82: Chapter 82: Shifting the Blame to the Peak Master

The lights on the back mountain did not extinguish all night.

There was no hammering from the Munitions Line, no sounds of slaughter from the front lines; there was only the rustling of paper being turned and the scratching of pen tips across bamboo slips.

This was a different kind of battlefield.

A literary battle concerning documents, Karma, and life and death.

Shen Xingzhou, Wen Xi, and a few administrative Disciples with the best handwriting sat around a long table.

Their task was simple, yet cruel: erase the existence of "Shen Xingzhou" and reshape the authority of "Peak Master Luo Qingyi."

"Peak Revered Master, this 'Hengchuan Peak Performance Distribution Interim Regulations' originally had the signature 'Formulated by the Management Group, Approved by Shen Xingzhou'."

Wen Xi held a piece of parchment filled with dense, small text and pushed up her glasses. "I am now scraping off 'Shen Xingzhou' and changing it to 'Specially Approved by Peak Revered Master's Order,' and adding to the header—"

She lifted her brush and, at the very top of the paper, wrote seven characters in an extremely solemn, even slightly official and imposing script:

[Hengchuan Peak Revered Master's Order · Peak Master Luo Qingyi]

"Yes, just like that."

Shen Xingzhou held a small knife, scraping away at another document.

"And this 'Munitions Line Production and Reward/Punishment Regulations,' it was originally a draft I wrote."

"Change all the words like 'proposal' and 'suggestion'."

"Change them to 'instruction' and 'regulation'."

"Make it so that anyone who picks up this document will feel at first glance that this is a divine oracle from the Peak Revered Master, and that I, the person handling the work, simply recorded it honestly."

The documents piled like a mountain on the table each represented a reform on Hengchuan Peak over the past few months.

The mandatory rest System, the Resentment Pool exchange method, the operational process for Name List Fine-tuning, and even the temporary regulation for the "Official Cursing Day."

These were all "crooked tricks" that Shen Xingzhou had once come up with to save people and make money.

Now, they all had to be draped in a sacred cloak.

"This one is the most critical."

Shen Xingzhou picked up the record regarding the "Resentment Pool."

This was the biggest landmine.

If the Audit saw that this was an "Evil Path Qi Gathering Method" created by a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator named Shen Xingzhou, the Heavenly Thunder would likely strike down instantly.

"Wen Xi, the header for this one needs to be changed to be more skillful."

Shen Xingzhou pondered for a moment. "Don't just write Peak Revered Master's Order."

"Add a prefix."

"Write—[Sect Pilot Project: Disciple Wartime Psychological Counseling and Emotional Comfort Mechanism (Peak Revered Master's Order)]."

Wen Xi's hand paused; she looked up at Shen Xingzhou, a flash of shock in her eyes.

"This... is this trying to drag the Sect down with us?"

"Not just the Sect, it's to find a legal father for the 'Resentment Pool'."

Shen Xingzhou's eyes were cold. "As long as we hang the words 'pilot' and 'comfort' on it, in the eyes of the Heavenly Dao, this is a formal medical method, not demonic cultivation."

"Although the literal meaning is complete nonsense, as long as it makes sense on the chain of Karma, we can survive."

All night long.

The sound of scraping knives, writing, and stamping.

All "private laws" became "public laws." All "unregistered entities" found "official backing."

Shen Xingzhou looked at the signatures being replaced one by one; he felt no relief in his heart, only a heavier burden.

This was not just shifting the blame. This was pushing the only backing he had behind him into a pit of fire.

But he had no choice.

At dawn, when the first ray of sunlight shone into the main hall, Wen Xi put down the last brush.

"All done."

She rubbed her sore wrist and let out a long sigh.

The System interface refreshed accordingly.

[Authorization Structure Adjustment (System Backend Update)]

[Old Structure (High Risk):]

Rule Formulation: Shen Xingzhou (Host)

Decision Source: Personal Will / System Algorithm

Peak Revered Master Role: Tacit Approval (Unaware / Indulgent)

Audit Judgment: Bewitching the Masses / Evil Cultivator Disrupting the Law (Primary Target: Shen Xingzhou)

[New Structure (Defensive State):]

Rule Formulation and Authorization: Peak Master Luo Qingyi (Peak Revered Master / Nascent Soul Stage Authority)

Host Role: Executor / Secretary / Optimization Commissioner

Decision Source: Peak Revered Master's Will (Upper-level Instruction)

Audit Judgment: Execution Deviation / Exploratory Error (Primary Target: Peak Master Luo Qingyi)

"Host." The System's voice analyzed calmly, "The chain of Karma has been rewritten."

"In the logic of the Heavenly Dao, a Foundation Establishment Stage Disciple does not have the ability to formulate 'anti-Heavenly Dao regulations'."

"Now, all of this has become a 'capricious attempt' by a Nascent Soul Stage Peak Revered Master."

"The nature of the two is completely different. The former is 'obliteration,' the latter might only be 'admonishment'."

Shen Xingzhou looked at that green line of "Defensive State," a bitter smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"The defense has been established. But as for Revered Master..."

"Every document now has become an arrow pointing at her."

"Let's go." Shen Xingzhou picked up the thick, heavy pile of documents.

"To claim credit."

"And also... to plead guilty."

Inside Peak Master Luo Qingyi's Immortal Cave, the smell of alcohol still permeated the air.

She was lying on a soft couch, resting with her eyes closed, still clutching that empty wine gourd in her hand.

Shen Xingzhou walked in and placed the pile of documents on her desk with a "slap."

The sound was not loud, but it startled Peak Master Luo Qingyi awake.

