The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 534

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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 534
I began my ascent into the sacred mountain. In truth, entering the mountain range made little practical difference.
I had been planning to do this anyway; the permits and such merely wasted my time.
But now that the Branch Leader had gotten himself killed through his own foolishness, permits and the like were no longer necessary.
Though before the ascent, I did examine the location where I had discovered that jade stone earlier.
“…There’s nothing here.”
“There are traces, but I don’t sense any blood or anything like that.”
“Traces are gone, but…. Hmm.”
These were the words of Woon-ryong and Paeng Dojin.
Meanwhile, Paeng Dojin grimaced as he looked at the cave wall.
“Something feels irritating.”
He had hit the mark exactly. That man always had keen instincts.
‘Yet a Doshin has no such perception.’
Conversely, Woon-ryong, the Shaman who served as Doshin, seemed unable to perceive the strangeness emanating from this cave.
‘How utterly repulsive.’
Every corner of the wall was filled with ghost marks—traces and endless screams left behind by spirits.
‘…These heretic bastards. What are they trying to accomplish?’
My face twisted involuntarily. What were those cursed ones doing, crossing all the way into the Central Plains? And how they had crossed over remained a mystery.
‘The jade stone too.’
That object called the jade stone. I swept my hair back, recalling how its energy had seeped into me.
Strictly speaking, it was Youngsoon, but from what I could tell, it was an aggregate of souls. The fact that they had compressed souls into such a small stone was itself telling.
‘The way they immediately detected that the soul essence had vanished from what I left behind—that too.’
It meant there was a method of verification. I had left only the stone itself behind. How had they perceived that the energy within it had disappeared?
Whatever the case, they must have some method.
I reached out and caressed the cave wall.
Screeeeeech!!
Kyaaahhh!!!
Screams echoed from within. Creating a soul stone requires the insertion of soul essence. Then where did they obtain the soul essence to insert?
‘…They must have killed.’
Recalling that they had been collaborating with the Captain, it was highly likely they had obtained something from there.
‘These bastards never stop.’
They simply would not cease their foolishness. A realization that struck me anew.
I clenched my teeth.
“Anything else to see?”
“Nothing. Let’s go.”
I turned my back. There was no need to look further. I pressed my hand against the wall and applied force gently.
Whoooosh!!!
Karmic flames erupted. As expected. The karmic fire that burns souls engulfed the entire cave. It was a flame invisible to my companions.
Whoosh. Crackle crackle!
The souls burned and soared skyward. No screams were heard.
Instead, a sense of comfort seemed to peek through.
Seeing that, I quietly closed my eyes.
Shhhhh—!!!
‘Hmm…?’
I felt energy coursing through me.
‘What?’
The spiritual essence of the flame burned by karmic fire became my inner energy and entered my body. It was a sensation entirely different from when I purged demons.
Ascension to Buddhahood.
Was this why my inner energy was rising? It was the complete opposite of what I felt when absorbing a demon.
It was peaceful and warm.
“…”
Feeling the effects of karmic fire anew, I gazed at the cave and bowed my head.
May you depart in peace.
I left these words unspoken in my heart.
It was something I did every time.

* * *
We began our serious mountain journey into Shenjiang. My companions remained Dok-ryong and the Sword Emperor, though everyone was busy watching the Sword Emperor’s every move.
Mee Yeon-hwa’s reaction was particularly striking. Her wariness had deepened considerably, wouldn’t you say? Well, that’s understandable.
After all, he was the Heavenly Supreme Swordsman. The slash that had even severed the heavens itself remained vivid in my eyes.
‘Indeed.’
Could I ever reach that height? Such thoughts naturally arose.
-Heavenly One.
I heard Gwima’s voice.
-There are two places worth visiting on the way to the Demonic Sect.
This was Gwima’s explanation when I asked if there were villages nearby. One was a small village, and the other was a place directly managed by the Demonic Sect.
It was called Maryong Cave, I believe. The name was crude, but apparently it was maintained as well as Hanan.
I doubted it could truly compare to Hanan. But who knows.
Since there was no need to stop along the way, I decided to head straight there.
“Our destination is Maryong Cave.”
[…!]
At my words, I felt Mee Yeon-hwa nearby flinch. It seemed she was wondering how I knew about Maryong Cave. But there was no need to explain this.
Saying I had obtained the information would suffice.
The Sword Emperor spoke in response to my words.
“Maryong Cave. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that name.”
“You know of it?”
“Yes. I visited it once in the past.”
The past—was it during the war, or some other time? I wasn’t sure, but something must have happened. I didn’t press further.
“What kind of place is it?”
I was simply curious about what kind of place it was. The Sword Emperor’s account seemed more trustworthy than the words of the demons.
However.
“It is a peaceful place.”
The Sword Emperor’s answer differed somewhat from my expectations. Peaceful?
“Peaceful, you say?”
How could a place managed by the Demonic Sect be described as peaceful? Rather intriguing. As I gazed at him with bewilderment, the Sword Emperor spoke with indifference.
“All places where people live are the same. Only those at the top are filthy, but the places where people dwell need not be corrupted. You yourself should know this. Did the Martial Arts Alliance appear entirely clean to you?”
“…That is a fair point.”
I cannot deny it. If asked whether the Martial Arts Alliance was completely pure, the answer would be no.
Though I belonged to the righteous faction, it was not entirely just—words only the Sword Emperor could speak with such candor.
“…”
“…”
The disciples who could not join our conversation exchanged subtle glances. They had just learned he was not merely a coachman, but the Heavenly Supreme himself.
Especially Dok-ryong’s eyes had gone lifeless—it was amusing. After all that bluster, he had ended up like this? Truly ridiculous.
I chuckled softly and leaned back against the seat.

