anyway.”
Whoooosh.
Just as she said, the smoke she exhaled wouldn’t leave the room. That old man was controlling it deliberately.
“Just answer the question. Neither of us enjoys wasting time on pointless talk.”
“You’re still sharp as a blade. Perhaps you should focus that edge on your duties as Dean.”
“That wasn’t part of our contract.”
The Old Man chuckles softly.
“All I need to do is sit. Isn’t that our agreement?”
“Exactly. So it’s merely a wish. I never asked you to do it.”
“Your words…. Tsk.”
Tap, tap. After tapping out the long pipe, her eyes grow noticeably colder.
“While wandering through Hyeon, I discovered something amusing passing through.”
“…What are you referring to?”
“A riffraff from the Northern Sea is here. The reason must be you, yes?”
“….”
Riffraff from the Northern Sea. Is she speaking of Gungwi? Hearing that, my mind spun in circles. I wondered why this person would even mention the Northern Sea.
“What happens if I say I don’t know?”
“Well. Do you want to find out?”
“No. I’d rather not know.”
“But I’ll tell you anyway. First, I’ll shake down Haowen. Once I catch those people, they’ll talk. And if I still can’t find answers there, why not shake down Bangga as well?”
“The former is dangerous, but I’d appreciate it if you could spare the latter.”
Shaking down Haowen would be dangerous for me. I had uses for them. However, I was hoping she would spare Bangga.
“If not even that works, I’ll have to shake you down.”
“That last option is absolutely unacceptable.”
I shrugged my shoulders. On the surface, I appeared calm, but the reality was far different. Cold sweat was beginning to soak through my back.
“So answer me. Do you have a connection to this?”
“Yes. I do.”
I answered boldly without hesitation. At my words, the air trembles slightly. It grows heavier, more suffocating. This is not a good sign at all.
“How amusing….”
Smoke from the Old Man’s long pipe grows increasingly thick.
“What’s going on?”
“First, let me ask you something. How did you know?”
Gungwi. Her body has undergone a transformation bordering on complete rebirth. She’s grown younger, and at this point, she carries nothing of her former self, yet how did this old woman see through it?
When I asked that.
“A foolish question. White hair and eyes of pale blue. What else could a young girl with such distinctive features be, if not from the Northern Sea?”
“….”
Ah.
My thoughts shifted. Hearing those words, I understood. The problem isn’t Gungwi herself right now.
It’s simply a matter of identifying someone from the Northern Sea. That’s what she seemed to be getting at.
“Moreover, bearing such distinctive characteristics suggests a high probability of being bloodkin to the Gungju.”
“The Gungju, you say….”
The Northern Sea’s Gungju. It seemed she was referring to the master of the Outer Martial Realm.
‘I don’t know much about that person.’
That world doesn’t know. They only understand that Gungwi is from the Northern Sea.
“If she’s of Gungju’s bloodline, what’s the problem?”
“It is a problem. That demon Gungju would never have allowed his bloodline to come and go freely in the Central Plains. Gungwi of all under heaven—even that wretched woman couldn’t accomplish what she hasn’t done.”
“….”
It seems this one doesn’t get along with Gungwi either. Is there actually anyone in this world who likes that person? Compared to Yoo Cheon-gil, this is hopeless.
“But well… I just picked her up since she was there.”
“Now you’re collecting the offspring of the Northern Sea?”
“Living in this world, isn’t everything like that?”
“Hollow words indeed.”
The Old Man chuckles softly.
“You despise the world’s frivolities, yet you commit them without fail. Even after all this time, nothing has changed about you.”
“People who change are dead.”
“Yet this part of you has changed quite a bit?”
Whoosh—!
“…!”
I twisted my head and dodged.
Thunk—!!
Something embeds itself in the wall behind me. A silver coin.
“Are you insane? My head nearly got pierced.”
“But it didn’t get pierced.”
“Weren’t you trying to pierce it?”
“As if that were possible.”
His grin is insufferable.
“You’ve become formidable. So the rumors about you becoming the Sword Saint’s Predecessor weren’t lies. What have you been doing all this time?”
“…I’ve been doing what you heard.”
“You?”
“Yes. Well.”
“You?”
“Why are you asking again?”
“Because I’m that astounded. Fine. Whatever you’ve been doing, I’ve decided not to concern myself with such things… Let’s move past this. I wasn’t curious about that in the first place anyway.”
Screech.
The chair draws closer. The Old Man leans right into my face.
