I Ruined the Long Ao Tian Script-Chapter 47

The Realm of Illusion

"I've read folk tales about supernatural beings creating their own worlds within paintings," Bai Roushuang reached out to touch a passerby, who gave her a strange look in return, reacting with lifelike realism.

Jiang Yan shrugged. "Maybe the creator of this place drew inspiration from those tales. Who knows?"

"But this is far more wondrous than any tale I've ever read," Bai Roushuang extended her hand toward a sparrow on a branch, and the little bird flew over to peck at her palm.

In a roadside tavern, a foreign dancer performed a whirling dance to a lively tune. Though her skirts billowed gracefully, her movements were surprisingly vigorous rather than delicate.

"With a single beat of the drum, her sleeves rise like snow swirling in the wind," Bai Roushuang murmured, then sighed. "In a few years, this place will become a deserted city, a ruined capital, nothing like the splendor we see now."

Xu Shulou stood beside her and said softly, "But given enough time, it will flourish again. Dynasties rise and fall, people come and go, yet this city endures."

Bai Roushuang snapped out of her reverie and smiled sheepishly. "I'm being sentimental."

"What's wrong with that?" Xu Shulou bought her a bowl of cherries drizzled with sugarcane juice from a street vendor.

A warmth blossomed in Bai Roushuang’s heart. Her senior sister always took her fleeting melancholy seriously and comforted her in just the right way. As a child, she had scoffed at the saying, "What matters most in life is finding a kindred spirit; meeting one feels like reuniting with family." How could a kindred spirit be closer than flesh and blood? Now, she understood its true meaning.

She cast a grateful glance at Xu Shulou, but her senior sister remained oblivious, wholly absorbed in savoring her bowl of cherries.

Xu Shulou wasn’t immune to wistful reflections either. At that moment, she sighed around a cherry stem. "What a shame we can’t take anything from the painting. Truly heartbreaking."

"..."

Leaving that painting behind, Bai Roushuang randomly chose another—"The Judge’s Verdict"—and stepped inside, only to find herself seated behind a magistrate’s bench in a courtroom. Two men knelt below, one crying out, "Your Honor, this humble subject is wronged!"

Startled, she asked, "What’s going on?"

Xu Shulou, dressed as a clerk, leaned in and whispered, "Those who enter this painting can play the judge and pass verdicts on the accused."

Bai Roushuang blinked. "What if I make a mistake?"

"There’s no punishment. This world bends to the will of those inside," Xu Shulou stroked her fake beard. "If you feel like it, you could even sentence them all to execution."

"This..." Bai Roushuang scanned the room. "Where’s Fifth Brother?"

She turned to see Jiang Yan standing below, clad in a yamen runner’s uniform, gripping a black-and-red staff. Clearly, his role here was that of a bailiff.

Suppressing a laugh, Bai Roushuang focused on the men’s arguments—one admitting to stealing a neighbor’s chicken but only because the neighbor had stolen his duck last year; the other denying any duck theft whatsoever. The bickering made her head spin.

She turned to Xu Shulou for help, only to find the fake clerk preoccupied with adjusting her beard and admiring herself in a small bronze mirror. Left with no choice, Bai Roushuang steeled herself and slammed the gavel. The loud crack startled her more than the defendants.

"Ahem... If your duck was stolen, you should have reported it to the authorities. Taking matters into your own hands turns justice into wrongdoing. I—I mean, this court orders you to return a chicken to your neighbor, and the matter is settled! Dismissed!"

"Thank you, Your Honor."

Bai Roushuang studied their expressions—the neighbor, overjoyed to have his chicken back; the other man, relieved to escape a beating. Only then did she relax.

"Your Honor," the bailiff escorted the men out and announced, "Shall I bring in the next plaintiff, Madam Zhang, and the accused, the Song family?"

"No, no, this is too hard. Spare me," Bai Roushuang grabbed Xu Shulou’s sleeve and practically fled. "Let’s get out of here!"

Once outside, the trio wandered through the Realm of Illusion until they came upon a painting of oxen grazing peacefully. Bai Roushuang paused. "The Five Oxen? Do people actually choose to enter this one?"

Xu Shulou and Jiang Yan exchanged glances. The latter cleared his throat. "Well, everyone has their... unique preferences."

Bai Roushuang remained baffled as the two quickly ushered her away.

Passing by paintings like "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" and "Travelers Among Streams and Peaks," Xu Shulou explained, "These let you soar through the skies and take in the vast landscapes."

Bai Roushuang suddenly asked, "Can we run into other people inside the paintings?"

"Yes, though these are less crowded. The upper floors have more visitors."

Curious, she pressed, "Which painting is the most popular?"

Jiang Yan’s expression turned odd. "Either 'Secret Pleasures of the Night' or 'Scenes from the Brothel.'"

The name alone made it clear. "...Erotic art?"

"Exactly."

"I’d have thought cultivators would aspire to higher pursuits," Bai Roushuang shook her head. "Like experiencing ascension or living in the celestial realm."

"Those exist too. You can play as a heavenly general, an immortal maiden, or even reenact the legend of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl," Xu Shulou chuckled. "Plenty of people choose those, but since it’s all imagined, some find it too artificial."

"Fair enough," Bai Roushuang mused. "Senior Sister, have you ever played a role?"

"Once," Xu Shulou recalled. "I played the Celestial Queen and tore apart the Milky Way to separate the lovers. Quite entertaining."

Bai Roushuang gave her a deadpan look before turning to Jiang Yan. "Fifth Brother, what about you?"

"Last time, I was the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King. Senior Sister ordered me to arrest whoever she pleased and break up whichever couples she fancied."

"..." What kind of strange hobbies are these? Bai Roushuang held back her sarcastic comment. "So the most intricate painting must be the celestial realm?"