* * *
We traveled on for quite some time until nightfall.
As always, I had intended to train with the Sword Emperor. Now that there was no need for caution, I thought it would be comfortable.
“I am Paeng Dojin of the Peng Clan. I pay my respects to the great Sword Emperor.”
Paeng Dojin suddenly stepped forward and greeted us. What was this? As the Sword Emperor’s gaze turned subtly interested, the man spoke.
“I wish to receive instruction from you.”
“Hmm.”
Confident words. At that, the Sword Emperor’s head tilted slightly.
“Doshin’s grandson.”
“That is correct.”
Pang Seol-hyeok—a figure who died during the war. Someone who must have been the Sword Emperor’s comrade.
“You resemble him.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“Do you take it as a compliment?”
“Yes.”
A confident response. Even knowing the Sword Emperor’s identity, Paeng Dojin did not seem particularly intimidated.
The Sword Emperor looked at me.
“What do you think?”
“Pardon? Me?”
“Yes. This is your training time now. Would it be acceptable to lend my sword to this man?”
“Ah, yes. That is fine.”
I had not expected him to ask such a thing.
The Sword Emperor nodded at my words and pointed his blade toward Paeng Dojin.
“Come at me.”
The moment permission was granted, Paeng Dojin’s body launched forward. Wreathed in deep violet energy, he rushed at the Sword Emperor, but.
The outcome was predictable.
“Ugh.”
Paeng Dojin bounced backward and crashed into a tree. As he lay sprawled on the ground, the Sword Emperor spoke.
“Not bad. So this is what Cheonmu Jiche feels like. Certainly sturdy for your level. However, you should break the habit of charging forward stupidly while relying on that superior physique. Your flexible joints and muscles relative to your size exist not to simply absorb impact, but to enable sharper, more agile offensives.”
“…Thank you.”
After offering this light instruction to Paeng Dojin, the Sword Emperor turned his gaze elsewhere.
“Come out.”
“…”
Those who emerged were Yoo Yeon, Woon-ryong, and Dok-ryong. I knew they had been watching in secret. Well, not really in secret—they were practically watching openly.
“Time is limited. I have teachings to impart today.”
*Whoooosh.*
A faint aura emanated from the Sword Emperor’s body.
“Come at me together.”
Even if they were merely disciples, they were still martial artists.
Upon learning that the Celestial Demon would teach them, the three rushed forward with full concentration.
Watching this, I took a step back.
‘…Something.’
It was strange. They had all become so passionate.
And the Sword Emperor accepting them was equally unexpected.
I had thought him the type to refuse such things out of annoyance.
Several more days passed like this.
Days of repeated training and more training.
By day we traveled; by night I wielded my blade with the Sword Emperor.
“Be careful with your energy expenditure.”
“…”
My body could not expend much energy. Whenever I tried to use energy beyond a certain threshold, the Sword Emperor would strike me. Thanks to this, I actually found it helpful for practicing compression.
One day passed, then two.
Shenjiang was a rather barren region. We traveled for quite some time, crossing through spaces composed only of forests and cliffs.
“That must be it.”
The Sword Emperor stopped his horse and spoke. In the distance, something appeared—a massive structure built around a mountain range.
Maryong Cave.
We had finally arrived at the province administered by the Celestial Demon Sect.

* * *
Demon Dragon Cave.
A place directly managed and created by the Celestial Demon of generations past, and a city under the jurisdiction of the Celestial Demon Sect.
Most who were born here never ventured beyond the Divine Stronghold, and countless individuals had grown up in this place.
It was said that the majority of Marins entering the Celestial Demon Sect originated from Demon Dragon Cave. Outsiders entering here was considered rather unusual, wasn’t it?
That was certainly true.
‘Who would come to this place.’
After months of travel, I had come to understand that reaching the Divine Stronghold was quite an arduous undertaking.
I was beginning to understand why the Young Master, having arrived in Hanam once, had not returned.
Since leaving here meant another eternity to return, I understood the desire to accomplish everything one wished before departing.
“Who are you?”
Upon reaching the entrance, the Gatekeeper stopped us.
The one who moved first upon seeing this was Mee Yeon-hwa.
She approached while wrapped in a crimson wind robe, then withdrew a black tablet from her bosom.
“Gasp…!!!”
The Gatekeepers, witnessing this, were astounded and immediately showed proper respect.
“…We greet the great one of the Demonic Sect.”
[Open the gate. These are those who must be brought inside.]
At Mee Yeon-hwa’s words, the gate opened immediately. The Eight Demon Fists still held their authority, it seemed.
‘So we’re heading to the Sect now.’
Not bad. The end of our long journey appeared to have arrived.
Thinking thus, the carriage moved forward. I had not boarded it. I wished to proceed on foot.
The carriage entered, and the group followed.
Just as I was about to enter as well.
Crackle-crackle-crackle-crackle-!!!!
“…?”
Lightning erupted before I could cross the threshold.
“Huh?”
“…Hmm?”
I stopped and gazed down at my hand.
Heat blazed forth.
‘What is this?’
…What kind of situation was this?

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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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