I Ruined the Long Ao Tian Script-Chapter 153

Lingxiao Sect.

"Have you heard the phrase 'Are kings and nobles born to their purple?'" A rather ordinary-looking man whispered mysteriously into Lu Beichen's ear. "I believe you're destined for greatness!"

"I've heard it," Lu Beichen replied, giving him a look as if he were an idiot. "This... fellow cultivator, what exactly do you want?"

The man scratched his head and muttered, "Oh right, that is an ancient saying. But isn Treading the Immortal Path a fictional setting? How does he know it?"

A young woman nearby rolled her eyes. "Illiterate."

"Oh, you're so cultured—why don't you handle this then?"

As the two seemed about to start bickering, Lu Beichen rubbed his temples. "Fellow cultivators, the Lingxiao Sect's disciples in charge of recruitment are over there. I don’t handle these matters."

"We're not here to join the sect," the man quickly called out. "We came specifically for you—aren’t you Lu Beichen?"

"I am. What do you want with me?"

"We’ve long admired your reputation, Master Lu!" The man immediately bowed deeply. "We’ve come to pledge ourselves to you!"

"..."

The girl whispered a reminder, "Isn’t 'Master' the wrong title for this era?"

"You don’t get it—people were called 'Master' in ancient times too. Or should I call him 'Lord Lu' instead?"

"Have you been reading The Plum in the Golden Vase too much?"

"Can you not pick fights with me?" the man snapped. "We’re in this together—if you’re not going to help, at least stop making snide remarks!"

"Who’s 'in this together' with you? Weren’t you the one who said you’d kill Xu Shulou? Go on then! Why follow me to Lingxiao Sect?"

"..." The man had no comeback and just rubbed his nose awkwardly.

Lu Beichen had already seized the chance to slip away, leaving the two standing there in awkward silence.

A few days earlier, something utterly bizarre had happened to them—

Bad news: They had time-traveled.

Good news: They realized they’d been transported into the world of Treading the Immortal Path, a popular xianxia novel with a male protagonist. Having followed the serialization, they knew the plot.

Another piece of good news: They’d met another transmigrator. Clutching each other’s hands with tears in their eyes, they rejoiced at having a companion in this strange world.

Bad news: Less than a minute later, they discovered they had repeatedly clashed on online forums over this very novel, hurling insults and forming a deep-seated grudge.

They knew each other’s forum IDs and past comments by heart. Once their identities were exposed, the atmosphere turned painfully awkward.

Strangely, the same people who had spewed venom online now seemed timid in person, perhaps due to the shock of being thrust into an unfamiliar world.

While exchanging information, the girl sighed. "If I’d known trash-talking the novel would land me here, I’d have held back."

The man shot her a glare. "At least you have a reason. I didn’t even criticize it—why am I here?"

The girl wanted to retort—Didn’t you love this trashy harem novel? Isn’t this a dream come true for you?—but held back, considering they might need to rely on each other to survive.

With no way to return and too afraid to test whether death would send them back, they stopped a random passerby to ask about the current year.

The local gave them the era name and year, but it meant nothing to them—who memorizes fictional era names from a novel? Even the most devoted fans wouldn’t.

What now? After some discussion, they decided to seek out characters from the story to pinpoint the timeline.

They inquired about nearby cultivation sects and found that the nearest was the Harmony Sect. The girl brightened. "Perfect! The novel mentioned the Harmony Sect owns spirit mines—they’re filthy rich. And Luo Fusheng is naive and loaded. Maybe we can get something out of them."

Following directions, they made their way to Frostless City. The man suddenly had an idea. "Remember that part where Gao Ming, heir of the Black Tortoise Tower, saved a Harmony Sect disciple?"

"Yeah. Gao Ming ended up with shattered meridians, and the Tower Lord massacred the Harmony Sect in retaliation," the girl said, frowning. "No idea if that’s already happened. We should be careful not to walk into a bloodbath."