She opened her eyes, glanced at the mountain-like pile of documents, and frowned slightly: "What is this?"

"Revered Master." Shen Xingzhou did not beat around the bush; he stood before the desk, his back straight.

"This is a set of things that Heng Mountain has come up with over the past few months."

"Performance, Munitions, Resentment Pool... all the messy rules are in there."

He reached out and pointed to the header of the top document—the bright red characters [Peak Revered Master's Order].

"I know the Audit is coming."

Shen Xingzhou looked into Peak Master Luo Qingyi's eyes, his voice low. "I also know that once these things are investigated, death is certain."

"So, I changed them all."

"Now, they are not my ideas."

"They are your orders."

"I am just the person who obediently carries them out."

Peak Master Luo Qingyi was stunned for a moment.

She sat up and casually picked up the one on top.

She flipped through a few pages.

[Hengchuan Peak Revered Master's Order: Instructions Regarding the Establishment of a Disciple War Damage Compensation Mechanism (Resentment Pool)]

Below it was Shen Xingzhou's neat handwriting: [Executing by Order, Shen Xingzhou].

She read very slowly.

Every page, every line of text.

Although she appeared bleary-eyed from drunkenness, her mind was clearer than anyone's.

She knew what Shen Xingzhou was doing.

This kid was trying to survive.

This kid was using her.

This kid was forcefully guiding that "Sword of Heavenly Dao Judgment" hanging over his own head onto hers—a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator.

If it were anyone else who dared to scheme against her like this, they would have long been minced into meat paste by her Sword Qi.

But this was Shen Xingzhou.

The Shen Xingzhou who dared to fight the Heavenly Dao for the sake of saving a few unrelated Disciples.

The Shen Xingzhou who treated Heng Mountain as his home and treated everyone as people.

Peak Master Luo Qingyi closed the documents and tossed them back onto the desk.

"This pot is quite heavy."

She said calmly.

"Heavy." Shen Xingzhou nodded. "It can crush a person to death."

"Crush you to death?"

"Crush Revered Master to death."

The air was silent for a moment.

Peak Master Luo Qingyi did not flip out, nor did she shirk the responsibility.

She picked up the wine gourd again and shook it; although it was already empty, she habitually smelled the aroma of the wine.

Then, she reached out to the last page of the documents, to that blank space waiting for a signature. She picked up the brush.

"Since it was my mountain to begin with."

"Then the rules established on the mountain are naturally set by me."

The brush tip fell. The force penetrated the paper.

It was a name written in wild cursive, free and easy, yet carrying an Aura of looking down on the world—Peak Master Luo Qingyi.

"I didn't manage it before, so you managed it for me."

Peak Master Luo Qingyi said nonchalantly while signing, "Now someone is coming to investigate, wanting to find a scapegoat."

"No way."

"This matter was done by me."

"So what?"

She signed the entire pile of documents in one go. Every one of them was signed without hesitation, signed cleanly and decisively.

After signing the last one, she threw the brush aside, lay back down on the soft couch, and closed her eyes.

"Take them."

"Tell the Heavenly Dao, if it wants to Audit, let it Audit me."

"Don't bother the people under me."

Shen Xingzhou hugged the pile of documents that had become scorching hot, and bowed deeply.

"Thank you, Revered Master."

"Disciple... will take his leave."

He turned and walked out of the Immortal Cave. Every step was taken steadily.

But the moment he turned out of the mountain gate, he looked back.

That lazy figure lay alone in the empty main hall.

She used one person's wine gourd to block the lightning for the entire mountain.

[System Backend: Karma Chain Updated]

[Responsibility Transfer Result: Success]

[Audit Risk Redistribution:]

Host (Shen Xingzhou) Direct Audit Risk: ↓ 80% (Changed from certain death to accomplice)

Peak Revered Master (Peak Master Luo Qingyi) Audit Risk: ↑ 300% (Became the primary target of hatred)

[Note:]

When the Audit pursues responsibility, it will prioritize locking onto the "Signatory."

The Peak Revered Master, by virtue of her Nascent Soul Stage cultivation and Sect status, has a certain ability to resist the lightning (high probability of not dying, but possible serious injury or being crippled).

The Host, as the "Executor," although implicated, will have his culpability significantly reduced, at most resulting in dismissal or salary forfeiture.

[Risk Assessment (New)]

Peak Revered Master (Peak Master Luo Qingyi): Extremely High (Standing in the center of the storm)

Host (Shen Xingzhou): Medium-High (Hiding behind the shield)

Ordinary Disciples: Medium (Due to the legalization of the regulations, they are actually safer)

Shen Xingzhou looked at the words "Medium-High" on the interface; there was not a trace of glee in his heart, only a heavy, crushing guilt.

He survived.

He reduced the risk to a controllable range.

But he pushed the woman who protected her own the most to the edge of a cliff.

On the System interface, that red countdown was still ticking.

[Countdown: 5 days 08 hours 12 minutes]

But below the countdown, the System slowly revealed a faint comment.

It was not data, nor was it a warning.

It was more like an exclamation from an onlooker.

[System Comment]

"In this man-eating world, there is someone willing to stand in front of you to take the blade."

"This is not just a reflection of your luck."

"This is your greatest asset at the moment."

Shen Xingzhou gripped the documents in his arms tightly.

"An asset, huh..."

He gritted his teeth, his eyes becoming incomparably firm.

"Since you have given me your life."

"Then this time, even if I have to poke a hole in this sky, I will never let you die."

"I have shifted this blame."

"But I will accompany you to bear this lightning."