The World’s Greatest is Dead

The World’s Greatest is Dead – Chapter 142

“Hmm.”

I looked at the open door. It was just large enough for one person to enter.

“Is that the direction we need to go?”

『Yes.』

Yu Chun-gil’s response was followed by a nod, and I moved forward cautiously entering the entrance.

The moment my foot crossed the threshold.

*Whoosh──!!*

“!”

My eyes widened. Suddenly, the passageway became vividly bright.

What was this?

‘Luminous pearls…? No, it certainly can’t be a lamp.’

The wall itself emitted light. It wasn’t as if something was embedded in it, either.

‘It’s simply shining on its own.’

I reached out and touched the wall. Its texture felt just like an ordinary surface.

Why was it glowing so brightly?

I looked at the wall with curiosity, then turned my gaze to Yu Chun-gil.

I wanted an explanation for what was happening.

『Wow. Crazy, what on earth is this?』

Yu Chun-gil’s eyes widened in shock.

No way…you shouldn’t be surprised.

Why was he startled by his own secret note?

“… You didn’t know about this?”

『Was there something like this? I don’t think so.』

“Really? You’re not just making fun of me?”

『Yes, I’ve never seen this before.』

“Well, isn’t that a problem?”

Yu Chun-gil not knowing about this was troubling, wasn’t it?

The possibility that it was his own secret note but he didn’t know about it indicated one of two possibilities.

‘Either he has never been here before…’

Which didn’t make sense. The other possibility was, ‘Someone must have come here and altered it.’

Since the possibility of the wall changing on its own was unlikely, interpreting it as a change made by someone else seemed appropriate.

‘… Tsk.’

Tension began to build.

‘The first room was like that too. If even this was tampered with—’

It suggested that there was a problem with the secret notes themselves.

This added a layer of uncertainty.

‘If Yu Chun-gil isn’t aware, it means it differs from the Poison Sovereign’s design.’

Recalling this, I turned my eyes back to where the light was emanating from.

Yu Chun-gil also seemed to be contemplating this, observing it carefully.

『Hmm.』

After a moment’s observation, he nodded slightly.

『Let’s go for now.』

“Pardon?”

Yu Chun-gil suggested moving forward as if it didn’t matter.

“… Shouldn’t we investigate a bit more?”

I tried to voice my opinion, but Yu Chun-gil merely displayed a curt expression.

『Staying here won’t yield any answers, and even if we try to investigate, we should proceed to learn anything. Besides.』

Yu Chun-gil added while picking his nose with his pinky finger.

『Even if we proceed, it’s doubtful we can go further than the third section, at most.』

“… How can you be so sure?”

『Because that’s the way it is.』

It was a strange confidence. Yu Chun-gil looked at me with an expression that declared it was certainly not going to be any different.

“… Understood.”

Having seen that, I eventually moved forward.

As Yu Chun-gil mentioned, we needed to move ahead to understand anything.

Thus, I moved further through the passage and soon discovered another door. It seemed to be the exit.

As I reached to grasp the doorknob.

I hesitated.

I paused briefly and looked at Yu Chun-gil.

『Hmm? Why do you pause?』

“… Is it safe to grab it?”

I asked in suspicion, wondering if there might be a trap involved.

『You worry needlessly. It’s safe.』

“……”

Listening to Yu Chun-gil clicking his tongue, I nodded and accepted the assurance provided.

I then grabbed the doorknob and pulled.

*Creak!*

The door was heavier than expected. However, with a bit of strength, it opened smoothly.

“……”

I cautiously stepped inside through the opened gap.

The interior, like the passage, was unusually bright. The walls emitted light here as well.

‘It’s the same here.’

What was all this? I hid my astonishment as I examined my surroundings.

At the same time, as I inspected the interior, my eyes widened even more.

“What is all this…?”

Despite the confined space, it was packed with something.

What was this? I concentrated on understanding, and soon realized.

“… It’s all jewels.”

The floors were strewn with jewels.

There were even accessories in abundance.

My goodness.

‘Just how many are there…?’

I wasn’t knowledgeable about accessories, but I knew it wasn’t cheap.

This was truly, in simple terms,

‘A mountain of gold and jewels.’

The treasures lay before him like mountains.