"I was thinking we could stage our own 'hero saves the beauty' scene," the man said with a wink. "Use it to get close to the Harmony Sect."

"Hero?" The girl gestured between them. "With our strength, who exactly are we saving?"

"Doesn’t have to be about strength." He motioned for her to lean in. "The novel says Harmony Sect disciples are universally despised—hissed at whenever they come to Frostless City for supplies. We just wait for that moment, then step in to defend them."

"Not a bad plan, but it might not be enough..." After a moment’s thought, she added, "Better yet, hire some thugs to pelt us with tomatoes and eggs, maybe kick us a few times, and shout about driving us out of the city. That way, the Harmony Sect might take pity and take us in."

"Did tomatoes even exist back then?"

"No idea... but persimmons did, right?"

"Fine. Heroic rescue plus a sympathy play?" The man nodded. "Worth a shot."

Fortunately, their bodies’ original owners had some money on them, so they rented a place in Frostless City and waited for Harmony Sect procurement disciples to appear.

While killing time, they visited the city’s "Immortal’s Blade" tavern and listened to a tale about a selfless immortal. Both privately scoffed—How could anyone fall for this obvious marketing ploy?

While surveying the streets from a vantage point, the girl tugged the man’s sleeve. "Isn’t that them?"

She didn’t need to elaborate—after days of surveillance, he knew exactly what she meant. Squinting, he confirmed, "High buns, robes embroidered with harmony flowers—definitely them. Let’s go!"

As he tailed the Harmony Sect disciples, the girl hurried to an alley where their hired thugs waited. "Follow me. When I give the signal, start pelting me with eggs and yell about banishing us from Frostless City. Act vicious! You’ll get the rest of your payment afterward."

The thugs gave her a thumbs-up.

When she caught up with the man, she found him trailing the Harmony Sect girls with a dejected expression. "Why haven’t you started yet?"

"...Someone needs to harass them first," he sighed.

Rolling her eyes, she followed along. At a bamboo mat stall, a Harmony Sect disciple carefully selected one. As she paid, the vendor offered, "I’ll throw in a woven grass cushion for you."

"Thank you."

The woman gaped, "Isn't this quite harmonious?"

"Exactly! It's been like this the whole way. No one's spitting in disgust, let alone calling anyone a 'seductress,'" the man replied, looking rather disappointed. Having traveled through time, he had hoped to indulge his fantasy of "rescuing a fallen woman," but now it seemed his plan was falling apart.

The woman gritted her teeth. "Let’s follow two more stalls. If no one insults them, I’ll just hire those thugs to do it!"

"Fine."

But their plan was swiftly rejected. The thugs shook their heads like rattles. "No way, not doing it!"

The woman pressed, "I’ll pay extra."

"It’s not about the money," one thug insisted, shaking his head again. "Are you crazy? Picking a fight with the Huanhuan Sect?"

The woman scoffed. "They’re just a few procurement disciples. What’s the big deal? Are you all that cowardly?"

The thug shook his head once more. "Over a decade ago, when the drought hit, some of us here nearly didn’t make it. It was the Huanhuan Sect who helped us survive. We don’t forget our debts."

"This…" This wasn’t how it was written in the book. The two exchanged puzzled glances. The novel had only described the common folk’s disdain for the sect’s so-called "seductresses." Where was this plotline?

"Besides, with Sect Leader Luo’s temper, if you mess with her procurement disciples today, she’ll crack your skull open tomorrow," the thug said, shoving the deposit back into their hands. "Had I known this was about the Huanhuan Sect, I’d never have agreed. You two better watch yourselves!"

"……"

The thugs scurried off, leaving the pair utterly defeated.

The woman despised the Huanhuan Sect’s dual cultivation techniques and refused to join them to achieve her goals. The man, being male, couldn’t enter the sect either. Unsure where to go next, they lingered resentfully in the area for a while but found no other opportunities.

What now? After some discussion, they decided: since the protagonist of this world was Lu Beichen, they might as well find him first.

