The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 555

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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 555
What is the Demonic Way?
Combining demon and way, one cannot grasp its meaning. Even recalling the principles of martial arts that follow natural order yielded no clarity.
I do not understand the Demonic Way.
How could I possibly comprehend what only the Marin themselves could know?
Yet the Celestial Demon explained it as the Demonic Way.
Absurdly, I understood those words.
My martial arts responded.
The principles and conviction I possessed in my martial arts.
They wavered before that single strike.
What was the difference?
‘Merely one blade stroke.’
A single slash from the Celestial Demon. In that simple, uncomplicated motion, I felt something.
Where exactly did I feel it?
Did I feel it from the black energy surrounding that body?
Or perhaps not.
‘Simply.’
Did I feel it from that blade the Celestial Demon drew?
If not even that.
‘Did I feel it from the very act itself?’
Could I have felt it from the Celestial Demon’s very existence? I cannot know.
Though I say I felt something, I cannot explain where or how I felt it.
Heterogeneous and contradictory, yet this was truth, and there was one thing I could discern with certainty here.
‘What I cannot understand here.’
The simplest of reasons.
‘My realm is insufficient.’
The realm I had ascended to was woefully inadequate. My level was too meager to comprehend enough information from that motion to explain it.
A wall.
A wall so immense and vast.
Could I dare hope to reach that place?
Such was the magnitude of that wall.
‘Still so far?’
I believed I had ascended greatly. The pinnacle of transcendence. The very pinnacle.
The threshold of absolute mastery that ordinary people could never reach in a lifetime without talent.
Yet even this was insufficient to perceive that realm.
‘The Heavenly Realm.’
An existence that was once a candidate for the Heavenly Supreme.
That single strike revealed was far too shocking.
“You seem pleased.”
A sharp laugh rang out.
The black energy surrounding my body dissipates. The Magi has been reclaimed. And the Celestial Demon, borrowing my form, speaks with a smile.
“I hope you’ve committed it all to memory. These are the heights you must reach from now on.”
[….]
Reach? To that level?
‘This seems a bit excessive.’
What Yoo Cheon-gil showed me and what the Celestial Demon showed me are fundamentally different. Entirely distinct aspects.
At least, that’s how it appeared to me.
“Did you commit it to memory?”
[I’m not certain. I’ll only know once I try it.]
“That’s better than knowing nothing at all.”
Was that meant as approval? The Celestial Demon closed his eyes at those words.
That was when my soul, suspended in the void, was pulled back into my body.
The exchange was complete.
When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to my own flesh.
“…Haaah….”
I regulate my breathing. Is there any damage to my body? There didn’t appear to be any particular issues with my joints or anything of that nature.
‘This is different from the previous possession.’
The last time the Celestial Demon possessed me and used my body, I thought every bone would shatter.
Using muscles I’d never engaged before, my entire body was wrecked for days afterward.
Since then, I’ve undergone considerable training.
I’ve gradually conditioned the unused muscles and worked tirelessly to master the Divine Sword Unity I experienced at that time.
Did that help somewhat?
‘Not bad.’
My body suffered no strain. Though it was only a single sword strike, after all.
“….”
I drew my sword.
Not the Celestial Demon Divine Sword. Just an ordinary blade from the armory.
I unsheathed it.
[Oho. You’re going to try it?]
‘Just some practice.’
A brief attempt. Still, I’d obtained something and wanted to test it.
Will it work? I don’t know.
Whoooosh.
I draw energy from my dantian. I apply the Magi. Though I always sense it, no matter how I try, it’s never quite a pleasant energy.
It’s more like a fundamental rejection.
‘Still.’
I recall the method the Celestial Demon employed and attempt this.
‘Stimulate the spiritual energy and blend it.’
I utilize my own spiritual energy within my heart. I attempt to intermingle it with the Magi.
Crackle.
‘Hmm?’
