149: Chapter 149: The Debtor is Approaching

In the early morning, the air of Hengchuan Peak not only held the lingering dampness of the previous night but also carried a suffocating metallic scent.

It was the distinct smell of official documents, carrying the cold, unquestionable scent of ink characteristic of the Heavenly Dao Laws.

A massive golden messenger crane broke through the clouds; instead of landing in the main peak plaza as usual, it skimmed low over the nine peaks, casting a long shadow over the summit of each one, while reciting the decree three times in a flat, mechanical voice.

" By the joint order of the Nine Regions Karma Tax Supervision Bureau and the War Debt Liquidation Bureau— "

" The specially appointed Imperial Envoy and War Debt Liquidation Envoy, Lord Bai Heng, shall arrive at the Qingheng Sect within ten days to conduct an on-site Audit and asset verification. "

" All peaks be advised: the 'Heavenly Dao Omniscient Vision' will be activated at that time; any attempt to conceal assets or forge accounts shall be deemed Heaven-Defying. "

As the messenger crane flew away, the golden text remained suspended in the sky, like the blade of a guillotine about to fall.

Shen Xingzhou stood before the mountain gate of Hengchuan Peak, looking up at the line of golden text. The System interface refreshed frantically on his retina, with lines of red data streams pouring down like a waterfall.

[ System Analysis: Official Document ]

Issuing Authority: Nine Regions Karma Tax Supervision Bureau / War Debt Liquidation Bureau (Joint)

Executor: Lord Bai Heng (Codename: Balance)

External Audit Power Rank: S-Rank

Statutory Authority:

War Debt Assessment: Possesses veto power, can directly overturn the Sect's self-Audit reports.

Liquidation Recommendation: Can submit recommendations for "Forced Dismantling" or "Humane Destruction" to the Heavenly Dao Center.

On-site Disposition Power: Can kill any Cultivator hindering the Audit (including those below the Nascent Soul Stage) on the spot without the Sect Head's approval.

" Lord Bai Heng... "

Shen Xingzhou narrowed his eyes, tapped his finger lightly in the Void Realm, and pulled up the System's macro map of the Nine Regions.

On the previously dull gray map, dozens of light points suddenly lit up; these were all the mid-sized Sects within the Nine Regions. Among these dozens of light points, the location of the Qingheng Sect was locked tightly by an extremely glaring red circle.

Next to the circle were four large characters: [ Key Liquidation Sample ].

Immediately after, the System automatically popped up several thumbnail images. These were the "samples" that Lord Bai Heng had personally handled over the past three years.

Shen Xingzhou clicked on the first image.

The scene showed a once-glorious Sect, the "Zixiao Sword Sect." But as Lord Bai Heng entered, the footage began to accelerate. Like a giant beast whose Soul had been extracted, the Sect's mountain gate collapsed overnight, and a massive, black-glowing "Seized" seal was stamped onto the Sect Protection Array. Countless Disciples were displaced, and the Sect Master was stripped of their cultivation and reduced to a prisoner.

Then followed the second, then the third.

[ System Note: Lord Bai Heng's Performance Statistics ]

Attendance: 7 times

Fully Liquidated Sects: 5 (including: Sect annihilation, dismantling, demotion to mortal Sect)

Partially Retained Sects: 2 (only the name was kept, 90% of assets confiscated)

Average Time Taken: 3 days/Sect

Popular Reputation: Death God in White, Accountant Butcher.

" Dealing with a Sect in three days on average... " Shen Xingzhou felt a chill as he looked at this data. Lord Bai Heng wasn't here to Audit accounts; he was here to collect corpses. And his efficiency was despairingly high, giving no one any chance to breathe or maneuver.

" Senior Brother! Senior Brother! "

A series of hurried footsteps interrupted Shen Xingzhou's thoughts. His Second Senior Sister, Su Ciyao, stepped on high-heeled wooden clogs, holding a shimmering Jade Slip in her hands, and ran over excitedly.

Her Face wore that bright smile she only showed when she was about to make big news, completely ignoring the death-warrant-like golden decree above her head.

" Look! Look! " Su Ciyao shoved the Jade Slip into Shen Xingzhou's Face. " I've sent out the trailer! "

Shen Xingzhou looked closely; it was a featured recommendation spot on the "Nine Regions Cultivation Livestream Platform."

On the Jade Slip screen, Su Ciyao wore delicate makeup, with the old yet chic mountain gate of Hengchuan Peak in the background. The title was written in bold red font:

"Exclusive! Live Recording of the Qingheng Sect War Debt Liquidation—Watch How a Bankrupt Sect Fights for Survival?"

" I've already bought promotion across all Nine Regions platforms. " Su Ciyao spun around triumphantly. " I've already thought of the title; let's call it 'The Day the Wage Earner Gets Settled.' Remember to reserve your spot; I'm not charging for tickets this time, it's all about the tips! "

Shen Xingzhou's mouth twitched. " Second Senior Sister, are you turning our funeral into a gala? "

" What funeral? This is traffic! This is attention! " Su Ciyao rolled her eyes at him. " Think about it, if Lord Bai Heng really wants to go for the kill, millions of Cultivators are watching! People from the Heavenly Dao need Face too, right? Even if it's just for show, he has to restrain himself. This is public opinion protection! "

It had to be said that although Su Ciyao's logic was twisted, in this world where traffic was king, it actually made some sense.

