I Ruined the Long Ao Tian Script

As Xu Shulou pulled the parasitic insect out, a hallucination seemed to flash before her eyes—a voice, tender and coaxing, whispered in her ear:

"Why resist? Doesn’t it hurt? Wouldn’t it be better to let it stay? You could be an ordinary girl, indulging in romance. You don’t need to be strong or powerful—someone will cherish you, shelter you from storms, and share moonlit moments with you.

You don’t have to be the senior sister who takes care of everyone; it’s time someone took care of you.

No responsibility in this world was ever meant to be yours alone.

You don’t need to remember to add layers to others’ clothing; you too could be pampered and adored..."

In the hallucination, under candlelight, Lu Beichen smiled gently as he draped an outer robe over her shoulders—the scene radiated warmth and safety...

He stood before her, hand outstretched, as if waiting for her delicate fingers to intertwine with his, never to part again.

When she still didn’t reach out, the voice grew more urgent, almost frantic:

"If you remain aloof your whole life, you’ll never know the joy of marital harmony or children gathered at your knees."

Xu Shulou ignored it and yanked the insect out completely. After confirming it was intact, she squashed it flat with a slap: "What nonsense is this? The pain’s unbearable—who has the patience for your rambling?"

Had the insect a soul, it might have lamented casting amorous glances at a blind man.

Xu Shulou looked down at her wound. Aside from the carefully avoided meridians, her left shoulder was nearly gouged into a hole.

She quickly sprinkled the blood-staunching, flesh-regenerating medicine over it.

Bai Roushuang stood frozen. She’d only stepped out to buy wine and food, yet upon returning, the courtyard gate stood wide open, the room splattered with blood, and even Gao Ming—a living, breathing man—was gone.

Xu Shulou stood amid the bloodstains, mop in hand, smiling serenely: "What wine did you get?"

"Senior Sister, you’re... mopping?" Bai Roushuang almost wondered if her sister had killed that annoying physician and dismembered him on the spot, now cleaning up the evidence.

"The blood splattered when I dug out the parasite. I’m tidying up for Fellow Gao—it’s his bedroom, after all."

Gao Ming’s courtyard was small, with three rooms: a bedroom, a woodshed, and a kitchen. Xu Shulou had chosen the most logical one for the extraction.

"Oh, let me help—wait..." Bai Roushuang couldn’t believe her ears. "You’ve already removed the parasite?!"

Xu Shulou pointed to a flattened object on the table: "There it is."

"You sent me away on purpose while extracting it?"

Xu Shulou feigned innocence: "But I kept it to show you."

Bai Roushuang leaned in to inspect the disgusting thing and grew even angrier: "Who wants to see this?!"

Xu Shulou lowered her eyes—almond-shaped and suddenly pitiful: "Then I’ll burn it."

"..." Bai Roushuang inexplicably felt guilty, as if she’d bullied her senior sister. She cleared her throat, trying to sound firm: "Did it work? Any lingering effects?"

"Probably not, but to be safe, we’ll need Fellow Gao to examine me."

"Then where is he?"

"Taken by Black Tortoise Tower," Xu Shulou smiled. "I was just about to head there. Want to stay and finish mopping?"

"I’m coming with you! No more ditching me!"

"Fine. Let’s go now?"

"Wait." Bai Roushuang thrust the wine and food at her stiffly, determined to make her sister acknowledge her anger. "Eat first. I’ll pack up, and you can recover. That extraction must’ve hurt."

Xu Shulou took the offerings, glanced down, and smiled softly: "You bought all my favorites."

Bai ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‍Roushuang clutched her chest, muttering: "They say love parasites make people docile. Why were you so aggressive with it, but now that it’s gone, you’re all gentle?"

Though medicated, Xu Shulou’s wound hadn’t fully healed. She fumbled one-handed with the meal box until Bai Roushuang grumbled and stepped in to arrange the dishes and pour the wine.

Xu Shulou teased: "You’ve changed, Junior Sister. When we first met, you were all soft-spoken and demure. Now you’re so... lively."

...Were you about to say "shrewish"? Bai Roushuang glared: "And whose fault is that?!"

Xu Shulou swiftly changed the subject: "My plan is to stake out Black Tortoise Tower, kidnap a couple of their disciples, and sneak in wearing their uniforms."

Bai Roushuang scoffed: "Oh? After you just dug out a parasite bare-handed, I thought you’d charge in swinging your sword."

