I Ruined the Long Ao Tian Script

The Bait

On Dustless Island, beneath the setting sun, Bai Roushuang stood beside her senior sister, watching the newlyweds walk hand in hand. She couldn’t help but think how enviable their love was—so much so that even immortals might yearn for such companionship.

Thoughts of love drifted through her mind, and though Lu Beichen came to mind, she felt no regret. On the path to immortality, everyone had their own pursuits.

Her gaze then fell upon the treats in Sheng Wuyou’s parents’ hands, and she chuckled. “Senior Sister, just how many sticks of ice cream did you prepare?”

“I bought a hundred during my last break,” Xu Shulou blinked, “ate eighty myself, and saved twenty to bribe the rest of you.”

“…”

———

The wedding banquet came to an end, and Sheng Wuyou spent her first night on Dustless Island. Though she had confidently insisted on this marriage in front of her parents, a trace of unease lingered in her heart.

The next morning, she rose early to serve tea to Elder Changyu. The elder accepted the tea, gifted her in return, and informed her that Bright Moon Peak had no custom of morning greetings—she could sleep as late as she pleased.

After the tea ceremony, Sheng Wuyou returned to her room. Knowing most cultivators abstained from mortal food, she hadn’t expected Dustless Island to have a kitchen. Her parents had packed some long-lasting pastries in her dowry, but once those ran out, how would she manage three meals a day? Should she ask for fasting pills?

As she pondered, a knock came at her door—Bai Roushuang had arrived to take her to breakfast.

Following her to Bright Moon Peak’s main hall, Sheng Wuyou found Song Ping, Xu Shou, and others gathered around a table. Her parents were among them, happily sipping lotus leaf soup. A warmth spread through her heart—Bai Roushuang must have risen early just to prepare this meal for the mortals among them.

Just as she was about to express her gratitude, Bai Roushuang shook her head. “When I first joined Bright Moon Peak, my senior siblings took care of me. What I’m doing now is only natural—no thanks needed.”

Bai Roushuang then showed her the kitchen’s location, while Xu Shulou gave her several food-preserving boxes, explaining that she could bring back her favorite mortal dishes during visits—they would stay fresh for three months.

Sheng Wuyou accepted them with delight. These boxes would solve her worries perfectly.

Over the next few days on Bright Moon Peak, she found herself freer than ever. Elder Changyu never interfered, only offering a gentle smile whenever they crossed paths. She could do as she pleased—return to the mortal world whenever she wished, with her husband flying her there. Song Ping required no attention, and with only Elder Changyu and his seven disciples on the peak, there were no complicated social dynamics to navigate.

Xu Shulou and Bai Roushuang took turns keeping her company, showing her the best views on Dustless Island. Soon, she felt even more at ease than she had in her parents’ home.

Bright Moon Peak was vast and beautiful, and after several days, she still hadn’t explored it all. One day, while admiring the scenery at the summit, she spotted Xu Shulou flying through the air with Madam Sheng in her arms. Her usually dignified mother stretched out her arms, laughing freely as she soared, while Sheng’s Father watched from the ground, longing to join but too embarrassed to ask his son-in-law Song Ping for a ride.

After spending days on Dustless Island, Sheng’s parents couldn’t help but reflect—compared to marrying into a mortal household, where one had to manage in-laws, sister-in-laws, and endless chores, this was far more relaxed.

Song Ping, too, decided to postpone his return to Profound Azure Academy. With a cultivator’s lifespan, he could resume his studies even a century later. For now, he planned to accompany his wife to the mortal world for a few months each year, return to Dustless Island for a while, and spend the rest of their time traveling.

Sheng’s parents were overjoyed, clutching Song Ping’s hands in silent gratitude.

According to mortal customs, a bride returned to her family on the sixth day after marriage. On this day, the group set off—Song Ping carried his wife, while Xu Shulou and the other disciples flew Sheng’s parents back to the Sheng residence.

