My Father Is the Number One Under Heaven - Chapter 88

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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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Chapter 88. Don’t Worry!
“Right, good! I’ll give you credit for your courage.”
Peng Seoyeon’s acceptance was more than Danmok Hwaryeon could have hoped for.
Honestly, she hadn’t expected her to actually agree.
Did she truly believe there was even the slimmest chance she could win or draw against her in a martial duel? Really?
How foolish.
Peng Seoyeon clearly hadn’t moved past her glory days of old.
If she actually thought herself capable of overwhelming Danmok Hwaryeon as she once had, that was a grave delusion.
Such a thing would never happen again.
Over six years, the paths Peng Seoyeon and Danmok Hwaryeon had walked were fundamentally different in their very essence—of this she was certain.
And yet she dared. To speak such nonsense.
What? That her time had been just as devoted as mine?
Her—that foolish wretch who threw everything away and fled the moment her eyes met some worthless scholar.
Danmok Hwaryeon intended to crush Peng Seoyeon thoroughly this time.
So she would never again lift that proud face and speak such drivel.
Three days—not even tomorrow—was meant to give her time to struggle and flail.
To taste deeper despair.
She would have preferred a month, or longer, to let her wallow in humiliation, but she had no wish to waste so much of her own time on this affair.
Danmok Hwaryeon laughed at Peng Seoyeon inwardly.
She announced she would return in three days and promptly took her leave.
Before anyone could even try to stop her.
And so Peng Seoyeon found herself unexpectedly committed to a martial duel with Danmok Hwaryeon in three days’ time.
“This is insane. Absolutely insane.”
How had things come to this?
A gathering meant to see an old friend had turned into a disaster.
All because of Danmok Hwaryeon.
The atmosphere made it impossible to continue the gathering as planned.
Only Dang Mujun and Hwangbo Cheonwoo found their positions awkward.
They both insisted the duel could be called off right now, that they would convince Danmok Hwaryeon to see reason and settle the matter amicably.
But Peng Seoyeon shook her head.
Once might have been forgivable, but not now.
Danmok Hwaryeon had clearly crossed a line.
And badly at that.
She had insulted not just her, but the Peng Family itself.
As a member of the Five Great Clans, such conduct was absolutely unacceptable.
A single misstep could have sparked war between the great houses.
And Danmok Hwaryeon had made that dangerous error.
This was no trivial matter.
Moreover, there were many witnesses to what had been said.
This was something that could legitimately be raised as an official grievance.
But that was something to address later.
The immediate problem was that Danmok Hwaryeon still didn’t understand what she had done wrong.
Worse, she had even challenged Peng Seoyeon to a duel.
In that brief span, Danmok Hwaryeon had committed too many unforgivable acts.
Her senseless malice had long since exhausted Peng Seoyeon’s patience for courteous responses.
When Peng Seoyeon’s response proved unexpectedly firm, Dang Mujun and Hwangbo Cheonwoo could only sigh heavily and nod in resignation.
“Fine. If that’s truly what you want… very well. We’ll simply cheer you on from the sidelines.”
“You have to win. Understood? No matter what, I’m on your side!”
Peng Seoyeon laughed softly at their encouragement.
But truthfully, they were deeply worried for her.
To anyone’s eyes, this duel was heavily stacked against Peng Seoyeon.
Of course they knew.
Once, Peng Seoyeon’s talent had surpassed Danmok Hwaryeon’s.
But that comparison held only if both had trained consistently.
There was a clear gap between Peng Seoyeon, who had been unable to cultivate seriously during her long absence from the Peng Family, and Danmok Hwaryeon, who had steadily honed her martial arts throughout those years.
And that gap was undoubtedly vast by now.
Without some extraordinary stroke of fortune or talent transcendent enough to overturn all odds, there was no way to bridge such a chasm.
In such cases, persistent effort typically triumphed over raw talent.
The outcome seemed already decided.
Yet Dang Mujun and Hwangbo Cheonwoo genuinely hoped Peng Seoyeon would prevail.
Peng Seoyeon felt the sincerity in their words, and was simply grateful for the affection the two of them harbored.
In any case, now that things had come to this, they decided to remain at the Peng Family for a few days as well.
Whatever the result of the martial duel three days hence, they had become the sort of people who had to witness it.
They had begun to regret bringing Danmok Hwaryeon to the Peng Family.
It was too late to regret it now, though.
Still, they had not anticipated that she would cause such trouble.
Though they knew well enough that she had a twisted temperament, this was excessive.
Neither of them could fathom what had driven Danmok Hwaryeon to this extreme.
Hwangbo Cheonwoo stole a glance at Dang Mujun’s expression.
It was Hwangbo Cheonwoo who had invited Dang Mujun to visit the Hwangbo Estate, suggesting he come clear his head and relax, since his older brother’s affairs had kept the family in turmoil for quite some time and he had been nursing quite a headache.
Yet somehow, inviting Dang Mujun to the Hwangbo Estate had spiraled into all of this.
Above all, Hwangbo Cheonwoo felt apologetic toward Dang Mujun and Peng Seoyeon.
He kept circling back to the thought that all of this ultimately stemmed from his father, who had sent him on that pointless errand to Beijing.
“In any case, if you need help, just say so. I’ll gladly do whatever I can.”
“Just hearing that is thanks enough.”
