The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 72

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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 072
Toxic Dragon Dang Cheon-il.
Twenty-three years old.
A genius Heaven itself had bestowed upon the Central Plains. One of the Seven Prodigies.
Skilled in hidden techniques and poison arts, with mastery over precise control.
Like the Sword Saint beyond Heaven, he was a hero of the Jeongma Tournament who had shown brilliance since childhood.
A young man called the reincarnation of Dokjon.
Given time, he would surely become a master equal to Dokjon.
Many spoke of Toxic Dragon in such terms.
It meant he possessed talent of that caliber.
‘Hmm.’
I examined his face and furrowed my brow.
‘Quite a fierce appearance, isn’t it.’
I had memorized information about his physical features.
I’d heard he had a rather intimidating look, and seeing him directly confirmed it.
‘What kind of eyes are those….’
Could human eyes be that sharp?
Cheon Euijin was known for his cold appearance, but this was different in nature.
Literally sharp-looking.
One might say he could kill with a glance.
[Look at that fellow.]
Yoo Cheon-gil, observing Dang Cheon-il alongside me, spoke with wonder.
[He looks exactly like Dokjon did in his youth.]
That face?
I had to be somewhat surprised at Yoo Cheon-gil’s words.
[Spitting image, really.]
His voice was brimming with fascination at the resemblance.
They resembled each other that much?
Looking at Dang Cheon-il’s face, I recalled the ghost presumed to be Dokjon.
‘…Indeed.’
They did seem to resemble each other.
If Dang Cheon-il aged as he was, he would become exactly that foul-tempered ghost.
‘Remarkably alike, truly.’
So that’s why he’s called the reincarnation of Dokjon? Then it made sense.
Of course.
‘Even if that weren’t the case.’
Being called one of the Seven Prodigies already meant his talent was sufficient.
But.
‘…Why would such a man come to see me?’
What could be the reason Dang Cheon-il had bothered to visit me?
Moreover.
“I told you to move.”
“…Explain yourself first.”
What was this situation where Dang Yeeran was blocking Dang Cheon-il?
It was incomprehensible.
“Explain?”
At Dang Yeeran’s words, Dang Cheon-il’s expression darkened. Wow, narrowing his eyes made him look even more terrifying.
“Do I really need to spell out every little thing for you?”
“Bang Disciple is Father’s guest from the Dang Clan. You can’t just come out like this, brother.”
“Haha.”
Dang Cheon-il laughed. At that, Dang Yeeran flinched.
“Of all people, you dare speak of the Dang Clan? How amusing.”
“…”
“You forget the main matter and busy yourself with foolish pursuits, yet you dare invoke the Dang Clan before me?”
“That’s…!”
“Get out of my way.”
Dang Cheon-il grabbed Dang Yeeran’s shoulder and shoved her aside.
Dang Yeeran stumbled backward from the force.
That’s when I came into Dang Cheon-il’s line of sight.
Our eyes met.
“Hmm?”
Wrinkles formed between Dang Cheon-il’s brows as he registered my presence.
His gaze swept from my head to my feet in one swift motion.
Then something subtle flickered across his expression.
A brief silence passed before words flowed from Dang Cheon-il’s lips.
“…Are you the successor of the Sword Saint?”
Disbelief saturated his voice—a sense that this couldn’t possibly be true.
So I gave him the answer he wanted.
“No.”
“…”
After I’d answered, his expression only grew more contorted.
This bastard.
Unable to help myself, I let out an exasperated breath and spoke.
“If you won’t believe me when I say no, why ask in the first place?”
“…Then you are Bangseong-yeon?”
“Would you believe me if I said no?”
“…”
“See? You’ve already made up your mind.”
I clicked my tongue and shrugged my shoulders.
“I am Bangseong-yeon.”
“You?”
As I spoke, that same gaze from before flickered across my vision once more.
No, calling it the same would be imprecise.
There was something subtly dismissive about it.
[Heh. That bastard?]
It wasn’t just me who felt it—Yoo Cheon-gil laughed and cursed under his breath.