『Well, well, well. There are plenty, aren’t there.』

Yu Chun-gil remarked, with a hint of pride in his voice.

“…… When did you manage to gather all of these?”

『Rather than gathering them, it’s more like they were sent to me in hopes of gaining my favor, and so they ended up here.』

“…… Ah.”

It meant they were a mountain of bribes and donations.

‘…… Indeed.’

Yu Chun-gil had been the World’s Greatest, and as such, various donations and bribes would have poured in.

‘Did he place them all here without even processing them?’

I had wondered why they were left untouched.

『I found it a hassle to deal with each one, so I just left them as they were. It seems the quantity has grown a bit. Hahaha.』

He was just too lazy to bother with them.

‘…… How could this much seem like a hassle?’

I couldn’t understand it.

‘If it were me, I’d have immediately sold them for a good price and stashed the cash away.’

Was it something he just wasn’t interested in?

Whatever the case, it didn’t matter.

『As I mentioned before, take it all.』

The important point was that all of it was now mine.

“…… Oh.”

I gazed at the jewels and ornaments, responding rather nonchalantly to Yu Chun-gil’s offer.

As he had mentioned in Sichuan, it seemed he intended to give them all to me.

‘All of that is mine?’

Gazing at the mountain of gold and treasures, I licked my lips greedily. With a face filled with desire, I approached.

Then, I slowly sat down and picked up an item.

A small ring. I casually lifted it and spoke to Yu Chun-gil.

“This one is enough for me.”

『What?』

Yu Chun-gil frowned at my words.

Peering at his reaction, I chuckled lightly.

“I’m fine without the others. This ring will suffice.”

『… No.』

Yu Chun-gil seemed at a loss for words, momentarily silent.

He looked somewhat dumbfounded.

Then, after a pause,

『I went to the trouble of bringing you here because you said you needed it. What nonsense are you spouting?』

Yu Chun-gil spoke to me, finally managing to compose himself.

『Do you think I’m joking? I said take it all.』

“No. I don’t think it’s a joke. I’m being sincere as well.”

I did ponder how I could ignore such offered treasures.

My words were genuinely earnest.

‘It would be a lie to say I’m not tempted, though.’

How could one not be tempted by these countless riches? I wasn’t someone devoid of greed.

But, “As I’ve told you before, craving the belongings of a ghost doesn’t bring any good.”

These were Yu Chun-gil’s belongings.

More specifically, wealth?

‘…… They are likely items that would only bring negative consequences.’

Messing with these haphazardly could be disastrous.

So, I was content with just this one ring.

‘This will do nicely.’

It was a moderately appropriate choice.

『… What a ridiculous fellow, aren’t you? So, despite all those riches, you’re only taking that one thing?』

“Yes.”

『If that’s all you wanted, why did you ask for them?』

It seemed incredulous to him that I would request his belongings from Sichuan, only to take just one.

“As I mentioned earlier, this is more than enough. Furthermore.”

I said to Yu Chun-gil, still smiling.

“After all. You didn’t bring me here just to give me these, did you?”

『…….』

At my words, Yu Chun-gil flinched.

『Ha-!』

Then he burst into laughter.

『Hahaha-!!!』

His laughter was so loud it almost hurt my ears.

『You cunning fellow.』

“Thank you for the compliment.”

As stated, Yu Chun-gil hadn’t brought me to this place just to give me treasures.

‘I know the nature of that old man. Could that really be all there is?’

The old man tried to give me beneficial things, however troublesome they might be.

From my perspective, the treasures here were merely an excuse.

‘An excuse to get me involved.’

It wasn’t truly necessary; it was just thrown in to entice me to come.

With that in mind, “What is it? What were you genuinely intending to give me?”

Now, what was the real reason?

When I asked, Yu Chun-gil looked a bit sullen.

『What a boring fellow you are.』

Since I had figured it out from the start, he seemed quite disappointed.

But then, 『Of all things, why did you choose that?』

Seeing the ring I had picked up, Yu Chun-gil remarked.

“Why? Is this ring precious or something?”

‘Did I just pick something valuable?’

The ring was an ordinary jade ring without any distinctive features.

If anything could be said about it, it was that it unusually bore a purple hue.

『… Hmm…』

Yu Chun-gil slightly tilted his head at my question.

