I Ruined the Long Ao Tian Script-Chapter 143

Burying the Sword

Bai Roushuang wanted to accompany her senior sister, Xu Shulou, as she bid farewell to others. But for one or two months, Xu Shulou seemed to wander aimlessly through the mortal world—admiring the grandeur of rivers and valleys, traversing towering mountains and endless deserts, passing through lush forests and vibrant blossoms.

Bai Roushuang understood: she was saying goodbye to this world.

At every stop, Xu Shulou pointed out memories she had left behind.

“See that village? I stayed there once,” Xu Shulou gestured to a stilted house. “The locals even taught me a folk song called ‘Killing the Centipede.’”

Bai Roushuang smiled, her eyes curving like crescents. “I remember—you once played it for us with a blade of grass.”

“They also dragged me into dancing,” Xu Shulou shook her head. “Back then, I had no clue about their customs. I jumped around clumsily for a while before realizing I’d joined a funeral procession.”

“……”

“Oh, and if you’re here, you must try the sour fish soup and five-colored rice,” Xu Shulou blinked. “Otherwise, the trip wouldn’t be complete.”

“Absolutely!” fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

After leaving, the two followed the river, its currents surging eastward.

“Right by this river, I buried my sword,” Xu Shulou gazed at the rushing waters. “Back then, I wasn’t even using Que Xie yet. I thought, since I’d given up on revenge, the sword was useless to me.”

Hearing this for the first time, Bai Roushuang’s voice trembled. “…Where did you bury it?”

“I don’t remember. I never intended to dig it back up,” Xu Shulou replied. “Didn’t even leave a mark.”

“……”

“For a while, I lived in a daze,” Xu Shulou pointed to a nearby town. “I rented a small courtyard there, lying in bed all day, doing nothing, thinking nothing. My neighbor worried I’d die alone and rot inside, disturbing her peace, so she’d peek through my window every day. She poked over a dozen holes in my paper window. When winter came, cold wind blew straight in. I couldn’t be bothered to fix it, so she cursed and grumbled while patching it up—afraid I’d freeze to death.”

“…” Bai Roushuang knew this was after Xu Shulou abandoned her revenge and left the Xiao Kingdom’s palace. She should have felt heartache, but her senior sister’s storytelling was so amusing, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“Sounds rough.”

“It wasn’t, really. Even then, I could feel myself slowly healing,” Xu Shulou mused. “Think of it as a process of self-recovery.”

After being escorted out of the imperial city under someone’s umbrella, she pieced her love back together, bit by bit, in the mortal world.

“……”

The two continued forward, strolling aimlessly without flying on their swords.

“See that restaurant?” Passing through a city, Xu Shulou pointed to an ornate building. “I worked there once.”

“Doing what?” Bai Roushuang asked curiously. “Surely not kitchen work?”

Xu Shulou chuckled. “As a server. The owner was kind—thought I was homeless and took me in. I didn’t object. I worked there, ate and drank, but got no wages.”

“……”

“The other server—oh, he did get paid—would tell me his dreams for the future every day. After each payday, he’d count his coins by lamplight, bragging about how much he’d saved and how soon he’d return to his village to marry his childhood sweetheart,” Xu Shulou smiled. “I stayed until I saw him wed her before moving on.”

For some reason, this simple tale of a server and his village love made Bai Roushuang exhale in relief—at least it was a happy ending. At least her senior sister had witnessed a reunion back then.

“I cheated, though,” Xu Shulou admitted. “I got impatient waiting, so I secretly slipped coins into his money pouch every night.”

“…” Bai Roushuang didn’t know whether to laugh or sigh.

“Those days were actually quite pleasant,” Xu Shulou added. “Except the roast goose shop owner next door thought I was gullible and kept trying to trick me into working for free. His roast goose was delicious, though.”

“…” So you did end up working for him?

“Huh?”

“What is it?” Bai Roushuang asked.

“This jujube tree—I planted it,” Xu Shulou pointed to a flourishing tree at the street corner. “Never thought it’d still be here after all these years.”