Xu Shulou blinked innocently: "How could I?"

Bai Roushuang studied her—now dressed in a black shenyi, hair tied simply—and softened: "You even changed clothes and hairstyle. Were they soaked in blood and sweat?"

Xu Shulou beamed: "A small price to rid myself of the parasite."

Bai Roushuang sighed and indulged the topic shift: "Earlier, while buying wine, I passed a gambling den and saw Shen Ji."

Xu Shulou’s brow twitched: "Oh?"

"Can you really kidnap Shen Ji?"

"Shouldn’t be a problem."

"Don’t push yourself," Bai Roushuang warned. "Remember your injury."

"That’s why I said ‘shouldn’t be a problem.’ If I were unhurt, I’d say ‘no problem at all.’"

"..."

Two hours later, Bai Roushuang stared at the unconscious Left Protector of Black Tortoise Tower lying stripped to his underclothes on the bed and conceded that this was no boast.

Beside him lay an unfamiliar man in an outer disciple’s uniform—Xu Shulou had even thoughtfully provided a pillow.

As Bai Roushuang began stripping the uniform, she asked: "How’d you get Shen Ji back? Everyone in Ruzhou City knows his face."

"Step one: follow him to a secluded spot and knock him out. Step two: disguise him. If you lack a face-changing artifact, a cloth mask suffices. Step three: carry him back quickly, so no one gets a clear look."

Now wearing Shen Ji’s clothes, Xu Shulou stuffed cotton into the waistband to mimic his build.

Face-changing artifacts only altered faces—she daydreamed of someday stealing one that could reshape the whole body.

Bai Roushuang’s disguise was simpler: a fake beard, tied hair, and thick brows. With that, she followed her sister to Black Tortoise Tower.

The tower had countless low-ranking outer disciples—the guards didn’t recognize them all. Seeing Xu Shulou’s token, they waved her inside.

As for Left Protector Shen Ji, he didn't even need a token. Known for his notoriously bad temper, the gatekeepers didn’t dare ask him for one, merely forcing a smile and saying, "The Fifth Young Master asked me to inform you that the item you requested has been delivered to your room."

Xu Shulou gave a cold nod and stepped through the gates. Bai Roushuang quickly moved closer and asked, "What could Shen Ji have asked for?"

"Right now, we face a far more pressing issue," Xu Shulou said, gazing up at the tangled mess of suspended walkways and corridors crisscrossing overhead. "Forget whatever’s in the room—I don’t even know where my room is."

Bai Roushuang sucked in a sharp breath. Who would have thought that getting lost would prove a bigger problem than being exposed?

Fortunately, solutions could always be devised. Xu Shulou mused, "I’ll hide first. Then, you stop a random disciple and say you’re new here, that Left Protector Shen Ji sent you to deliver something to the Fifth Young Master, and ask for directions to his room. We’ll go straight to find Gao Ming."

"Got it!"

Black Tortoise Tower, having long ruled as the local power in Ruzhou City, had grown lax in security. Bai Roushuang easily tricked a disciple into revealing the Fifth Young Master’s location.

Unable to navigate the maze of aerial corridors, the two simply flew up to the fifteenth floor where the Fifth Young Master resided. The moment they landed, they ran straight into Gao Jie himself.

Surrounded by attendants, he smirked at Xu Shulou and waggled his eyebrows. "So? Do you like what’s waiting in your room?"

Xu Shulou deepened her voice to a low, masculine tone. "I haven’t been back yet. What is it?"

Bai Roushuang marveled at how seamlessly her voice had changed—was this a feature of the face-changing artifact, or was it her own ventriloquism skills?

Gao Jie laughed heartily. "Go see for yourself. It’s a surprise."

Xu Shulou nodded. "Did you bring Gao Ming back?"

Bai Roushuang tensed. Would such a direct question raise suspicion?

But Gao Jie didn’t seem suspicious, merely waving a hand in annoyance. "Ugh, who blabbed about that? One of the little ones downstairs, I bet?"

Xu Shulou’s mind worked quickly. She glanced pointedly at his lower half. "Another issue down there?"

"Shh! Keep it down!" Gao Jie leaned in, whispering, "You know how I’ve been indulging a bit too much lately. I just invited him over for a while to help me… readjust. Don’t tell my father, alright?"

"Why would I bother the Tower Master with such things?" Xu Shulou cleared her throat. "Just one thing—when you’re done with him, send him to my room for a checkup too."

