My Father Is the Number One Under Heaven - Chapter 113

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 113. Fair Weather
Following the Sichuan Dang family, the next to reveal themselves were the Jegal Clan, known as the Divine Tacticians.
The warriors of the Jegal Clan, bearing the name Youryong Sword Unit, possessed a composed atmosphere, unlike the oppressive presence that radiated from other martial units.
Yet their restraint was no measure of weakness—the Youryong Sword Unit was second to none among the great families’ forces.
Once battle commenced, their demeanor sharpened like a different breed entirely, and their coordinated strikes, suffocating in their precision from all directions, were spoken of as incomparably superior to any other martial unit.
It was the defining strength of the Jegal Clan’s martial force—a power that seized and crushed the battlefield itself.
Among the Jegal contingent, which emanated a distinctly different air from the other families, one figure stood out unmistakably: a middle-aged man dressed in scholarly robes.
The current Clan Patriarch of the Jegal Clan—Jegal Seung, the Heavenly Thunder.
He was the elder brother of Jegal Mun, Commander of the Murim League, and Jegal Gil, the League’s renowned inspector.
Behind him, wearing a gentle smile, followed a younger man who bore his resemblance.
Jegal Ujin, the Dormant Dragon.
A rising talent possessing intellect that rivaled even his father, Jegal Seung, his future was anticipated not only by the Jegal Clan but throughout the martial world.
By now, crowds had filled the streets, each face flushed with excitement as they chattered.
They had laid eyes on such towering figures—Hwangbo Gyun of the Gwangpung Shingeun, Dang Jinwoo the Lone Wolf, and the formidable Jegal Seung himself.
And beyond them, the successors of each family, renowned despite their youth, along with each clan’s elite martial units—such a spectacle was surely worth the wonder.
“Extraordinary. All these great powers gathering in one place.”
“Indeed. Where else would folk like us ever witness such a sight?”
“Strange though—each carries a different air, yet all command the eye equally.”
Though they did not flaunt their presence ostentatiously, there was unmistakably an exceptional aura about each member of the Five Great Clans.
They were the cream of the renowned families spoken of throughout the land—those who held the highest stations.
Then it came.
The arrival in Hefei, capital of Anhui Province, of the final family of the Five Great Clans.
Whoooosh.
An overwhelming pressure, as though it warped the very space around it, erupted from the newly arrived contingent.
Gulp.
Those who recognized them swallowed hard, tension flooding through them.
Someone murmured, unable to tear their gaze away.
“This is… the Hebei Peng Clan.”
There was simply no other word for it but overwhelming.
Certainly, each family bore its own distinctive atmosphere.
But if anyone asked which among them embodied the most tyrannical aura, the answer would be unanimous—a hundred out of a hundred.
Without question: the Hebei Peng Clan.
Even from a considerable distance, the pressure rolling from them caused skin to prickle.
At the fore stood the Clan Patriarch of the Hebei Peng Clan, Peng Mugang the Tyrant of Hebei, his presence as overwhelming as a great tiger’s roar—raw dominion incarnate.
His son, Peng Sejin the Gwangryong, dominated the assembly with an entirely different yet equally formidable presence.
Most striking, however, was the Hebei Peng Clan’s martial unit.
Even one ignorant of martial arts could sense it instantly.
A strength fundamentally different from any other family’s forces they had yet witnessed.
Their aura was like a blade honed to absolute perfection.
Wow!
A roar of murmurs erupted from the crowd—incomparably louder than before.
Admiration for Peng Mugang and Peng Sejin dominated the chatter, each member of the Baeklang Dae marveled at in turn, the crowd practically spilling words over themselves.
Yet amid it all,
there was one man who drew no eyes, whose name escaped every mouth.
Standing at the fore of the martial unit, he alone bore a different presence within the Hebei Peng Clan.
When a contingent commanded such attention, even a single backpack slung over shoulders or a pebble held in hand would capture at least a thread of notice.
Yet remarkably, not a single gaze fell upon this man.
As if his existence were utterly insignificant—or as if he were not perceived at all.
But the truth,
was the precise opposite, though none in that place recognized it.
The man’s aura was calm and placid—like a vast ocean.
Like the boundless air that already enveloped all things.
Paradoxically, its immensity was so complete that it was perceived as nothing at all.
“Hefei. My first time in this city,” Yeo Un-hwi murmured,
a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
Thus all five families of the Five Great Clans had arrived in Hefei, the provincial capital of Anhui.
***
“Welcome, welcome. You’ve traveled far—my apologies for the rigors of the journey.”
To greet the four families who had just arrived at the Namgoong Clan Estate, members of that household gathered in abundance.
Among the Namgoong warriors, bristling with energy more than usual, stood their current Clan Patriarch, Namgoong Hwan the Imperial Sword, to welcome the guests.
He spoke with an expressionless, stolid face.
“Welcome all to Namgoong. I hope your time here will be filled with nothing but joy.”
The words were warm enough, but his expression and tone were quite another matter.
A stranger might have wondered if he were greeting an unwelcome guest.
But those gathered here already knew each other well.
It was plain to everyone that Namgoong Hwan welcomed the families of the other Four Great Clans sincerely—no need for him to say so aloud.
