186: Chapter 186: Downgrade Notice from Rating Agencies

The morning sun had just spilled onto the brand-new plaque of the "Lingjian Combat Division," and the Disciples still in morning training had just received their first batch of new Xuan Iron armor that smelled of tung oil.

A long-lost atmosphere filled with hope was echoing over the Qingheng Sect. It felt like a drowning person finally grabbing hold of a piece of driftwood; though cold, it was at least enough to catch one's breath.

However, before they could even steady their breath, a dull sound like tearing silk came from above the firmament.

It was not thunder; it was the sound of some high-dimensional rule chain snapping.

Immediately after, a blinding golden light talisman, carrying irresistible pressure, ignored the Qingheng Sect's already somewhat weak triple barrier formation and tore through the air. It hovered directly above the Sect's main peak, unfurling into a massive document a hundred zhang long.

That golden light was not sacred; instead, it exuded a cold, mechanical, metallic texture.

"Nine Provinces Sect Credit Rating Bureau · Official Notice No. 00982"

Subject: Qingheng Sect (including Lingjian Peak and all subordinate units)

Reason:

Following real-time monitoring by the bureau's "Abnormal Karma Monitoring Center" and background big data comparison, it has been discovered that this Sect has recently exhibited serious "non-natural order disturbances."

Specific violations:

Suspected use of Demon Race Bloodline power to interfere with normal War Debt settlement processes.

Enabling an uncertified abnormal War Debt System, tampering with underlying Karma logic.

* Engaging in forced reduction of War Debt risks through irregular means (such as the so-called "merger" and restructuring), which constitutes malicious evasion of Heavenly Dao liquidation.

Ruling:

Given that the above behaviors pose a potential threat to the financial order of the Cultivator world, the following penalties are hereby issued:

Credit Rank Downgrade: B+ —> C-

Effective immediately.

As this line of text slowly froze in place, the Spiritual Qi clouds circulating above the Qingheng Sect seemed to have half their substance suddenly drained away.

The light of the protective mountain formation dimmed visibly, emitting an unbearable humming sound. In the underground Spiritual Vein delivery pipes, the flow of the originally surging spiritual springs dropped sharply, and even the medicinal gardens in the mountains, originally rich in Spiritual Qi, instantly became somewhat withered.

At this moment, everyone felt their breath catch. It was as if someone climbing a slope while carrying a heavy load had suddenly had another mountain thrown onto their back.

Shen Xingzhou stood on the square in front of the main hall, and the System interface before his eyes instantly exploded into a sea of blinding red alarms.

"System Analysis: Credit Downgrade Impact Assessment"

Core indicator changes:

Sect loan interest rate for the next ten years: +80% (compound interest mode activated)

Official resource allocation (Spirit Stone quota, Medicinal Pill supplies): -40% (entered "rationing" queue)

War Debt buffer quota (safety margin): -50%

Estimated War Debt pressure:

From 44% (edge of safety line) —> 58% (back to red alert)

System narration (gray):

"You helped them block one explosion, solving the life-and-death problem of thousands. So they decided you were uncontrollable and handed you a new bomb."

Logical closed loop: Saving people = Violation = Credit bankruptcy = Unable to repay debt = Death.

This is truly... impeccable absurdity.

The atmosphere in the main hall instantly dropped to freezing.

"This is simply outrageous!"

An Elder slammed the table and stood up, his beard trembling with rage. "The merger was to survive, to keep the Disciples from going to their deaths! How did it become 'Demon Race power' in their mouths? How did it become 'malicious evasion'?"

"This is robber logic!" Another Elder, face ashen, slumped in his chair. "The risks we worked so hard to suppress were raised back up by them with a single official document. This isn't a rating; this is killing the chicken to warn the monkey!"

Panic spread through the Elder Council like a plague. The older generation of Cultivators, who had been slightly settled by the successful merger, felt their wavering return.

"I said it earlier... we cannot go against the War Debt Bureau."

"Now it's great, our credit rating has dropped to C-, who will dare to lend us money in the future? No Spirit Stones, no resources, how are we supposed to fight this war?"

"Sect Head, why don't we... why don't we retract the merger? We can go to the War Debt Bureau and admit our mistake; even if we are taken over, at least half of our people can live!"

The Disciples were more direct; they looked at the golden light above their heads, their eyes full of confusion and anger.

"Saving people... is also a penalty?"

"So the Heavenly Dao prefers us to die in neat, orderly rows?"

"This broken Cultivator world, not worth cultivating!"

Just as the crowd was seething with indignation, and some were even wanting to draw their swords to strike at that document, a crisp sound of clapping erupted abruptly.

"Clap, clap, clap."

Su Ciyao sat on the eaves of the main hall, twirling an image-recording stone in her hand, her face wearing that mocking smile that saw through the world's absurdities.