Bai Roushuang looked up. Amid the lush branches bloomed five-petaled flowers, yellow tinged with tender green, breathing life into the summer day. Locals lounged beneath it, chatting in the shade. She could already picture autumn—children waiting beneath the tree, eager to pluck ruby-red jujubes.

Xu Shulou patted the trunk. “When I left, it was only as thick as a teacup. Now look at it.”

Even after you’re gone, the traces you leave behind remain.

Bai Roushuang wanted to say this, but the words caught in her throat.

As if speaking them would make the farewell real.

They left the city, choosing a direction at random.

Xu Shulou pointed to another village. “I stayed here for a while too.”

Bai Roushuang studied the unremarkable village, searching for traces of her senior sister’s past.

“I don’t recall its name, just that my neighbor had a big tabby cat. It was hopeless at catching mice, so they wanted to abandon it,” Xu Shulou said softly. “Their eight- or nine-year-old child was so worried, he’d sneak out at night with friends to catch mice and lay them by the door, pretending the cat did it.”

“…Did his parents never find out?”

“They knew from the start. But they pretended to be fooled.”

Bai Roushuang smiled, warmth blooming in her chest.

They strolled along the village creek. Xu Shulou continued, “Back then, I often speared fish here—quick and precise. I’d take them to Widow Wang’s house, and she’d make soup, keeping half and giving me the rest. Her fish soup was exquisite. Sometimes, she’d share her coarse grain cakes too.”

“Did you rent a place here?” Bai Roushuang asked.

“Mhm,” Xu Shulou nodded. “Back then, I wandered without purpose. When in good spirits, I’d rent a house or stay at an inn. When down, I’d sleep anywhere—abandoned mountain temples, city rooftops. Harshly put, it was roughing it. More poetically, I slept under the moon and breeze.”

Bai Roushuang pressed her lips together.

"Once, I was even mistaken for a beggar in the city. They told me to move along and not steal their business," Xu Shulou chuckled. "But one of them gave me half a steamed bun, saying life was hard for everyone. I secretly left him a silver ingot before I left."

"What happened after that?"

"Later, I met a young lady from a wealthy family who wanted to buy me as her maid," Xu Shulou recalled. "At the time, I didn’t want to do anything—I just stared blankly at the sky all day. But she felt a connection with me and kept me by her side. Eventually, when it was time for her to marry, her parents sent servants to investigate the suitors. I snuck onto rooftops at night to dig up gossip about those prospective grooms. I ended up ruining four or five marriage proposals—there was one who frequented brothels, another who was in love with someone else, and even one who had already taken a concubine before marriage… Every time I exposed one, her parents would stomp around the main hall, cursing those scoundrels, while she and I hid in the courtyard, giggling."

Bai Roushuang couldn’t help but laugh. "How long did you stay with her?"

"About half a year," Xu Shulou said. "Eventually, she met a truly honorable gentleman—one who wasn’t after her family’s wealth—and she liked him too. Once I was sure she’d be happy, I left."

"That’s wonderful."

"Yes," Xu Shulou agreed softly. "It really was."

Bai Roushuang suddenly thought of something. "Didn’t you ever encounter any bad people or terrible things?"

"I met plenty," Xu Shulou smiled. "But the things I remember—and the stories I tell you—are the good ones."

Bai Roushuang froze, feeling tears well up unexpectedly in her eyes.

Xu Shulou gently stroked her hair. "Why are your eyes suddenly red?"

"It’s nothing," Bai Roushuang quickly shook her head. "What happened after that?"

"After that… I traveled to many, many places and picked up my sword again," Xu Shulou said, her expression gentle. "This time, not to kill, but to save."

"..."

"And ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌‍since then, I’ve never put down my sword."

"...Shijie," Bai Roushuang’s voice trembled. "Don’t worry. After you’re gone, I’ll work hard to grow stronger, uphold justice, and protect this world in your place!"

Xu Shulou shook her head. "I don’t want to burden you with that responsibility."

Bai Roushuang could no longer hold back and burst into tears. "Shijie!"

Xu Shulou hugged her, patting her back. "Don’t cry. I promise you—if it’s possible, I’ll find a way to come back and see you."

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