Chapter 582

**Chapter 582. The Lazy One Gets Scared (2)**

Song Hyun opened his eyes wide.

*”Is that even a human fist?”*

It was impossible not to be surprised.

Wudang martial arts began and ended in *softness*: harmony and flexibility.

It wasn’t that he looked down on other schools, but Song Hyun considered Wudang’s fist to be unsurpassed in the world.

Although the sword was relatively more famous, overshadowing the fist, anyone who had truly experienced Wudang’s fist would not dare to say that it was inferior to their sword.

But *this* was different.

A domination that Wudang’s fist did not possess!

A powerful fist like no other under the heavens.

*”The Supreme Sovereign. Yes, without a doubt… it is the Supreme Sovereign.”*

It was a scene that justified that arrogant title of “having reached the pinnacle of the fist.”

As if scattering a pile of dry leaves accumulated in his hand, those who stood in the way of the Supreme Sovereign’s fist could not withstand its reverse force and were sent flying like rubber balls.

It was overwhelming.

Those who used swords or sabers could never create such a spectacle.

Before feeling his energy and perceiving his greatness, you first saw it with your own eyes. It was such an incredible scene that it seemed impossible for a human being.

Those who witnessed it reacted in an extreme manner.

The Supreme Sovereign’s followers, without realizing it, straightened their shoulders and shouted with fervor. While the color disappeared from the faces of those receiving his attack.

A single instant.

A single punch.

That was all the Supreme Sovereign needed to take absolute control of the battlefield.

—Fall back!

It was a belated order.

He had already swept away all those who stood in the way, what was the point of saying “fall back”?

The Supreme Sovereign’s voice resonated across the battlefield.

—Anyone who gets in the way will end up the same! I don’t want sacrifices! Fall back!

Song Hyun, without realizing it, curled his lips.

*”Should I say that it’s typical of him?”*

He left no room for compromise, even at the last moment. If negotiations failed, he eliminated the leaders without hesitation. But he also showed the determination to minimize unnecessary casualties in the process.

If the disciples of Baekgeom Fortress obeyed and retreated, the battle would end quickly.

But that wouldn’t be so easy.

Those who had retreated, bewildered by the Supreme Sovereign’s fist, regained their composure and drew their swords. Then, they charged against him in unison.

The Supreme Sovereign greeted them with an unwavering gaze.

—I told you to fall back!

*Boom*!

A descending blow.

A punch that sent them flying.

Each of his movements made the earth tremble.

Humans were powerless before him.

All the spectators understood then:

Why this man was the leader of the Righteous Martial Alliance!

Why the name of the Supreme Sovereign resonated throughout the world!

Twenty years had passed.

Twenty years since the Supreme Sovereign made the world tremble with his name, standing as the great rival of the Demon Cult.

Ten years was enough to change mountains and rivers. Twenty years was more than enough for a name to fade away.

However, the name of the Supreme Sovereign was not forgotten.

As leader of the Righteous Martial Alliance and as the best pugilist in the world, his name still resonated strongly.

And now the reason was revealed.

He may have lost some agility with age, as aging was like that.

But the Supreme Sovereign possessed something more.

*”It’s incredible.”*

Namgung Jowi was also marveling at him.

Perhaps it was a luxury to feel admiration in the midst of such a chaotic battlefield, but it was impossible not to.

Swordsmen and pugilists were different.

A swordsman’s skill depended heavily on their innate talent. Even learning the same sword, the difference lay in how precisely and agilely they could wield it.

That was why many swordsmen became famous from a young age.

But the fist was not like that.

The fist, more crude in comparison, required more strength. A child with a sword could kill someone by accident, but no one would die from a child’s fist.

There was only one way to accumulate the power needed to dominate: cultivate and cultivate internal *qi*.

Like accumulating time and years, it had to be built slowly. Like pouring buckets of water into an ocean, it was a tedious and repetitive task without end.

That tireless dedication, matured over time…

Yes.

A colossal internal *qi*.

*Wuoooooom*!

He extended his arm forward.

In the instant his fist, hidden in his sleeve, was revealed, an unstoppable force swept away the disciples of Baekgeom Fortress.

—*Argh*!

Those in the front tried to resist.

They knew that an unprecedented force was approaching, but they could not retreat. Their resentment was too deep and their mission too important.

Besides, the Supreme Sovereign…

The one who was charging at them was a symbol of the martial arts of the Central Plains. Those who sought revenge against them could not turn their backs on such a symbol.

It would be an insult to those who had departed before.

But no matter how much they hardened their will and concentration, their power did not increase. Even if they gritted their teeth and raised their *qi* until their eyes were bloodshot, they could not resist the force that was pushing them back.

—*Ugh*!

Their feet left the ground.

The swords that blocked the path trembled violently before bending like reeds. It was impossible to resist the force that was bearing down on them.

