Cultivation : I'm an Ancient Giant Bear-Chapter 535 - 506: Path of Sincerity

Outside Cyan Frost City, Feng Muhai stood in the air like a god of slaughter.

A few thousand miles ahead, terrifying wind scars were slowly dissipating, marking the end of a battle.

The enemy left behind several corpses before fleeing again.

This was already the fifteenth attack this past month.

While personnel losses were minimal, the enemy lost dozens but succeeded in disrupting the trade route of the Frost Domain.

At this moment, Zhuang Bufei appeared silently, his face dark.

"Didn’t catch them?" Feng Muhai inquired.

Zhuang Bufei shook his head, somewhat exhausted; the other party knew their details well and had strong capabilities. With their hit-and-run harassment strategy, it was nearly impossible to deal them a heavy blow.

"Could it be Shuang Liuyun?"

"It’s not her, but it’s likely related to the Shuang Family. Pity our senior brother is not here, otherwise, how dare they act so arrogantly!" Zhuang Bufei sighed, as the situation was indeed worsening.

They could all feel that an invisible black hand was laying traps from all levels and angles, aiming to strangle the Frost Domain and force their master out.

"The Hidden Origin Elder Council has issued another ultimatum, demanding a reasonable explanation within three months. Otherwise, they will vote on whether to revoke the management rights of the Nine Heavens Passage from the Frost Domain."

Qu Shenglian also appeared at this time. Even with the three of them joining forces, they were played like fools, as the enemy gave them no chance for a head-on confrontation, just hide and seek, pure harassment.

This was the most deadly.

The Nine Heavens Passage was a crucial gateway in the Cultivation Realm connecting to Outer Heaven.

Frost Domain had spent a great deal of effort hundreds of years ago to win this Nine Heavens Passage, but due to enemy harassment, it had been forced to close for a month.

Just because the most critical aspect of the Nine Heavens Passage is maintaining the irradiation with Yin and Yang Qi; any disturbance could lead to minor errors spanning thousands of miles, or cause catastrophic results.

Thus, they were forced to temporarily close the Nine Heavens Passage, earning no profit while bearing massive daily losses, leaving them at their wits’ end.

"Should we consult Lord Wang Wu?"

Feng Muhai suddenly suggested, and Zhuang Bufei and Qu Shenglian remained silent. Although unwilling, the reality was without a Taiyi Eighth Tier True Immortal supervising, managing a Nine Heavens Passage was extremely difficult.

The key was that their master didn’t seem like he could come out of retreat anytime soon.

And renting the management rights of the Nine Heavens Passage was a huge cost each day.

"I heard that Lord Wang Wu has also encountered some troubles over there; he might soon send a message requesting aid as well." Zhuang Bufei said with a bitter smile.

"Alas, what on earth is the Shuang Family after?"

Qu Shenglian sighed too, as the Shuang Family stirred up trouble at this time, shouting slogans of cleansing the monarch’s advisors and punishing the wicked, utterly senseless.

Does their master’s successful advancement to Taiyi Ninth Tier offer no benefits to the Shuang Family?

"What else could they be after? The Father of the Frost Monarch is now also a Taiyi Eighth Tier; he wishes to become a Half-step Daluo too. Simply put, it’s all because of a lack of resources. Besides, within our Hidden Origin Association, everyone qualified is competing for that position. Who told our master to be so sharp and outstanding over the past thousands of years?"

The three of Zhuang Bufei sighed, knowing full well that the Frost Domain was flourishing in prosperity. The three of them, along with Lu Tong, were once the most prominent and hottest figures in the middle tiers of Taiyi within the Hidden Origin Association, with an excellent relationship with the Shuang Family.

However, the moment their master expressed his ambition for that position, the situation changed dramatically.

As for that position, it’s something you can only understand, not speak of.

"We must believe in our master, endure for now."

Zhuang Bufei finally said in a deep voice, knowing this was no time to retreat.

The three silently returned to Cyan Frost City, and upon arrival, they were stunned because the Frost Monarch had returned.

She stood atop the city gate of Cyan Frost City, clad in a black robe, her face pale. Her former radiance was mostly gone, although her aura remained deep as the sea. Anyone could see that her injuries had not healed.

"Master! Your disciples have failed you!"

The three of Zhuang Bufei knelt down, each heavy-hearted, knowing it was over; their master had already made a choice.

Since she had come out of retreat, it meant withdrawing from the competition for that position.

"Open the Nine Heavens Passage. A third of the Hidden Origin Association’s trade routes pass through this channel; our loss is minor, but delaying the grand plan of the Hidden Origin Association is an unforgivable sin."

The Frost Monarch spoke softly, her voice filled only with fatigue.

"Understood!"

The three of Zhuang Bufei took orders and immediately opened the Nine Heavens Passage. The outcome was surprisingly smooth. For the past month, whenever they dared to open it, mysterious forces would harass them immediately.

But today, all was quiet. Soon, various departments like the Gray Domain, Dark Domain, Black Domain, and Auditing Bureau of the Hidden Origin Association sent people to announce that several Wandering Taiyi who disturbed the Nine Heavens Passage had been captured, and even a few big figures personally came bringing generous gifts for comfort visits.

