The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 553

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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 553
Resembles the Cheongwol Sect’s? What does that mean?
“What are you saying?”
I couldn’t comprehend it. The Heavenly Sword’s blade resembled the Cheongwol Sect’s sword?
How was that even possible?
‘Surely not.’
I had heard talk before about someone impersonating Geomseong’s Predecessor.
Could this be that? The thought flickered through my mind.
No, but that didn’t seem right either.
‘If Woon-ryong noticed it—’
Then he’d revealed it. But the Heavenly Sword wasn’t an idiot, so how could that make sense? That man…
‘…wait—’
My eyes narrowed.
‘Is he revealing it on purpose?’
That possibility occurred to me too. It was uncertain. There were cases where people deliberately exposed themselves.
And so.
‘If he wanted to see my reaction.’
That could be it. But.
‘If that were the case, he wouldn’t have told Woon-ryong.’
He should have shown me directly.
“Why did you think that?”
I asked first. I needed to gather information rather than ponder alone.
“…The form and method of the sword force were quite similar.”
“Similar, you say?”
You could tell just by looking at it that way? I tilted my head in confusion.
“I’ve analyzed the Bang Disciple’s sword before.”
“Hm?”
Woon-ryong spoke. My sword? What was he talking about?
“After losing in the martial contest, I obsessed over analyzing it for a while. I wanted to face you again someday.”
“…I see.”
So you frantically gathered information? He spoke while looking embarrassed. He seemed to think it was somewhat obsessive himself.
‘No, that’s not the important part.’
Woon-ryong’s obsession wasn’t the issue now. What mattered more was the martial technique he had witnessed.
“So. His sword resembles mine, you’re saying? How exactly does it resemble mine? The form of the sword force?”
“Yes.”
What did it mean that the sword force’s form was similar? To my question, Woon-ryong answered.
“…That pure white, radiant sword force. It resembled what the Bang Disciple uses.”
“You mean it resembles Gwangwol Seomgyeong.”
The Cheongwol Sect’s sword force is Gwangwol Seomgyeong. Or more precisely, it is the sword force left behind by Sword Saint Yoo Cheon-gil.
Different from other Cheongwol Sect sword forces. It was a sword force characterized by far more brilliant and splendid radiance.
That serves as the foundation, allowing me to use Wol Cheon and various other martial techniques.
‘Similar to this?’
Strange. Similar? Yes, it could be similar.
The realm of inner cultivation has many facets, and there could be subtle resemblances among them.
However, if the sword’s direction or the sword path itself were identical, that would pose a problem.
‘What could it be.’
Woon-ryong is no ordinary talent—he’s also called a genius. He wouldn’t react like this simply because something resembled something else.
There was definitely something more to it.
“It’s merely suspicion, but it troubles my mind.”
“Mm.”
I understand what he means.
“I see.”
I acknowledged it with that understanding and looked at his body.
“Are you feeling alright?”
“…This much is manageable.”
“That’s fortunate then. So.”
I glanced upward toward where Paeng Dojin had gone.
“What’s going on up there?”
When I asked why Paeng Dojin was acting that way, Woon-ryong hesitated. From his reaction, I understood—something had happened.
“That is….”
But seeing him falter with his words, I spoke again.
“You don’t need to say anything if it’s unclear.”
It seemed better to let Paeng Dojin explain. For now, I decided to move past it.
‘Right.’
It wasn’t important at the moment. Paeng Dojin’s oddities weren’t exactly rare.
‘The Heavenly Sword.’
His blade resembled mine.
That remark made me frown.
The situation was already irritating enough.
‘More so.’
That man was occupying my thoughts even more.