Though Hwangbo Cheonwoo had spoken out of guilt, Peng Seoyeon had no way of knowing that.
“Well, you must be tired today. Why don’t you rest? Sejin will show you to your room.”
“Alright. Let’s go.”
Peng Sejin, who had somehow managed to cool his anger beside Peng Seoyeon, soon led them outside.
Left alone in the room, Peng Seoyeon let out a short sigh.
Her mind churned with thoughts.
Had she accepted too rashly? A fight she couldn’t possibly win?
Of course, she knew better than anyone how disadvantaged she was.
The days she had spent thus far had not been easy—too harsh to remain trapped in the golden past Danmok Hwaryeon imagined.
In any case, it was too late to back down now.
And she had no wish to.
So then,
‘There’s nothing for it but to go forward!’
Peng Seoyeon clenched her fist as if steeling her resolve.
***
The next day.
Peng Seoyeon rose early and began her cultivation training.
Yet despite her enthusiasm, results could hardly appear immediately from training.
How much time had elapsed?
Her lips tightened as she concentrated on her practice.
In a moment of rising frustration and despair, she nearly hurled the saber in her hand to the ground.
The more she trained, the deeper the despair seemed to grow.
Could she truly win? No—could she even manage a draw? What if she lost shamefully?
Her mind filled with a thousand nagging doubts.
But what good would worrying do now?
The water was already spilled.
“That’s right. This isn’t the time for that.”
Whenever she stopped training, the doubts seemed to seep in even deeper.
So for now, she would simply focus on her practice.
Peng Seoyeon picked up the saber again and began to swing it with vigor.
***
“…She agreed to hold a martial duel?”
In the Family Head’s Chamber of the Hebei Peng Family.
At this sudden news, Peng Mugang furrowed his brow deeply as he regarded his son.
His eyes betrayed complete bewilderment.
“Why didn’t you stop her? She’s bound to lose.”
“Of course I tried to stop her. It simply had no effect.”
“You tried to stop her and she insisted anyway?”
“Yes.”
“Haah.”
Looking at Peng Sejin’s expression, Peng Mugang soon heaved a long sigh.
“That would be the case. That girl, once her mind is made up, never changes her course. What stubbornness! Goodness knows where she gets it from. Really now!”
Peng Sejin answered silently in his mind.
She must have inherited it from Father, he thought.
But as if Peng Mugang had just heard his son’s unspoken thoughts, he scrunched up his face and spoke.
“You were thinking just now that Seoyeon’s stubbornness takes after me, weren’t you?”
“Pardon?”
How did he know?
Peng Sejin’s face registered surprise.
“Did it show on my face?”
“Let me be clear about this—that mule-headedness of hers comes from her mother. Even I’m not that stubborn.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
……
“Ah, my apologies. I was only thinking aloud.”
“In any case, I understand. You may go.”
“Yes, Father.”
Peng Sejin left the Family Head’s Chamber and gazed up at the sky.
A sigh.
A deep breath escaped from Peng Sejin’s lips.
What was with all this endless calamity?
If Peng Seoyeon hadn’t stopped him that day when his mind had truly gone blank with rage, he might well have cut out Danmok Hwaryeon’s tongue.
That was how angry Peng Sejin had become.
From the beginning, he had never cared for Danmok Hwaryeon.
She was eternally arrogant, perpetually complaining, and absolutely intolerant of anyone being better than herself.
Just thinking of her was exhausting.
But now it was clear she wasn’t merely exhausting—she was utterly devoid of reason, completely unhinged.
Peng Sejin believed one had to be especially careful with such people.
So though his sister would hate it, if the martial duel went dangerously awry, Peng Sejin was prepared to step in regardless of the criticism he’d face.
But what was his brother thinking?
He had already met with Yeo Unhwi before seeing their father.
He’d expected Yeo Unhwi to be shocked and outraged when he heard the news, but instead his brother had seemed utterly unfazed.
For someone who normally responded with sharp intensity and sensitivity to family matters, this was a strikingly different reaction.
It was unexpected.
He didn’t even seem particularly worried about the martial duel three days hence.
‘Surely he’s not planning to suddenly intervene in the middle of it.’
Even for Yeo Unhwi, such a thing seemed unlikely.
‘Or is it… possible?’
If so, better to stay alert.
He needed to pay close attention.
He told himself it was unlikely, yet he couldn’t shake the unease.
Yeo Unhwi was simply too unpredictable.
All the while, Peng Sejin himself was considering stepping in if circumstances shifted.
It was always so difficult for a person to truly see themselves.
***
That night.
Peng Seoyeon slept deeply, her hands swollen from such intense cultivation.
Beside her, Yul-i lay asleep, clinging tightly to her mother.
Yeo Unhwi gazed quietly at his wife and daughter, a faint smile crossing his face.
“It’s strange how the timing works out so perfectly, even without planning.”
Cryptic words flowed softly from Yeo Unhwi’s lips.
What could he mean?
“Don’t worry. You will never lose.”
Yeo Unhwi’s hand reached toward sleeping Peng Seoyeon.
Soon a brilliant golden light began flowing from his palm.
The golden radiance slowly enveloped Peng Seoyeon completely.
No—not just Peng Seoyeon. Yul-i as well.
Whoooosh!
In an instant, the entire room was consumed by golden light.
What on earth was happening?
Only Yeo Unhwi knew the answer.
And so three days passed.

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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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