The location of the Lingxiao Sect wasn’t hard to discover. They trekked across mountains and rivers, passing through Sweetwater Town along the way. Suddenly, the man grew excited. "Do you remember this place?"

"What’s special about Sweetwater Town?" The woman had no recollection.

"It’s the hometown of Su Lian'er, one of Lu Beichen’s love interests," the man explained. "The town was destroyed by a flood, and she ended up homeless, tricked into becoming a test subject for alchemists. Later, Lu Beichen saved her."

The woman smirked. "So that’s why you insisted on detouring here—just wanted to see a woman, huh?"

"I did like Su Lian'er when I read the book," the man admitted, "but I mainly wanted to confirm the timeline. We don’t remember the era name. If we ask when the flood happened, we can figure out where we are in the plot."

"Fine, that makes sense."

But plans rarely survive reality. Their trip to Sweetwater Town proved it.

After asking around, they received the same answer:

What flood? There was no flood.

Destroyed the town? Never happened.

"……"

Stunned, Lu Yi wanted to curse the author. What kind of writing was this? Nothing matched up.

Lu Jia, however, persisted. Eventually, an elderly local told them that about a century or two ago, the Canglan River had flooded, nearly submerging the town. Fortunately, a passing immortal calmed the waters with a folding fan and saved everyone.

Lu Jia frowned. "Was there a Su family in town with a daughter named Su Lian'er?"

The old man paused. "Su Lian'er? Of course."

"…What happened to her?"

"Oh, they discovered she had spiritual roots. Her parents were overjoyed and sent her off to a major sect to cultivate. The neighbors even pitched in when the family couldn’t afford the journey," the old man recalled fondly. "She returned once, said she was doing well, donated silver to rebuild the roads, and built her parents a grand house. That was ages ago. See that courtyard at the street corner? That’s the Su residence."

"……"

The two exchanged glances. "I feel as lost as I did in calculus class."

"……"

"Maybe it’s just a coincidence. The name isn’t unique," the woman said, turning back to the old man. "Are there other Su Lian'ers in town?"

"Plenty," the old man chuckled. "After her, many families named their daughters Lian'er. A few Su families did too."

Relieved, they concluded, "Just a namesake, then. The real Su Lian'er’s story hasn’t happened yet. We’ve arrived before the flood."

They pressed on, with the man eagerly pointing out landmarks from the novel. One day, he gestured to a city. "This is where the generous philanthropist Shen Zhuang lived."

The woman’s eyes lit up. "A philanthropist? Maybe we can get some travel funds from him."

The man hesitated. "Worth a try."

But their excitement faded fast.

Locals scratched their heads. "Shen Zhuang? You mean that scumbag who ran the beast-fighting pits? Yeah, he was killed ages ago."

"By who?"

"Xu Shulou."

"Xu Shulou?"

Baffled, they left the city and headed straight for the Lingxiao Sect.

Luckily, they arrived during the sect’s recruitment period and slipped in with the new disciples.

But the Lingxiao Sect was nothing like the novel’s description—it looked… shabby. Even on recruitment day, barely anyone showed up.

The man frowned. "The novel never mentioned this. Lu Beichen was always the golden boy. When was he ever down on his luck?"

"Right," the girl agreed. "I remember forum readers complaining that unlike other male-led cultivation novels, this one skipped the underdog arc entirely."

"But this works in our favor," she reasoned. "If we approach him at his peak, he’d ignore us. But if we help him now, he’ll owe us."

"True."

"So what about your grand plan to 'kill Xu Shulou first after transmigrating'?"

"Why the rush? You gonna stop me?"

"She’s just a dumb, lovestruck side character," the girl shrugged. "Not worth my time."

Seeing her indifference, the man admitted sheepishly, "Honestly, I just hated Xu Shulou’s character. I ranted online—who knew I’d actually end up here? A real person… I couldn’t actually kill someone."

It was the truth. Before transmigrating, he’d been a shut-in who’d never even slaughtered a chicken, let alone a human.