The System interface quietly popped up a new analysis box at this moment:

[ Public Sentiment Heat Prediction ]

Livestream Title: #War Debt Liquidation# #The Day the Wage Earner Gets Settled# #Qingheng Sect Fights for Survival#

Estimated Audience: 12% of the total number of Cultivators in the Nine Regions (approx. 30 million viewers)

Heat Rank: Off the Charts

System Evaluation: This is a high-stakes gamble. By using external attention, it forces a "moral filter" onto the Heavenly Dao Audit. As long as the attention is high enough, Lord Bai Heng must consider the backlash of public opinion before taking action.

However, the side effects of this attention also followed.

More and more Disciples gathered in the Hengchuan Peak plaza. Each of them held their Jade Slip, looking at Su Ciyao's livestream trailer, their expressions complex to the extreme.

The live comments were already flooding the reservation page:

" Is this streamer crazy? Livestreaming on a day like this? "

" I've reserved a spot! I just want to see how the Qingheng Sect gets dismantled. I heard the Spiritual Vein over there is good; how much can it sell for after it's dismantled? "

" Sigh, my cousin is a handyman at Hengchuan Peak. When the time comes, give him some Face and don't film him crying... "

" It's over... "

A low-Rank Disciple looked at the screen full of comments from people enjoying the chaos, and collapsed to the ground, pale. " My mom might be watching too... Am I just going to die in front of the camera? This is too embarrassing, right? "

" Senior Brother... "

Several Disciples timidly gathered around Shen Xingzhou, their voices trembling. " Do we really have to livestream? We... we don't want to become the laughingstock of the entire Nine Regions. "

Shen Xingzhou looked at them, his heart sinking.

The System interface captured this emotion at this moment and visualized it as a new stress indicator:

[ New Indicator: External Emotional Pressure ]

Current Value: 75 / 100

Source Analysis:

Fear of Death: 40%

Loss of Face: 60% (Cultivators value dignity as life itself; being executed in front of millions of people is more unbearable than death)

Status: Collective anxiety is transforming into a tendency toward reckless resignation.

" If you don't want to become a joke, then live brilliantly. " Shen Xingzhou threw out the words stiffly, but he knew in his heart that this wasn't just a matter of Face.

Lord Bai Heng's oppressive presence was far greater than they had imagined.

Just then, the main System interface suddenly turned blood-red, and an alarm sounded like thunder deep in Shen Xingzhou's mind.

[ System Red Alert ]

High-risk external auditor detected entering the Sect Domain!

Target Locked: Lord Bai Heng (High-level Agent of the Nine Regions War Debt Liquidation System)

Special Ability Disclosure:

Omniscient Vision: While active, can ignore any illusion arrays or concealment techniques, directly viewing Spiritual Qi flow and actual asset status.

Authority to Report Across Levels: If the Host (Shen Xingzhou) is found to have suspected behavior of "Demonic Path tampering with the Heavenly Dao," can bypass Sect trial and directly apply for Heavenly Dao [Karma Thunder Punishment].

Data Penetration: Has a certain probability of detecting the existence of the V2.0 System interface.

" Has a certain probability of detecting the System interface... "

Shen Xingzhou's pupils suddenly contracted to the size of pinpoints.

This was the most lethal part.

If it were just auditing accounts, he could still use the perfect reports generated by the V2.0 System to bluff. But if Lord Bai Heng could "see" the source of the data, could "see" those System panels that didn't exist in the real world...

Then he, Shen Xingzhou, was the greatest heretic. A virus that must be immediately erased.

" Within ten days... "

Shen Xingzhou clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms.

Not only did he have to prepare accounts that could pass the Audit, but he also had to completely hide the V2.0 System right under the nose of this "Death God in White." This was simply dancing on the tip of a blade without a rehearsal.

The noise in the plaza continued; Su Ciyao was excitedly adjusting the livestream camera angles, muttering about "capturing the beauty of desolation in these ruins."

But Shen Xingzhou turned his head, his gaze piercing through layers of clouds, casting toward the extremely distant horizon.

There, deep within the originally calm clouds, a trace of white light, pure to the point of being eerie, was slowly advancing toward the Qingheng Sect at a constant, unchanging speed.

The light was not dazzling, yet it carried a despair-inducing sense of order. It was the Incarnation of rules, absolute judgment.

The countdown on the System interface ticked quietly at this moment, each second like a heavy hammer striking his heart.

[ Countdown to Lord Bai Heng's Arrival ]

10 days 00 hours 00 minutes

↓

9 days 23 hours 59 minutes

↓

9 days 23 hours 58 minutes

...

A line of small text was reflected in Shen Xingzhou's eyes, coldly watching this precarious Sect.

[ Status ]: Prey has entered the net, hunter is on the way.