Something felt different. There was friction. What was this? It hadn’t been like this before.
‘I matched both the speed and the amount.’
What could be different? I attempted it again, adjusting slightly each time.
Crackle-crackle-crackle-!!
The friction intensified. As the energies collided, pain gradually surged through me. A tingling sensation spread through my meridians and around my heart.
[Stop there.]
The Celestial Demon spoke. I halted upon hearing those words.
[Go any further and you’ll fall into demonic obsession.]
“….”
A terrifying warning indeed. Demonic obsession—even hearing the name was frightening.
‘I see.’
My meridians and everything ached, and if I pushed further, it would lead to demonic obsession?
Clink.
I sheathed my sword and clenched my fist, then opened it.
“Phew.”
It hurt.
My palm had turned pale white where the blood had drained away.
“….”
Seeing this, I clicked my tongue inwardly. It seemed I couldn’t push any further.
‘What was the problem?’
I’d matched both the speed and the amount, yet they wouldn’t merge.
What was the issue? To that question, the Celestial Demon replied.
[I told you from the beginning. It’s a matter of mindset.]
“….”
[Despite having experienced demonic influence, you’re rejecting it. That is the problem.]
“It’s not easy.”
Mindset, then. So what kind of mindset would I need to use the Celestial Demon Divine Art?
As I pondered this, the Celestial Demon suddenly laughed.
“…Why are you laughing?”
[You rejected it so vehemently, yet now you’re contemplating how to use the Celestial Demon Divine Art. How amusing.]
“….”
Ah, that’s right. I never intended to learn the Celestial Demon Art, did I? Yet here I was, pondering it without realizing. This was foolish even for a fool.
“Phew.”
I scratched my head. Night had fallen. I needed to head back soon.
“…I’ll try this another time.”
[Do as you wish.]
Hearing those words, I began moving toward the Dormitory.
My mind was somewhat scattered. Was that why?
[That “another time” will likely come sooner than you think.]
I couldn’t hear what the Celestial Demon was saying.

* * *
A sharp whistle cut through the air.
In the forest clearing, moments after the figure who had been standing there vanished.
A person perched high on a distant tree, looking down at the spot below, couldn’t relax the tension etched across their face.
“…How.”line>
How in the world.
What on earth is going on?
What on earth had just transpired.
“How could he use the Celestial Demon Divine Art…?”
The White-Haired Elder, eyes wide with bewilderment, recalled the young man who had just unleashed that sword strike.
A martial artist of Jeongpa.
The monster known as the Eternal Mortal Enemy. The predecessor of Sword Saint Yoo Cheon-gil.
How could the predecessor of the one who slew the Celestial Demon—the Sky and Deity of Singyeo—be doing this.
“He’s using the Celestial Demon Divine Art…?”
An aura that contained the night itself.
Though called demonic, it was purer and more pristine than anything else.
The demonic energy that Marin wielded fell far short of such purity. The limitations of impure energy were unmistakable.
Such demonic energy could never reach what was called the Divine Demon Body.
Only the Celestial Demon could touch that realm.
Only the absolute of Singyeo.
Because the energy he wielded was the Celestial Demon Divine Art.
And the world spoke of it as the Cheonsal Sect, though.
‘It’s different.’
The elder knew. That mere Cheonsal Sect could never reach the Celestial Demon.
Whether one could command the night or not.
That was the condition of the Celestial Demon.
“How on earth…!”
Was that young man truly commanding that night.
The elder spoke while rolling up his sleeve to check.
“….”
Goosebumps covered his entire arm. The moment he saw that single sword strike from the young man, every hair on his body had stood on end.
“….”
How could this be. That sword strike was identical to the one the previous Celestial Demon had displayed.
How could a youth barely past his twenties accomplish such a thing.
It was shocking to witness. A realm absolutely unreachable at that age.
The Young Master. The talent that being had displayed was remarkable, yet this was of an entirely different caliber.