[I thought he only inherited the face, but he’s got those dog-like eyes too. Makes me want to rip them right out.]
‘….’
His crude tone carried unmistakable emotion.
[Back then, the bastard looked at people like that, so I beat his eyes black and blue. I miss those days.]
At the mention of Yoo Cheon-gil having beaten Dokjon in the past, I nearly coughed involuntarily.
Barely holding it back, Dang Cheon-il looked at me and spoke.
“I heard you defeated Socheongeom….”
“Ah, yes. Well, that happened.”
I gave a vague affirmation, and Dang Cheon-il narrowed his eyes.
“How did you manage that? It doesn’t seem possible.”
“Heheheh?”
I burst out laughing the moment I heard it.
It was outright mockery.
There was no way someone like you could have defeated Socheongeom—that was the unmistakable sentiment.
“Brother—! What are you—!”
Dang Yeeran tried to stop him in surprise, but Dang Cheon-il paid her no mind and continued.
“I came with expectations since you’re said to be the successor of the Sword Saint, but if this is all you are, there’s no point in looking further.”
After speaking, Dang Cheon-il turned his head sharply.
“You’re not worth Grandfather’s concern.”
With that, he walked away without a shred of hesitation.
Several others followed him out as well.
In the sudden silence that fell, I scratched my cheek.
It was as if a whirlwind had just passed through.
“Hmm.”
What was that?
As I continued scratching my cheek awkwardly.
“…I apologize….”
Dang Yeeran, who hadn’t left, approached me and bowed her head.
“I apologize on behalf of my family for the rudeness we’ve shown….”
Watching her bow repeatedly in apology, I laughed awkwardly.
“No, it’s… really not a big deal.”
Though it was amusing that he suddenly picked a fight and left, his words weren’t entirely wrong, so it was fine.
That’s right.
I was fine with it.
The problem was.
[Hahaha. Look at that damned bastard. Hahahaha.]
Yoo Cheon-gil, who stood behind me, didn’t look fine at all.
[…So he’s the grandson of that fool Dokjon? How dare he….]
Grrrrr.
Was it my imagination hearing a dog growl from somewhere?
[We’re done for.]
I shook my head at Yoo Cheon-gil’s reaction.
I had a very bad feeling about this.
A very bad one at that.

* * *
Leaving the residence, I headed toward where Dang Gyeong-ak was.
The same building and corridor as before. But there was no floral fragrance.
This meant that last time, the incense had been deliberately burned.
When mixed with poison, it causes paralysis, they said? Anyway, this is a frightening place.
‘…Thanks to that, I can’t let my guard down.’
I sharpened my senses, worried something might happen.
Honestly, if it were just because of this, it would’ve been fine.
‘…Because of Lady Pi, I’m getting anxious for nothing.’
Because of Piyeonjin and that damned Father, I was terrified of facing Dokuou.
‘It’s strange how well they seem to get along.’
Their relationship was clearly odd.
In this situation, did Dokuou know about Piyeonjin and Father?
‘…Seeing that Dang Yeeran knows, there’s a high chance Dokuou knows too.’
I hoped other-
“The son of Bang Cheon-ho?”
…wise, damn it.
The moment I entered the room, Dokuou’s words made my face rot on the spot.
“…Yes… that’s right.”
“I see.”
As he spoke, Dang Gyeong-ak examined my face.
It was a different gaze from the one his son Dang Cheon-il had given me earlier.
After observing me briefly, Dang Gyeong-ak nodded in understanding and spoke.
“You resemble him.”
There was no need to ask whom I resembled.
“Do you know my Father…?”
“I do.”
At Dang Gyeong-ak’s words, I swallowed dryly.
Why on earth?
I swallowed the words that nearly burst from my throat.
‘…Father and Dokuou know each other?’
How was that even possible?
The situation with Piyeonjin was already absurd enough, but now her husband Dokuou also knew him?
‘This man really did get around everywhere.’
They said that in his younger days he’d seduced women across the entire Central Plains, and it seemed that wasn’t mere exaggeration.
I would’ve preferred if it had been just boasting.