Xu Shulou pondered. "Probably 'The Classic of Mountains and Seas.'"

Bai Roushuang perked up. "Can we see it?"

"Of course."

Unbeknownst to them, they had ascended the spiral staircase to the fifth floor, where an enormous mural of "The Classic of Mountains and Seas" adorned the wall.

Xu Shulou paid the fee, and this time, the attendant handed each of them a defensive paper talisman. "If you encounter danger inside, activate this immediately. It will form a barrier to block one attack."

"Thank you."

The moment they stepped into the painting, winged tigers swooped down from the sky.

Bai Roushuang startled, instinctively raising her guard, but the winged tigers made no move to attack—they merely halted before the group, studying them with curiosity.

Xu Shulou reached out with practiced ease, stroking one of the tigers’ heads. After a few gentle pats, the creature flopped onto its back, belly exposed in contentment.

Bai Roushuang: "…"

The other tigers cast disapproving glances at her and Jiang Yan, as if annoyed by their lack of enthusiasm. The two could only offer awkward smiles.

The tigers carried them partway, though the journey was nearly cut short when they encountered a colossal serpent with a human face—its appearance so startling Bai Roushuang almost tumbled off her mount.

Timidly, she asked her senior sister, "Is the Classic of Mountains and Seas a work of realism or fantasy? Do these mythical beasts actually exist?"

Xu Shulou shook her head. "Most of these creatures have never been seen in the cultivation world. But who knows? Beyond our realm, perhaps they dwell in the celestial heavens or some undiscovered hidden realm."

The tigers deposited them at the mountain’s base. After bidding farewell, the trio noticed more divine beasts roaming nearby. Bai Roushuang stared at one for a long moment. "That two-headed pig is kind of cute."

Xu Shulou tapped her forehead. "That’s a Pingpeng."

Bai ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‍Roushuang stuck out her tongue. Nearby, a grotesque giant bird perched beside a tree caught her eye. She moved closer for a better look, only for Xu Shulou to yank her back. "Luoluo bird. It eats people."

Shuddering, Bai Roushuang hid behind her senior sister, scanning their surroundings until her gaze landed on a goat-like creature—only to recoil when she spotted eyes peering from its armpits. "Aren’t there any actually cute ones?"

"Plenty," Xu Shulou mused. "Follow me."

They climbed further up the mountain, searching several caves before finding their prize: a white deer with four antlers, docile and friendly. Xu Shulou stroked it a few times, and it nuzzled into her embrace.

Next was the Chenghuang, a fox-like beast with a small horn on its back. Its delicate frame charmed Xu Shoulou, and Bai Roushuang eventually gathered the courage to pet it too.

Later, they encountered a resplendent nine-tailed fox. Noticing her junior sister’s eager expression, Xu Shulou warned, "If you want to touch it, keep your defensive spiritual shield up—and run right after."

"…" Valuing her life, Bai Roushuang opted to admire from afar.

By the water’s edge, she gaped at fish that bellowed like oxen, then nearly got dragged away by a Luoyu while she and Jiang Yan were too engrossed watching merfolk. Xu Shoulou hauled them back by their collars.

Were it not for the frequent sightings of terrifying human-faced beasts—often with unsettlingly misplaced eyes—Bai Roushuang might have called the excursion enjoyable.

After exiting the painting, still shaken, she stuck to landscapes and portraits, avoiding the fantastical ones.

Soon, she paused before a depiction of people soaking in a hot spring. "What’s the catch here?"

Jiang Yan shrugged. "No catch. You just go in and bathe."

"You know mortals have these everywhere, right?"

A nearby attendant overheard and smiled. "The Grand Void Realm prides itself on encompassing all wonders. Nothing is too mundane to be included."

"…Noted."

Ascending further, they encountered a night scene: a lone figure in a boat, occasionally pausing to sip wine. The simplicity radiated an effortless grace.

"What’s this?"

"Li Bai Under Moonlight," Xu Shulou explained. "You can enter to discuss poetry or swordsmanship with the immortal poet—though most say he finds visitors tiresome and ignores them. Rumor has it that if he takes a liking to you, he might even demonstrate his swordplay, imparting insights to aid cultivation. But no one’s cracked how to win his favor. Arrogance repels him, but sycophancy fares worse."

"Incredible," Bai Roushuang murmured, though she’d repeated the phrase all day.

Down another corridor hung a war painting—soldiers on steeds, blades clashing in brutal combat.

Bai Roushuang frowned. "Who’d want to experience war?"

"Many," Xu Shoulou sighed. "Some find the idea of carving glory from carnage… entertaining."

"Mortals don’t think like that," Bai Roushuang retorted. "Sounds like cultivator arrogance."

Xu Shoulou chuckled. "Let’s move on."

Next was a sprawling court scene—backroom intrigues and imperial politics.

"Popular for long stays," Xu Shoulou noted. "Recently, someone spent twenty years scheming as a chancellor before usurping the throne."

"Twenty years? Couldn’t cultivators seize power faster?"

"Spiritual powers are disabled inside," Xu Shoulou clarified. "Everyone’s just mortal."

A chilling thought struck Bai Roushuang. "What if you’re killed in there?"

"You can exit in time—unless you’re too slow. Then it’s permanent."

"Isn’t that insanely risky without cultivation?"

Xu Shoulou shrugged. "Some immortals crave the thrill."

"…Mortals dream of ascension, yet these cultivators choose to play at mortality?"

Jiang Yan laughed. "With endless lifespans, they’ll try anything. One even used a painting’s love story to overcome a heart-tribulation. And I know a guy who replays being struck by heavenly lightning—claims it’s ‘warm and cozy.’"

Bai Roushuang’s eye twitched. Cultivators are so weird.