『No, it’s nothing important. Take it. But refrain from selling it.』

“Why? What is this?”

Why was he reacting in such an unsettling way?

『It’s something quite valuable, so selling it carelessly would cause trouble. If you plan to sell it, I’ll tell you how to do it later. Just keep it for now.』

“Okay, I understand.”

Though it bothered me a bit, the reasoning made sense, so I decided to let it go for now.

『Tsk.』

With that, Yu Chun-gil clicked his tongue briefly and started moving somewhere. He scoured a mound of jewels here and there.

『Come here.』

Yu Chun-gil called for me.

『Here. Try digging around here.』

“Here?”

『Yes.』

Yu Chun-gil pointed to a spot with his hand. Following his indication, I plunged my hands into the spot and began to rummage.

While moving my hands in search of an item, I kept asking Yu Chun-gil questions.

“What exactly are you trying to give me? Another spiritual elixir?”

『Haha, you shameless brat. After consuming so much, you still crave more elixirs?』

“Well, it would be nice to have more.”

『Enough, too much of anything is poison. Especially for someone like you, absorbing any more here would strain your dantian. If you increase your inner qi without properly mastering your level, your body will collapse.』

I had become First-rate by consuming a Great Rejuvenation Pill and reached the peak due to the energy left by the Poison Sovereign.

Having done that in less than ten days, it certainly was rapid growth.

‘So he’s telling me to hold back for a while.’

Was possessing too many fortuitous encounters a bad thing?

I had to suppress a smile at his words.

‘Having too many fortuitous encounters is laughable.’

While some might face it once in a lifetime, I was being warned to worry about having too many. It was ridiculously amusing.

“Then, if it’s not an elixir, what are we searching for?”

What on earth was I supposed to find in this pile of jewels that was making my arms ache already?

『A long cloth.』

“A… long cloth? A long cloth is in here?”

『Yes.』

It was just something you wear as an outer garment. Was that what I was searching for here?

“It’s not just any long cloth, right?”

『Of course not. It’s the grand long cloth used by Sword Saint Yu Chun-gil.』

“… I see.”

『… What’s with that reaction?』

“Ah, nothing… nothing at all.”

『It’s really something extraordinary, so set that attitude aside.』

“What’s so amazing about it?”

『It’s a thing called White Fang Silent Cloth. It’s made from the hide of a spiritual beast that ruled over White Fang Mountain mixed with Cold Iron.』

“Oh?”

Hearing his words brought something to mind.

‘Come to think of it.’

When the Sword Saint dominated the battlefield, he was said to have roamed the battlefield like a yaksha clad in his trusted sword Full Moon and a pure white long cloth.

“Is this the long cloth from those stories?”

『Exactly.』

Yu Chun-gil grinned at my words.

『It’s an emblematic item of mine. If you’re rumored to be my successor, shouldn’t you dress in something like that?』

“Umm…”

Though I could envision situations where wearing it would be cumbersome, the old man’s words were also true.

I needed such symbolism.

If I was going to use the name Sword Saint, I needed something that reminded people of Yu Chun-gil when they looked at me.

‘Something like this is perfect.’

Acquiring the long cloth he used, which was recorded in history, provided substantial benefits.

Thus, I diligently moved my hands.

*Thunk!*

‘Found it.’

An unfamiliar texture brushed against my fingertips. It was definitely not the feel of jewels or ornaments.

It was soft and delicate.

This was it.

I grasped it firmly and pulled it out.

*Clatter!*

Jewels tumbled down as something emerged from within.

As expected, it was a long cloth.

“I found it… Huh?”

『Oh! Final… uh?』

Yu Chun-gil and I froze upon confirming the long cloth.

It was indeed a long cloth, but…

‘It’s black?’

Contrary to what was known, the long cloth didn’t consist of white fur but black fur. Moreover, the designs imprinted on it definitely weren’t something Yu Chun-gil would have used.

“Elder. This…?”

The beautifully embroidered design in the shape of a flower bud—only one place in the Central Plains used such exquisite patterns.

“Is this not the symbol of the Mount Hua Sect?”

One of the Nine Great Sects, also known as the Sword of Shaanxi.

The emblem of the great Mount Hua Sect.