Laughter filled the journey, and by the time they landed at the Sheng estate, the parents’ earlier tears had long since dried, replaced by smiles.

The steward greeted them, immediately sensing their contentment. After offering congratulations, he was asked if anything had happened in their absence—and whether Errong had returned.

At this, the steward frowned. “Master, Madam…”

“Speak freely. These are our son-in-law’s fellow disciples.”

“Yes,” the steward nodded. “When we sent people to the countryside, we learned that Errong’s parents thought she had already returned to the Sheng residence. Neither side knew she was missing until we checked. Nanny You reported it to the authorities, and I’ve visited the magistrate’s office, but there’s been no news.”

“Heavens!” Madam Sheng exclaimed. “What happened? Have you searched?”

“We have. We combed the road from the village to our estate twice.” The steward shook his head—nothing had been found.

“What did the authorities say?” Sheng Wuyou pressed.

“They mentioned two other young women went missing last month from nearby villages. No leads yet—no telling if it’s connected to Errong’s disappearance.”

“What can we do?” Sheng Wuyou grew increasingly anxious.

Xu ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‍Shulou and the others, who had planned to leave after escorting the family home, reassured her, “Don’t worry. We’ll help search.”

Forgetting the formalities of the homecoming, Sheng Wuyou changed into practical clothing. “I’m coming too!”

“Miss Sheng, you and Second Brother should go to the magistrate’s office for more details on the disappearances,” Xu Shulou directed. “The rest of us will split up—some to nearby villages, while my junior sister and I visit Errong’s home.”

“Understood!”

The group dispersed swiftly. Standing at the estate gates, Sheng’s parents exchanged a glance.

“See?” Madam Sheng said. “This marriage was the right choice.”

Sheng’s Father nodded. “Indeed. Mortals come in all kinds—so do cultivators. If we’d forbidden our daughter from meeting Song Ping just because of Feng Jiuyou’s actions, we’d have cut off our nose to spite our face.”

———

Xu Shulou and Bai Roushuang headed straight for You Family Village, where Errong and Nanny You lived. The family was distraught but had no answers—only that Errong had left that day, saying she couldn’t miss the wedding. Her younger brother had walked her to the village entrance, but in broad daylight, she had vanished without a trace.

Tearfully, the brother pointed out the mountain path his sister often took. Xu Shulou and Bai Roushuang examined it carefully. “If Errong struggled, there might be signs.”

“Senior Sister, look here!” Bai Roushuang soon spotted a sword mark on the cliff face and called Xu Shulou over.

After inspecting it, Xu Shulou had her junior sister measure its depth with her own sword. Bai Roushuang complied. “My entire blade fits inside—this mark is about three feet long.”

"Given that, the sword was entirely embedded into the stone wall at the time—it must have been the work of a cultivator."

Bai Roushuang shuddered at the memory. "A cultivator took Errong? Surely they aren’t planning to sacrifice mortals again to forge some soul-summoning banner?"

"Unlikely. Kidnapping people one by one is too slow. Remember those two we encountered last time? They were bold enough to try drowning an entire town in one go," Xu Shulou shook her head. "If they wanted a soul-summoning banner, they’d have wiped out several nearby villages to make it worthwhile."

"But if it’s a cultivator, even one at the Qi Refining stage, would they really need to draw a sword to deal with Errong?"

Xu Shulou nodded. "Let’s ask around the village to see if anyone else has gone missing."

The villagers all shook their heads at the question. After making the rounds, someone finally recalled, "That scoundrel with the scabby head hasn’t been seen in a while."

"What scoundrel?"

"Just a nuisance—always stealing chickens from one family or vegetables from another. He got away with it because he was born with brute strength, and no one dared to confront him. If he’s really gone missing, we’d be celebrating!"

Xu Shulou and Bai Roushuang exchanged glances, thanked the villager, and, seeing no further leads, returned to the Sheng residence to regroup with the others.