“How… did that…?”
“Would you like to hear?”
“No. There’s no need for that….”
I refused immediately.
There seemed to be nothing good about hearing it.
Then.
“Do not worry.”
“Pardon?”
Dokuou suddenly spoke something unexpected to me.
“Regardless of who your father is, I will not inject personal feelings into this matter.”
‘Ah….’
That was a relief beyond measure.
Could it be that even the household head of one of the Five Great Clans possessed such magnanimity?
Just as I thought I could finally breathe easier.
“The one I wish to kill is certainly not Bang Disciple.”
“….”
My relief shattered instantly.
Then who did he want to kill? I wanted to ask, but I couldn’t voice that either.
I could sense that hearing the answer would only bring me loss.
‘What exactly did he do?’
What had my father done in the past?
Considering he’s still alive, I wasn’t sure if he’d managed to evade it somehow, or if he’d simply been fortunate.
Regardless, no matter how much I thought about it, one thing was certain—it wouldn’t help my life in any way.
“…Thank you.”
So that was all I could say at this moment.
Dokuou gave a slight nod to my words, then seemed to shift the conversation and brought up something else.
“I hear there was some friction between you and our Second Son this morning.”
“Ah.”
He was referring to what happened with Toxic Dragon.
“Yes. Though I wouldn’t call it friction—we simply exchanged greetings. He didn’t seem to take a liking to me.”
“Is that so?”
I spoke plainly and honestly.
Dokuou’s reaction to this was equally composed.
That was unexpected.
‘What kind of reaction is this?’
We came to request something from the Dang Clan, but ultimately we are guests.
Moreover, Dokuou seemed to need the existence of descendants of Manwol and the Sword Saint.
Yet in such circumstances, he was letting slide what happened to his son and me like that.
‘What could it be.’
It was quite different from the reaction I’d anticipated.
I found myself looking at Dokuou with curiosity, wondering why.
“First, if I have offended Bang Disciple through that matter, I offer my apologies as the head of the Dang Clan.”
“No, it’s nothing. To that extent….”
“And.”
Dokuou, mid-sentence, suddenly fixed me with an intense gaze.
“Should friction deepen and something occur between my Second Son and Bang Disciple, I say in advance that I will not hold Bang Disciple accountable, so long as my son’s life is not taken.”
“….”
Upon hearing those words, I closed my mouth and furrowed my brow.
The phrasing was remarkably peculiar.
“That statement seems quite dangerous, if I may say so.”
Even if something happens, he won’t blame me.
As long as the Dang Clan doesn’t kill my son, he would overlook whatever I do.
It seemed like he was saying if I’m angry, beat him as much as I want.
But put differently.
‘He’s given me justification to resolve whatever happens between the two of them on my own.’
That was the more accurate interpretation.
‘Hmm.’
Now that I’d heard this much, I was beginning to grasp what kind of person this man was.
‘A sharp fellow.’
Sharp as they come, from what I could see.
‘Yet somewhat fiery in the mix.’
A passionate quality seeped through subtly.
A peculiar sort of person, in other words.
Of course, that said.
‘I can’t say I’ve grasped him completely.’
Knowing too well what the Dang Clan was, I didn’t let myself dwell on it carelessly.
‘Does this man think I can defeat his son?’
Recalling my bewilderment yesterday when he called me a descendant of the Sword Saint, it couldn’t be that simple.
Then what could it be.
It was different from Socheongeom of Namgung.
The Seven Prodigies—a gathering of those called geniuses among geniuses in the current late period of the Central Plains.
Just as Yoo Cheon-gil had called Wol Muhui a prodigy.
Toxic Dragon was a person of the same caliber as that Wol Muhui among the Seven Prodigies.
At that moment, Dokuou rose to his feet.
“Since time has passed, what do you say we move and discuss the remaining matters elsewhere?”
“Move?”
Where was he suggesting we go?
As I looked at him with confusion, Dokuou spoke to me.
“To the steel forge where Manwol can be repaired. I shall guide you there.”
“…!”
Interest flickered in my eyes.

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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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