In truth, the Emperor’s Sword was the most principled and courteous among the Five Great Clans.
It was simply that by nature he was distant from warmth itself, being a stoic man; and so this welcome was the best he could offer.
Well, then. Everyone already knew his temperament, so there was no reason now to fault his rigid expression.
A few polite exchanges followed as the other Patriarchs reciprocated his greeting.
“Then I’ll leave the other arrangements to Sanghyuk, and you Patriarchs will follow me.”
Having said this, Namgoong Hwan glanced briefly at Yeo Un-hwi and the Baeklang Dae warriors standing behind Peng Mugang of the Hebei Peng Clan, then turned sharply and departed first.
As Namgoong Hwan’s retreating figure vanished with familiar ease, Peng Mugang let out a low chuckle.
“There he goes again, cold as ice. Well, I’ll be back soon.”
“Yes, Father.”
The other Patriarchs reacted to Namgoong Hwan in much the same way.
Soon all five Patriarchs had departed.
In their place, a man with an upright bearing and sharp, refined features stepped forward.
He was Namgoong Sanghyuk, the Crown Prince of the Namgoong Clan and one of the Six Dragons, known as the Heavenly Dragon.
“Then, if you would all please follow my guidance until the banquet begins.”
Namgoong Sanghyuk offered a refreshing smile.
He then swiftly assigned lodgings to all the guests in their respective quarters.
***
Not long after, all the Baeklang Dae members had unpacked their belongings in their assigned rooms.
The Baeklang Dae quarters had quickly grown loud and boisterous.
Perhaps it was from having seen other Martial Units on the road.
Their hearts burned hot, and every member’s face flushed with excitement.
The emotion was none other than the competitive spirit that no warrior could escape.
Among the Baeklang Dae members, talk erupted about the various clans and warriors they had been interested in.
Some moved their bodies lightly, unable to contain the restlessness as their blood quickened; others were already trying to locate the Training Ground.
In short, it was quite chaotic.
But since they were neither disrespectful to others nor causing any real trouble, and since Yeo Un-hwi actually saw such competitive spirit as a good thing, he offered them no particular warnings or further words.
They were no longer the reckless youths of old who would cause incidents at the drop of a hat.
And with reliable people like O Chae-mu, Gu Tae-san, and Peng Do-hwan among the Baeklang Dae, there was little reason for Yeo Un-hwi to intervene.
Rather,
“A banquet?”
Yeo Un-hwi and Peng Sejin were conversing in adjoining rooms that had been assigned to them side by side.
Peng Sejin nodded at Yeo Un-hwi’s puzzled expression.
“Yes, sir. For the next three days, we’ll gather each evening for a banquet—a time to strengthen our bonds. I think it’s best to simply relax, enjoy good food, and have fun.”
“The atmosphere is different from what I expected. I thought the Assembly would be a much more formal affair.”
“Hah. On the surface, it is. Or rather, it should be.”
Peng Sejin continued with a smile.
“This gathering is meant for the appearance of things.”
“For the sake of appearance, then.”
“Yes. In other words, it’s to demonstrate to the world that the unity of the Five Great Clans remains intact.”
After all, the Five Great Clans Assembly itself had been created to counter the Murim League and the Nine Sects, so such appearances were paramount.
In truth, regardless of the actual content of the gathering, the very fact that this Assembly was being held was the crux of the matter.
“I see.”
“In fact, at the Five Great Clans Assembly, you won’t have much to do, sir. Rather, it will be the Patriarchs and successors like myself who will be busy.”
“Why is that?”
“Well, even if the gathering is genuinely light on substance, it’s still been two years since the last one, and there are always matters to discuss. Hah.”
The Jegal Clan always took charge of conducting the meetings.
It certainly seemed fitting for them to handle such things.
Patriarch conferences.
Perhaps because it was a responsibility he would bear in the distant future.
Peng Sejin’s smile somehow looked sorrowful to him.
Yeo Un-hwi gave a soft laugh and patted Peng Sejin’s shoulder, then gazed out the window.
The scenery beyond was quite beautiful, as was the lodge itself.
“The Namgoong Clan.”
It was a strange thing to contemplate.
That a Blood Demon like him should find himself at the Namgoong Clan Estate—it was strange to contemplate.
The Namgoong Clan represented the Five Great Clans no matter how one looked at it, and their influence in the Martial World was formidable.
In recent years, the Hebei Peng Clan and other great houses had grown no weaker, yet the perception that the Namgoong always stood at the head of the Five remained deeply rooted.
The current Clan Patriarch, the Emperor’s Sword, was regarded as a figure who lost nothing to the legendary patriarchs of old who had graced the Namgoong name.
“Hmm, so we have plenty of time before the evening banquet, then.”
“Indeed. I myself must assist my father, but I imagine the Baeklang Dae and your brother can rest easy.”
“Is that so? In that case, I think I’ll step outside for some air.”
“Some air?”
Yeo Un-hwi gestured toward the window with a faint smile as Peng Sejin tilted his head in confusion.
“The weather is splendid, after all.”
“…Yes, the weather is lovely. I did tell you that you’re free to rest, but I must admit I envy you, brother.”
Peng Sejin’s shoulders sagged slightly, and Yeo Un-hwi broke into laughter once more.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————