Everyone had gathered some information. A few junior disciples had traveled far, covering nearly all the surrounding villages, and learned that people had been disappearing sporadically—men and women, mostly youths or able-bodied adults, with few elderly or children among them.

Madam Sheng frowned. "Then it can’t be traffickers. They usually target children."

Someone else asked, "Then why did the authorities only report two missing girls last month?"

"Not every family reported the disappearances. Some were orphans with no one to file a report. Others assumed their children had eloped and were too ashamed to involve the authorities. We even met a man who, after quarreling with his wife, had publicly threatened to kill her—so when she vanished, he didn’t dare speak up, afraid the officials would arrest him as a suspect," Jiang Yan sighed. "There were all sorts of reasons."

Sheng Wuyou added, "Besides, not all those villages fall under Yunzhou’s jurisdiction. So the local authorities here weren’t notified. My husband and I visited several nearby county offices and inquired about missing persons over the past few years. Among them, the women were mostly fair-faced, and the men were strong and sturdy. It’s unclear if these cases are connected."

None of them were skilled investigators, and the clues left them at a loss. Xu Shulou glanced at her junior disciples, considering who might serve as bait—but none had the brawny, robust appearance that seemed to be the target. She sighed. "I’ll be the bait. You all map out the areas where people vanished, and I’ll wander there to test my luck."

"If the culprit is also a cultivator and senses your spiritual energy, they won’t show themselves."

"I’ll seal my spiritual power beforehand."

"Senior Sister!"

"Don’t worry. I have a backup plan."

———

Learning that none of the missing were of particularly high status—likely because such individuals would draw unwanted attention—Xu Shulou asked the steward for a maid’s dress and had her junior sister style her hair in twin buns, disguising herself as a Sheng family servant.

With her spiritual power sealed, she walked the path from the Sheng residence to You Family Village like an ordinary mortal. When she reached the mountainside with the sword marks, she made sure to draw attention, bursting into loud, dramatic sobs. "My dear Errong! How could you just disappear? You still owe me three qian of silver!"

After a while, she improvised: "That was the money Brother Erniu and I were saving to elope!"

Her voice was so loud that even the birds perched on the roadside branches shot her disdainful looks.

Nothing happened along the way. At the You household, Xu Shulou lingered until midnight, deeming the daytime too safe, before venturing out again under the cover of darkness to continue her wailing.

Over the next few days, she visited Nanny You daily with a bamboo basket. Madam Sheng played along, packing pastries for her to deliver. Whether by sheer luck, her conspicuous theatrics, or her appearance fitting the culprit’s preferences, Xu Shulou didn’t have to wait long before encountering the kidnapper.

A chop to the back of her neck—painful but not enough to knock her out—and a black sack thrown over her head. She was hoisted into the air, her spilled pastries left behind on the ground.

Xu Shulou mentally noted this offense.

The man flew for a long time. From his labored breathing and slow speed, she could tell his cultivation was weak—likely why he’d needed a sword to intimidate a strong mortal. When they finally landed, he handed her off to someone else, who pulled off the sack and gave an approving grunt at her appearance. Soon after, she was tossed into an enclosure.

When she could finally see again, she found herself inside an iron cage. Her fellow prisoners—all young women—stared silently at the newcomer. Some looked lost and frightened, likely new like her; others were despondent or numb, as if resigned to their fate.

Xu Shulou spoke up. "Where is this place?"

A girl with a bruised forehead glanced at her. "The beast-fighting arena."

"What beast-fighting arena?"

"Quiet!" A brutish man banged a metal rod against the cage. "You’re locked up here—what do you think it is?"

One of the girls burst into terrified tears. "Pitting mortals against beasts—how can you commit such atrocities?"

The man laughed, as if she’d said something absurd. "You mortals fight roosters, dogs, and crickets for sport. Why shouldn’t we cultivators fight mortals? The strong prey on the weak—what’s so strange about that?"

"..."