‘…What did you cultivate, Yoo Cheon-gil.’
What had he left behind before disappearing into death.
‘…Or perhaps.’
Perhaps.
‘Could it be from Gyoju?’
From the Gyoju who had already passed away? That was possible too. No, if it wasn’t that, then nothing made sense.
‘How could they possess the divine technique?’
The Celestial Demon Divine Technique. The very art that had vanished from Singyeo and become a pressing crisis. A successor of Jeongpa held it? How? By what means?
My shattered understanding refused to coalesce.
My turbulent mind and burning heart collided against one another.
The turmoil in my mind stemmed from what I’d just considered.
The fire in my chest burned because I glimpsed a future and a glimmer of hope.
‘Perhaps…’
Perhaps.
I could reclaim what had been lost.
Crack.
I descended from the tree and landed on solid ground.
The old man’s gaze pierced through the darkness.
“Bangseong-yeon.”
I spoke the name of this enigmatic being.
It seemed.
“I must meet him directly.”
Originally, I should have killed him today.

* * *
“Achoo!”
I scratched my nose. Who was it? Was someone cursing me?
I wiped away the sudden itch and glanced around my surroundings.
There was no one here—well, except for Yoo Yeon-in. Since she couldn’t speak, there was no point dwelling on it.
As I was surveying the area, Dok-ryong descended from afar.
“Hey. It was you, wasn’t it?”
“…Excuse me?”
“It was definitely you.”
“What do you mean, sir?”
I was just joking around.
“You just cursed me a moment ago.”
“…!”
But his expression seemed strange. What was that?
“H-how did you know…?”
“…Did you really do it?”
“…”
This bastard actually did it? I couldn’t believe it. I’d just taken a wild guess, and I’d hit the mark?
Was he insane?
I stared at him in disbelief and let out a sigh. This wasn’t the time to bicker with him.
“Since you’re here, let’s go…”
“Yes.”
I had to lead the group back to Singyeo. It was time to move for the next training session.
A day had passed, so everyone had rested enough, and now we needed to get moving.
“Woon-ryong isn’t coming.”
“That’s what I heard. It seems his wound treatment isn’t quite finished yet.”
“I see…”
I’d decided to have Woon-ryong sit out this training session. It wasn’t a complete withdrawal—he was injured and needed rest.
That was understandable.
In that case.
“What about Paeng Dojin?”
“He left first.”
“…What?”
I’d wondered why Paeng Dojin, who didn’t seem injured, hadn’t shown up. He’d already left? This impatient bastard.
“…Then we’ll just go on our own.”
“Yes.”
“Let’s move.”
I led the group forward. When we arrived at Singyeo, the members were already gathered.
But.
‘What is this?’
They all seemed to possess considerable military discipline. This wasn’t the case last time.
Puzzled, I entered and searched for someone.
Found him. Woo Yeongjin was there.
I approached and spoke to him.
“What’s going on here?”
“…Keep quiet.”
Woo Yeongjin whispered a warning to me.
What is this?
“Why? What is it?”
“The Elder is supposed to arrive….”
“The Elder?”
An Elder of Singyeo? At those words, I recalled two figures. I’d encountered a total of two Elders so far—was one of them coming?
As that thought crossed my mind.
“Silence.”
The Instructor spoke with force. The sheer pressure of it shook the air.
“The Elder arrives. Close your mouths and assume proper posture.”
The disciples of Singyeo aligned themselves in formation, their expressions tense.
I, too, tactfully took my place in line.
Then.
Thump.
Footsteps echoed from afar.
Thump.
I shifted my gaze. Someone was walking toward us.
‘Is that person…’
The Elder?
An old man with abundant white hair. A figure I’d never seen before.
As I observed him.
‘Hm?’
The old man’s gaze turned toward me.
His eyes gleamed with an intense light.
‘…What?’
Why was he staring at me like that?
This old man seemed quite peculiar.

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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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