Recently, several sub-branch cities taken away were casually returned to the Frost Domain.

Even the Shuang Family came thunderously to reconcile, openly sacrificing ten-odd juniors who participated, sending them to the Sin Prison without any favoritism.

The Frost Monarch forgave all these transgressions, appearing very good-natured.

Until a few days later, as the dust settled, the consensus emerged that she truly exited retreat early, her foundation damaged, and despite her power being unchanged, advancing to Taiyi Ninth Tier was now virtually impossible.

At this moment, the father of the Frost Monarch suddenly arrived in Cyan Frost City.

From afar, Zhuang Bufei, Feng Muhai, and Qu Shenglian were so startled they didn’t dare to make a sound.

Because this man was truly powerful, and his life was filled with legends. Once, when he was at the Taiyi Fifth Tier, he was severely injured, his foundation nearly destroyed with no hope for further cultivation. It was only thanks to his daughter’s miraculous rise that not only brought the Frost Domain to its current position but also personally found the Creation Immortal Medicine in the Outer Heaven to mend his foundation.

Then, nine hundred years ago, he successfully advanced to the Taiyi Eighth Tier.

However, the Shuang Family can only have one Half-step Daluo, and even the entire Hidden Origin Association can only accommodate one Half-step Daluo.

Otherwise, it would be unbearable, as the various Spirit Taxes and Trait Spirit Taxes have already been pushed to the limit.

Now, will they, father and daughter, turn against each other?

Zhuang Bufei and the others were very anxious.

But they really couldn’t help much.

At this moment, within Cyan Frost City, the two top geniuses of the Shuang Family were not having any conflict.

The father of the Frost Monarch was a middle-aged man with graying hair, yet still exceptionally heroic. His appearance bore some resemblance to the Frost Monarch, and his gaze was calm and full of wisdom.

The Frost Monarch knelt opposite to him, her expression equally calm.

"Did you do it on purpose?"

Father Frost took a sip of Spirit Tea and spoke blandly.

"Yes."

The Frost Monarch nodded.

"Why go to such lengths? I’ve told you, put on an act of self-inflicted suffering, let your father handle the dirty and tiring work, and let your father take the blame. Don’t draw too much attention to yourself. You’ve had this personality of striving for everything since you were young, and now it’s all a mess. You, oh you! You thought you’ve done everything seamlessly, but in the eyes of those old foxes, whether you are in or out, you’re already out. From the moment you merged two Vermilion Bird Array Souls and showcased your prowess on the battlefield, you became a stepping stone for that person."

Father Frost sighed deeply. Sometimes he even felt this was his daughter’s silent rebellion, doing it deliberately, using such a tragic way to step out.

"I have a backup plan."

The Frost Monarch raised her head, speaking seriously. She followed the Path of Sincerity, so she wouldn’t lie.

Of course, this sincerity means that when things have come to the fore and are worthy of discussing with her, and if the counterpart brought it up, guessed it, and asked about it, she would tell the truth.

Or if she had made a significant connection with someone, then she would speak the truth, respond sincerely.

It doesn’t mean she would approach an irrelevant passerby and spill all her secrets when they are unaware or unqualified to converse with her.

Even with her people, her disciples, her friends, even her father, she would only respond if he happened to ask.

And even if she responded, she wouldn’t answer in exhaustive detail.

And she adhered to the rule of asking no more than three questions. No matter who it was, after three consecutive questions, the response would be silence.

But that was only superficial sincerity.

The true Path of Sincerity should be practiced through actions.

If someone treats me sincerely, I will treat them sincerely in return.

This Path of Sincerity wasn’t meant to be taken advantage of with deception.

The Frost Monarch’s sword could still kill, and she would occasionally commit small misdeeds, which she found enjoyable.

"Left a backup? Could it be that reincarnated Lu Tong?"

Father Frost chuckled.

"Correct," the Frost Monarch answered straightforwardly. You asked, I answered, all were true words. But at this sentence, Father Frost had already asked three consecutive questions, and he knew this rule.

However, these three questions were enough.

Because he had seen the reincarnated Lu Tong, and indeed, it was an ingenious backup plan. After ten thousand years, the reborn Lu Tong would surely emerge like his daughter did back then, turning the tide.

This was quite good. He also did not wish for his daughter’s progress to truly stop at Taiyi Eighth Tier.

In reality, if achieving Dao and becoming a Daluo immortal was not so crucial, he wouldn’t have insisted as much. Although he did express clearly before that he intended to pave the way for her, yet he had been refused.

Fortunately, they were a family, so it wasn’t a major issue.

After he advanced to Taiyi Ninth Tier and became a Half-step Daluo, he could make proper amends as well.

"I’ll retreat for further cultivation; within ten thousand years, there should be results. Hong Ye, my child, do rest assured. As long as I am here, no one can bully you."

With that said, Father Frost left.

The Frost Monarch stood to send him off, and after a long while, she knelt back down, her gaze seemingly penetrating multiple heavenly veils, falling upon someone.

She indeed had a backup plan, yet no one could guess what it was?

If no one guessed it, of course, she wouldn’t actively speak out.

This wouldn’t violate the Path of Sincerity.