The girl rolled her eyes.

"Don’t just look down on me—what about you?" the man retorted indignantly. "You keep calling Lu Beichen a womanizer, yet you’re still trying to cling to his coattails?"

"I’m doing it to survive. He’s the protagonist with great fortune—it’s easier to get by with him around," the girl shot back. "Besides, I plan to become his junior sister and find ways to benefit from his opportunities. I’m nothing like those useless women of his."

"How are they useless?" The man counted on his fingers. "In the story, Ling Yuechan gave him intel on the demon race, Fu handed him a life-saving treasure, and even—"

"Enough, you don’t get my point at all," the woman interrupted impatiently. "You accuse me of clinging to him, but aren’t you doing the same?"

"Who says I am? I’m going to infiltrate his circle, wait for the plot I know to unfold, then steal his opportunities—and his women," the man boasted smugly. "We’re modern people with knowledge of the story—how could we lose to him?"

"...Right, very ambitious."

They stopped bickering and went to register with the reception disciple. Since they didn’t know the original names of the bodies they’d taken over, they casually made up aliases—the man called himself Lu Jia, and the woman went by Lu Yi.

"Lu Jia and Lu Yi—basically 'Extra A' and 'Extra B.' How lazy can we get with these names…"

Luckily, they had decent fortune. The bodies they’d transmigrated into had traces of spiritual energy, and though their cultivation was weak, they managed to sneak into the Lingxiao Sect as outer disciples.

However, after two months, they realized their plan wasn’t working. The Lingxiao Sect was currently in decline, and outer disciples received few resources. The idea of "offering help in Lu Beichen’s time of need" was meaningless when they had nothing to offer. Were they supposed to win his favor with empty motivational speeches?

With no skills to speak of, did they really think a line like "You’re destined for greatness, and I’ll follow you to the death" would make Lu Beichen support them for free?

Besides, outer disciples rarely got to see Lu Beichen, and the two of them couldn’t endure the hardships of cultivation. They were thoroughly disheartened.

Then, they got an opportunity to join Lu Beichen on a treasure-hunting expedition in a secret realm.

The artifacts in this minor realm weren’t particularly powerful—Lu Beichen had no use for them. He was only leading the new and outer disciples there to gather cultivation resources.

Lu Jia and Lu Yi tagged along, marveling at everything like tourists, itching to whip out their phones and snap pictures for social media.

Just before entering the realm’s gate, they ran into another group.

Lu Beichen recognized them at a glance. "It’s the Dustless Island group."

Lu Jia immediately perked up and whispered to Lu Yi, "Heh, didn’t expect to meet them so soon! Dustless Island—do you think Xiao Bai might be with them?"

Lu Yi rolled her eyes. "What’s so great about a parasitic flower like her?"

"What do you know?"

"What’s there to know?" Lu Yi scoffed. "You guys just love these weak, useless women, don’t you?"

Lu Beichen stepped forward with a smile. "Junior Sister Bai."

"Senior Brother Lu, bringing new disciples treasure-hunting?" Bai Roushuang smiled back. "Care to join us?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Lu Jia’s eyes sparkled as he nodded vigorously.

Bai Roushuang gave him a strange look. "New disciple?"

Lu Jia tugged excitedly at Lu Yi. "Even her voice is so nice."

"...You haven’t even figured out the plot, and you’re already trying to flirt?"

Lu Beichen nodded. "Sure, thank you, Junior Sister Bai."

Over the years, he’d mellowed considerably, so accepting Bai Roushuang’s invitation no longer bothered him.

The two small groups merged and entered the realm together.

Lu Yi frowned. "Where are we in the timeline? They don’t seem particularly close."

Lu Jia rubbed his hands. "Must be early on—Lu Beichen and Xiao Bai just met, before they got together."

Their constant whispering drew Lu Beichen’s attention. He glanced back and frowned. "Focus."

The two fell silent, pretending to observe their surroundings intently.