"What are you all arguing about?" Su Ciyao cleared her throat and spoke loudly to the entire Sect's broadcast channel. "Fellow Daoists, I know this official document is too flowery to understand. Since everyone likes to hear 'Mortal speak,' this lady will begrudgingly translate it for you."

She pointed at the golden light above her head, her voice ringing clearly throughout the entire Sect:

"The meaning of this notice is actually very simple, just three sentences."

"The first sentence: You kid are too capable; you actually paid off your debt without dying. This doesn't fit our harvest expectations, so you must have used evil arts."

"The second sentence: We don't care if you used Demon Race power or some demonic magic; in any case, you blocked our blade for reaping leeks, and that is a great disrespect."

"The third sentence—"

Su Ciyao sneered and raised a finger:

"Since you won't let us reap, we will sharpen this sickle, raise the interest, and block your path, to see if you die first or beg for mercy first."

"Translation complete. What is this called? This is called saving the day, and not only do they not thank you, they even accuse you of 'picking a quarrel and provoking trouble'!"

Boom—!

Su Ciyao's plain-spoken translation was like a spark thrown into a pile of dry firewood. The feeling of powerlessness from being suppressed by the rules was instantly replaced by a more direct anger.

The public opinion panel on the System interface saw data jumping crazily.

"Public Opinion Monitoring: Internal Sect Trust"

Trust in the Nine Provinces Credit Rating Bureau: Plunged to 5% (previously 80%)

Support for "War Debt Reform": Rising instead of falling (because everyone realized that resistance is the only way out)

Shen Xingzhou stood below the stage, watching Su Ciyao's figure, and nodded inwardly. Emotions need an outlet; Su Ciyao opened this outlet, reducing the "invincible rules" into "despicable villains," which instead gave everyone the courage to resist.

Meanwhile, Wen Xi stood at Shen Xingzhou's side, her spectacle lenses reflecting countless flowing data streams. She was not angry; she was only calmer, colder.

She reached out and grabbed the battle damage data from the last half-month, the War Debt Bureau's judgment, and the Qingheng Sect's rating change curve from the Void Realm. Then, she typed a line of instructions on the System keyboard.

"Instruction: Establish Correlation Analysis Model"

Input: Qingheng Sect's actual performance (excellent) VS Rating result (C-)

Logical judgment: Input and output are seriously inconsistent, and it presents clear characteristics of "targeted punishment."

Wen Xi's finger struck the "Enter" key heavily.

"Since the Heavenly Dao is unreasonable, we will turn this 'unreasonableness' into data."

Following her operation, the System's underlying logic seemed to undergo a subtle tremor. This was the first time the System had actively initiated a counter-question against "external rules."

"System Response"

New field identified:

External rule skew: Medium

Definition:

When external judgment rules (credit rating) systematically deviate from objective facts (survival rate increase, War Debt decrease), it is recognized as "rule skew."

Function unlocked:

Allowed to enable "Public Opinion Linkage" function (converting internal dissatisfaction into external volume)

Allowed to invoke "Yellow Springs Data Comparison" function (using real data from the underworld to strike at the fake accounts of the Yang world)

"Skew: Medium."

Shen Xingzhou looked at this newly appeared term, a flash of realization crossing his mind. This meant that the System was no longer just a passive recording tool; it had begun to possess the ability to "judge right from wrong." Since it believed the rules were crooked, it had a way to straighten them—or at least, use this "crookedness" to fight back.

The noise in the main hall gradually subsided, replaced by a deeper silence. It was the dead silence of those pushed to the edge, preparing for a final stand.

Everyone looked at Shen Xingzhou.

Shen Xingzhou looked up at that high-and-mighty golden notice. In the corner of the System interface, a small prompt box was lighting up silently.

That was not a task, nor was it an alarm. It was a key.

"System Prompt"

Detected that external rule skew is too high, conventional appeal channels have been closed.

Enable special analysis:

"What exactly is Nine Provinces Credit rating?"

Function description:

Automatically generate a network-wide press release (including all Nine Provinces Sects and Loose Cultivator channels).

Publicly collide the Qingheng Sect's real data with the rating agency's judgment.

Risk warning:

This operation will significantly increase "public attention."

And will further attract the Heavenly Dao's gaze (may invite more powerful strikes).

Shen Xingzhou stared at that "Yes" button.

If he didn't press it, the Qingheng Sect would slowly die amidst usury and resource blockades.

If he pressed it, it would mean tearing off the mask completely and burning the flames of war into the entire Cultivator world's public opinion field.

This was to escalate "local resistance" into "total war."

Shen Xingzhou took a deep breath, and in that silence where all eyes were upon him, he slowly reached out his hand.