“Bring that child from the Northern Sea to me from now on. I have questions for her.”
“…Now, sir?”
“Yes. Immediately.”
“No… Even so, not right now.”
“You know I’m capable of bringing her myself.”
“…Tsk.”
He’s quite the threatener. I exhale a heavy sigh.
“Not today, but I’ll bring her tomorrow. I need to find her first.”
“Don’t let it go past noon. I need to move quickly myself.”
“Where are you going again?”
“I don’t like staying in one place for long.”
“Is that something a Dean should say?”
“I could quit and leave right now if I wanted to.”
“Damn it.”
I spoke my piece and rose to my feet. There was no reasoning with this person. It was utterly infuriating.
“Before noon tomorrow. I’ll remember.”
“Good.”
He waved his hand dismissively, urging me out. I left with visible displeasure at his gesture.
“Ah, damn it all.”
This has become quite troublesome. What will Gungwi say, and how will I bring her here? Her temperament isn’t easy to handle either.
‘From the start.’
I still don’t understand what kind of relationship those two have. Gungwi seems to have many enemies, but that grandmother shows no interest in worldly affairs whatsoever.
Nearly ten years.
Even living as strangers during that time, one can observe certain things. Especially from the form of her spirit alone.
‘No interest.’
A person with no interest in humans. Having endured every conceivable wound, she no longer gives her attention to anyone.
That’s why I made the request.
Since she would leave anyway and had no interest in people, I offered her a place and gave her a position, asking her to stay for a while.
To avoid unnecessary complications. Just asking for occasional help, that’s all.
‘…The conditions were probably.’
That there would be no problem whenever she chose to leave.
Don’t ask her to care for the children or teach them anything.
Don’t reveal her identity to anyone.
Those were the conditions the Old Man requested, and I accepted them.
That’s how I placed her in the position of Dean.
No less.
‘Cheonkwon, the Heavenly Fist.’
Cheonkwon.
A martial artist who existed before the era in which the Sword Saint lived.
A walking corpse so ancient one wonders how she’s still alive.
I placed such a monster in the position of Dean.

* * *
Our first meeting was several years ago. I was simply investigating the position of Dean when there was an old man who always came to the inn.
She would arrive, order only thin noodles and alcohol, eat, and disappear.
When I saw her, I didn’t particularly think anything of it.
Just an old woman, I thought.
And I absolutely should not get involved with her.
That was all there was to it.
You can tell just by looking. Even from her spiritual essence alone, I could discern she was a master.
So I had to avoid entanglement. Absolutely.
What kind of elderly master comes all the way to Yeolyeong and frequents an inn just to eat thin noodles and drink? This woman clearly had circumstances, and I could not afford to be caught up in them.
Days passed like that.
‘Don’t invite trouble.’
It was when I was passing through an alley.
I saw something inside. Some street thugs who occasionally caused trouble in the area were being held in the old woman’s grip, squirming helplessly.
Behind them, I saw children. The very children I had been searching for, no less.
‘Brother…!’
The children ran toward me upon seeing me. I had told them not to go outside unless absolutely necessary, but they clearly hadn’t listened.
‘Thank you.’
I bowed respectfully to the old woman. She stared at me intently.
‘Your eyes are dead. Your life must be quite harsh.’
I laughed at her blunt words. And I replied.
‘Surely that’s better than having a dead soul, isn’t it?’
‘….’
That was a mistake. The moment I mentioned the soul, her eyes sharpened with intensity.
‘You say interesting things.’
But I learned one thing from that exchange. This woman was not a bad person.
So I spoke as well.
‘If you’re planning to live in hiding anyway, why not talk with me? I can help you.’
‘….’
I nearly died then. Well, I wasn’t actually struck or anything, but even now I think I nearly died.
I had thought she was merely a master, but she wasn’t merely a master at all.
The problem was that I had discerned she was living in hiding.
After that, I drastically reduced my reckless behavior.
In any case.
Several years after I placed that grandmother in the position of Dean, there were no particularly deep entanglements or incidents.
It remained that way even after I departed for the Martial Arts Alliance.
“…Who?”
Now a problem has arisen.
“You don’t know about Cheonkwon?”
“…Cheonkwon…. Cheonkwon?”
I asked Gungwi, who was sneaking bites of food.
“Why in the world does that cursed name keep appearing to you?”
Damn it all.
It seemed these two were truly bound by a karmic connection.

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