*”How can a human possess such power?”*

If it were a violent and sudden blow, it would have at least been easier to accept. But this force, slow but relentless, made all their training seem useless.

If they couldn’t even resist *one* blow, what had they endured that grueling training for?

It was an attack that broke the will to resist in an instant.

—*Aaaaah*!

They went flying.

Like stones thrown by a child, their bodies rose and were thrown far away.

Dozens of figures dressed in white were sent flying, like white flowers blooming in the air. Even in the midst of the chaos, everyone contemplated the scene in astonishment.

—So this is the Supreme Sovereign…

Baek Hoemyung let out a sound of admiration.

The forces of the Righteous Martial Alliance, led by the Supreme Sovereign, penetrated the ranks of Baekgeom Fortress. Like sand escaping through a hole, they advanced in a wedge shape.

If this continued, they would soon break through the center.

*”This is ridiculous.”*

Anyone with a minimum of military strategy would know how absurd it was. Attacking the most defended point of the formation? It was madness that you would only attempt if you were seeking death.

But that recklessness *was working*.

The reason was a single one:

The Supreme Sovereign.

All because of *him*.

—He’s not human.

Baek Hoemyung shook his head.

It wasn’t just words. The Supreme Sovereign had the power to back up his intentions and statements.

—Was he like this during the past war?

—No, young master.

—Then he has become stronger?

—Yes, he seems to be twice as strong. In the past, he was not like this.

A subordinate explained:

—Common sense dictates that martial artists grow stronger with age, but in reality, it is not always so. Even if internal *qi* increases, the body does not remain young forever. When physical strength and precision decrease, that *qi* loses its brilliance. But he… is definitely stronger than before.

Baek Hoemyung nodded silently.

It wasn’t just because he was a pugilist. Without a doubt, he had refined his art tirelessly during all these years.

*”I never thought I would feel respect for an enemy.”*

He was someone worth admiring. The more he saw him, the more he confirmed it.

—Isn’t it reckless?

—It is. But his objective seems clear.

—My head?

—I thought you knew.

Baek Hoemyung smiled bitterly.

It was obvious, coming straight towards him.

—And then?

—What do you mean?

—Is *Empty Sword* of the Baek family weaker than before?

The elder beside him, known as *Empty Sword*, smiled slightly.

—Could someone who dares to bear the Baek name possibly weaken? Whoever did so would not deserve to carry the character *White/Pure* in their name.

—You’re right. But compared to the fame of the Supreme Sovereign, even the name of *Empty Sword* pales a bit.

—Young master…

The elder tilted his head slightly.

—I am not swayed by the empty fame of martial artists. If that were the case, wouldn’t the *Sword Saint*, the *Sword Sage*, or the *Sword Emperor* be number one under the heavens?

—True.

—The fact that our patriarch is not considered the best swordsman, not even the best in the world, shows how ephemeral fame is in this world.

—Are you saying you can face the Supreme Sovereign?

—Young master, do not test me any further.

Baek Hoemyung smiled.

—Then will you act?

—If it is your order.

Baek Hoemyung pointed to the Supreme Sovereign with his chin.

—The moment is not ripe yet. But if we leave it like this, the losses will be greater. Stop him.

—As you command.

*Whoosh!*

Empty Sword moved like the wind, heading towards the Supreme Sovereign.

Observing the scene, Baek Hoemyung scrutinized the battlefield with sharp eyes.

They were being pushed back without remedy. The swordsmen of Baekgeom Fortress, who had swept away the Zhejiang branch of the Righteous Martial Alliance in an instant, could do nothing against the Supreme Sovereign. Once their morale broke, it was difficult to recover.

*”I thought it was reckless…”*

But he must have confidence.

In his power, and in the war.

It was a moment that made him understand the patriarch’s words: *”War is not won with the head alone.”*

In the end, the line between a masterstroke that changes the course of the battle and a recklessness that condemns your own to hell is as thin as paper. Because it departs from conventional strategies.

If it works, it’s brilliant. If not, it’s madness. In war, there is no right or wrong. And the Supreme Sovereign was demonstrating it now.

But this was excessive.

If it had been a simple attrition of forces, he would have even applauded him. But charging directly towards *his* head was stupid.

*”But what does it matter?”*

The outcome was already decided.

The Supreme Sovereign didn’t know it. He knew *nothing*.

Before they arrived at this battlefield, this war had already ended. And when he realized it… Baek Hoemyung couldn’t help but wonder what expression that iron warrior would have.

He licked his lips.

They needed to wait a little longer. The casualties were painful, but they had to endure until the enemy was completely trapped in their net.

—That impatience will be your undoing, Supreme Sovereign.

Today, the order of martial arts would change. Those who believed that the world belonged to them would finally understand their place.

They had waited *three hundred years* for this moment.

Three hundred years of resentment, which they now spat fire at the world.

—All… in the name of the *Infinity Sword*.

His voice was as cold as ice.