Gao Jie brightened, slinging an arm over her shoulder with a knowing grin. "So even Left Protector Shen Ji suffers from depleted vitality? No shame in it! With our friendship, if you need him tonight, I’ll send him straight to your room for a thorough examination."

Bai Roushuang covered her face, certain that the real Shen Ji would be furious when he found out—not only impersonated but also slandered with rumors of impotence.

When they finally returned to the room and saw the "surprise" on the bed, Bai Roushuang decided the rumor was fitting after all.

The so-called "gift" was a young woman, bound tightly with immortal-restraining ropes, gagged, and dressed in flimsy robes—clearly awaiting Shen Ji’s… attentions.

Xu Shulou strode forward and removed the gag. The girl’s eyes welled with tears. "Please let me go! I swear, you can drain my cultivation, just don’t kill me! I won’t tell a soul!"

It was the plump rabbit girl Xu Shulou had patted in the Drunken Life Pavilion about ten days prior.

"Ping’er, it’s me." Xu Shulou wiped her face, removing the disguise and revealing her true features.

"Miss?" Ping’er’s eyes widened in shock and relief. "Why are you here? And why are you dressed as Shen Ji? Where is he?"

"It’s a long story." Xu Shulou untied the ropes.

The moment she was free, Ping’er threw herself into Xu Shulou’s arms, sobbing. "Thank you, miss! I was so scared! Everyone says Shen Ji is a beast behind closed doors. The sisters always made me hide in the courtyard when he visited the pavilion, but they caught me anyway! I thought I was going to die!"

"Shh, it’s alright now." Xu Shulou gently patted her back until her cries subsided.

Bai Roushuang sighed softly, wetting a handkerchief with water from the room and dabbing Ping’er’s tear-streaked face.

Gao Ming likely wouldn’t arrive until evening, so Xu Shulou decided to explore Black Tortoise Tower in the meantime.

But Bai Roushuang insisted on accompanying her, and Ping’er, still shaken, clung to Xu Shulou’s robes, refusing to let go.

Ping’er nodded eagerly.

With a resigned sigh, Xu Shulou began pulling out the cotton padding stuffed between her outer and inner robes, making space for Ping’er to curl up against her stomach. Feeling the small, warm weight nestled there, her heart softened. She gently rubbed the rabbit’s head through the fabric and loosened the collar for better airflow.

Disguised once more, Xu Shulou strolled confidently through Black Tortoise Tower with her two companions in tow. When they reached the twentieth floor, she suddenly asked, "Want to see the Tower’s guardian beast?"

"The cute one?" Bai Roushuang perked up immediately. "Yes!"

At the mention of spirit beasts, Xu Shulou seemed to know her way around. She swiftly guided them through a doorway.

Bai Roushuang fell silent at the sight before her—a massive creature occupying roughly ten floors of space. "This is Black Tortoise Tower’s guardian beast?"

"Obviously."

"But—I thought you meant something fluffy, round, and soft to the touch!" Bai Roushuang gestured emphatically.

Xu Shulou looked puzzled. "Black Tortoise Tower’s guardian beast is, naturally, the Black Tortoise."

"But… you said it was cute!"

"Oh!" Realization dawned. Xu Shulou mimed with her hands. "It can shrink. When it’s tiny, it’s actually quite adorable."

"How tiny?" Bai Roushuang pressed. "Breakfast-sized steamed bun tiny, or lunch-sized pancake tiny?"

"Pancake-sized."

"Shijie!" Bai Roushuang yelped as the Black Tortoise suddenly stirred. "I think it dislikes being compared to food!"

Xu Shulou was already coiled tightly in the beast’s serpentine tail, barely able to move. She shielded the rabbit in her robes and gritted out, "Thanks for the warning. I noticed."

The Black Tortoise’s voice boomed like thunder in her ears: "Shen Ji? I thought I warned you never to appear before me again."

Just how universally despised is this guy? Xu Shulou sighed, wiped her face, and reverted to her true appearance.

"You?" The Black Tortoise sounded even more stunned. "What are you doing here?"

Before Xu Shulou could answer, the serpentine body of the Black Tortoise leaned closer and plucked a trembling rabbit from the collar of her robes. "And what is this? You brought a rabbit to visit me?"

"I... well..." Xu Shulou found herself pinned under the Black Tortoise's two pairs of large, unblinking eyes, an inexplicable sense of guilt creeping over her.