That was when they spotted a strange, giant two-headed fly diving toward the group. Lu Jia panicked, but seeing others draw their weapons to intercept it, he relaxed. Then, an idea struck him. He rushed forward, shielding Bai Roushuang. "Don’t be afraid, Miss Bai! I’ll protect you!"

He gloated inwardly. Lu Beichen, if you’re too dense to seize the chance to win her over, don’t blame me for taking the lead.

He turned, expecting to see the delicate damsel in distress—only to find empty air. Confused, he looked around and met Lu Beichen’s complicated expression instead.

Bai Roushuang’s voice came from the side—she’d simply repositioned for a better view of the fight. "Junior Sister Li, aim for its compound eyes! Disciple Shen, slash the base of its wings! Flank it, don’t charge head-on! Put some strength into it—hack it to death!"

Lu Jia gaped. Lu Yi elbowed him. "Are you sure this is Bai Roushuang?"

"Of course! Dustless Island, surname Bai, dressed in white, wields a sword, looks pure and innocent—who else could it be?"

Lu Beichen cleared his throat. "The two of you aren’t ready to fight two-headed flies yet, but at least pay attention to how others engage the enemy."

"..."

"Watch out!"

While Bai Roushuang had been directing the younger disciples, another fly lunged. She finally stepped in herself, her robes fluttering as her sword flashed like a rainbow.

Seeing the ethereal, sword-wielding immortal maiden straight out of a xianxia novel, Lu Jia and Lu Yi stared, slack-jawed.

Bathed in sunlight, Bai Roushuang was as beautiful as a dewy flower at dawn, her eyes like spring water, clear and bright. At first glance, she did resemble the parasitic vine Lu Yi had described.

But when her slender waist twisted like a dancer’s, she executed a lethal strike with effortless grace.

Lu Beichen watched from below, a hint of nostalgia in his gaze.

Once both flies lay dead, the Dustless Island disciples bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your guidance, Elder Bai."

"No need for formalities."

Elder ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‍Bai?! Lu Jia and Lu Yi exchanged glances before rushing forward. "Elder Bai, would you mind telling us your full name?"

"Bai Roushuang."

"..." Lu Jia pressed, "Is there any chance Dustless Island has another girl with the same name?"

Bai Roushuang shook her head. "What exactly are you trying to ask?"

The other disciples eyed him warily.

Lu Yi quickly pulled him back. "Never mind."

Lu Beichen, however, patted his shoulder knowingly. "Give it up. The 'hero saves the beauty' routine stopped working two hundred years ago."

"..." Liar, Lu Jia thought. In the novel, you used it on multiple women, and it worked every time.

As for his valiant attempt, Bai Roushuang had only one remark: "Next time we face enemies, don’t block my line of sight."

In recent years, she had long grown unaccustomed to positioning herself as the vulnerable one. As the White Elder of Dustless Island, it was her duty to stand firm and protect the disciples behind her.

Lu Jia could only nod awkwardly in response.

"What was that?!" someone in the group cried out in alarm.

A deafening explosion suddenly erupted from the other end of the secret realm, shaking the entire space. Against the backdrop of overwhelming flames, thick smoke billowed skyward, and a wave of scorching heat surged toward them, sending the crowd into a flurry of panicked gazes.

"No need for alarm," Bai Roushuang reassured them. "My senior sister has also entered the realm. There’s a type of mushroom here—when ground into powder, it enhances the flavor of soups. She took advantage of the realm’s opening to gather some."

"If it’s Xu Shulou, this isn’t surprising at all," Lu Beichen remarked with a wry smile. The disciples of Dustless Island also wore expressions of understanding, not even bothering to question why searching for an edible mushroom would result in an explosion.

Bai Roushuang couldn’t help but laugh. It seemed everyone had grown accustomed to it. As she gazed at the blazing spectacle in the distance, she thought to herself—her senior sister’s life was as dazzling as a firework, leaving explosions in her wake wherever she went.

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