* * *
A day had passed. Exactly one day since training ended.
Nothing had changed significantly in that time.
What could happen in a single day? There would be another training session eventually, but not today.
A few people had sustained injuries during the orb-related training.
Because of their recovery, I had gained a day of leisure.
“Hmm.”
So I ventured outside. Even as a member of Jeongpa, I wasn’t under constant surveillance.
They said to come and go as I pleased. I’d heard talk of Singyeo’s generous magnanimity and all that.
‘Publicly speaking, anyway.’
Publicly, perhaps. But there was no way they lacked eyes and ears.
There were certainly watchers observing me. I simply didn’t care.
Let them watch if they wish.
It’s not as though I’m doing anything suspicious.
So I left. I didn’t bother asking the others what they were doing—they could manage themselves.
It seemed better to let them rest.
And besides.
‘I have someone to meet.’
Someone to see. There was a person I’d arranged to meet before the day ended.
“…So you actually came.”
“Would you prefer I came as a fake?”
The place I’d found was none other than Woo Yeongjin’s residence. I’d already discussed this with him the day before.
The moment I heard there was no training the next day, I came to find him.
“You’re seriously saying you’d actually come? Are you out of your mind?”
“What’s wrong with my mind?”
It was nothing, really.
“Isn’t it just like visiting a friend’s place?”
“…You know that’s nonsense, right?”
“Caught.”
A friend’s place? He was a member of Singyeo. Coming to his space wasn’t the same as visiting for leisure.
“What’s your business?”
Woo Yeongjin maintained a guarded stance. Given the unusual circumstances, it was natural.
“There are things to discuss. I thought we might get to know each other better.”
“That’s quite the absurd story. Get to know each other? You and me? It’s ridiculous. Get to the point.”
“Could you help me find something?”
“…Sigh.”
Just as I’d expected. That look in his eyes. What? Did he actually think we’d become friends? That was absurd.
‘It’s easier when we just handle business straightforwardly.’
I was busy. I couldn’t waste this day off like this.
Starting tomorrow, I’d need to move even more actively.
“So it’s a transaction.”
“Correct. Let’s make a deal with me.”
“If there’s nothing I want from you, what then?”
“There is.”
“What’s this certainty? Why are you so sure there is?”
“Those with ambition are always too busy exploiting what they can to think otherwise. The moment you revealed yourself was when this conversation ended.”
“….”
Ambition. At that word, Woo Yeongjin’s reaction shifts. Yes, this man harbored ambition. To claim otherwise would be a lie.
He had admitted the rift between himself and the Young Master, and when mentioning the Heavenly Sword, he had betrayed subtle inferiority.
This man.
‘Is he eyeing the Celestial Demon’s seat?’
With the Singyeo’s deity position currently vacant, the likelihood he sought that throne was considerable. No—not likelihood. Certainty.
Men with such eyes always did.
Eyes that dreamed of the summit.
Yet eyes that harbored subtle unease, knowing the path there was treacherous and far from easy for him.
Such eyes they were.
“…This is preposterous. Even so, what could you possibly offer me?”
“That’s for you to figure out. For now, grant me this favor. I’ll hear you out later.”
“What exactly is your purpose?”
“Not much different from yours.”
“What?”
“The League Leader of Jeongpa.”
“…!”
“I’m after that position too.”
“You said it wasn’t last time—”
“Ah. That was just talk.”
This is a lie. I don’t want it. What use would such a position be? But right now, saying this seems like the only way he’ll listen.
“You’re after the League Leader’s seat…?”
“You’re after the Celestial Demon’s seat, aren’t you? So let’s help each other out.”
“…Do you truly believe you can help me achieve that?”
“Who knows. As I said before, that’s a choice you need to make. Not me.”
“….”
“If you can’t decide, then just do what’s necessary. I need something, so just provide that.”
“What….”
“I need information about the Singyeo’s Elders and their factional alignments.”
“…!”
My words cause Woo Yeongjin’s eyes to widen. His face immediately contorts.
“You bastard.”
He seizes my collar in a vice grip.
“Are you asking me to sell out Singyeo’s secrets?”
At my suggestion that he become a traitor, the man’s attitude shifted sharply. Fury seemed to surge within him.
“A mere Jeongpa lackey who doesn’t know his place. Do you truly believe you can survive after doing something like this?”
His loyalty to Singyeo runs deeper than I anticipated. When faced with such resolve, it was time to employ a different strategy.
“What else could you possibly misunderstand? What are you confused about right now?”
“What?”
“When did I ever ask you to betray Singyeo? I simply asked for some information.”
“How is that any different from what I just said?”
“It’s quite different.”
Crack.
I seized the hand that had grabbed my collar and twisted it.
“Ugh!”
Overpowered by my strength, his hand fell away.
“Did I ask for classified information? I simply asked you to organize and share what’s already known. You must have it—information about the Elders and the factions that stem from them. Just organize what you can share and withhold what you cannot. Give me what’s available. It’s not that I can’t find out myself; it’s simply tedious. These are things anyone could learn if they bothered to investigate.”
“…What is…”
“Information about the Elders and the factions derived from them. You have all of it. Organize it, exclude what you cannot share, and give me what you can. I find it troublesome to investigate myself, but everything you’re holding is something I could discover if I wanted to.”
“….”
It’s merely wordplay. He knows it, and I know it. But this was more than enough to sway him.
Loyalty to Singyeo? Perhaps. But.
“So. Isn’t this also an opportunity for you?”
A man who recognizes opportunity would covet something far more than such loyalty.
At least I’ve given him an escape route.
‘The implication that I could learn everything if I wanted to.’
Even the part about asking only for compilation of what’s already public knowledge—he would see these as things he could reasonably provide.
“…How much time do you need?”
Just as I predicted, he spoke, and hearing it, I smiled.
“Can you have it by tomorrow?”
“I’ll send someone.”
“Excellent.”
“….”
The distance between us widened. As I smiled with satisfaction, Woo Yeongjin asked me.
“Are you really from Jeongpa?”
“That would be correct.”
Sometimes even I find it confusing, but for now, that’s likely what I am.

* * *
Shortly after my conversation with Woo Yeongjin, I stepped outside. The distance between this Clan and Singyeo was considerable, so I intended to move with haste.
That was when.
“Have you been waiting long?”
I sensed a presence outside and posed the question. At my words, the figure who had been standing quietly near the building stirred.
“What brings you here? You seem quite busy these days.”
[….]
The figure that appeared wore a mask—one of the Marin.
One of the Eight Demon Generals.
Mee Yeon-hwa.
[…What exactly are you doing, wandering about like this?]
“What do you mean, what am I doing?”
I shrugged as I spoke to her.
“I’m attending to my affairs.”
[Your affairs?]
“Yes. My affairs.”
I already possessed an answer to offer her.
“I’m preparing to become the Celestial Demon.”
[…!]
At my words, Mee Yeon-hwa’s body trembled.
This too.
Was half sincere.

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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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