I Only Want to Lie Flat But Am Forced to Cultivate Immortality
Chapter 178 - 110: Water-Repelling Pearl, No Such Thing as Perfect Happiness_3

Chapter 178: Chapter 110: Water-Repelling Pearl, No Such Thing as Perfect Happiness_3

Xu Qing lightly shook his head and began the transcendence rites.

If the water Taoist’s corpse was fine grain, requiring careful savoring back at the shop, then the government official’s body in front of him was coarse grain, needing only a cursory handling.

After all, an ordinary constable likely had no extraordinary life experiences.

With a casual mindset, Xu Qing commenced reading the man’s life history.

The corpse was originally named Shi Quan. According to a fortune teller, his fate lacked water, so his parents named him Shi Quan.

Shi Quan had a bumpy childhood, losing his father at three, his mother at seven, and following his grandfather at twelve to sell water. His grandfather believed that selling water would balance the water deficiency in Shi Quan’s fate, promising future prosperity.

Shi Quan had been ingrained with the belief that water would improve his destiny.

Even though he couldn’t swim and feared water, he would always stand by the river watching his peers play.

Yet, whenever someone tempted him to join, he would turn and run away.

At sixteen, Shi Quan’s grandfather died suddenly. While collecting his grandfather’s belongings, he discovered the silver coin-storing belt his grandfather had cherished.

The belt was wrapped in multiple layers of cloth, indicating its value to its owner.

Shi Quan unwrapped the cloth to find the red paper with his birth fortune written on it, some loose silver, and countless copper plates.

Recalling his grandfather’s words about saving up for his marriage, Shi Quan continued his grandfather’s trade of selling water.

One day, while selling water, Shi Quan met his benefactor, Linhe Constable Zhao Zhonghe.

Zhao Zhonghe, seeing Shi Quan’s steady gait, efficient work, and outgoing nature, helped him secure a job as a government official.

Shi Quan’s diligence soon made him a standout government official compared to the lazy and cunning others.

Time flew by, and one day while patrolling, Shi Quan encountered a fortune teller at the Vegetable Market.

The fortune teller claimed to foresee everything under the heavens, past and present.

Shi Quan, recalling his birth fortune red paper, asked the fortune teller to read his destiny.

The fortune teller saw water deficiency in Shi Quan’s fate and warned against having water in his name or frequenting watery places.

Shi Quan, puzzled, noted his name had water and questioned if he should change his name.

The fortune teller asked his name, and Shi Quan revealed it was Shi Quan, meaning Stone Spring, a name praised by neighbors.

The fortune teller shook his head, saying, "Nothing in the world is perfect. Your name is too prominent, and with your watery fate, you likely can’t suppress it. You should consider a different name..."

Angered, Shi Quan regretted seeking the fortune teller, feeling cheated and uneasy.

"My parents gave me this name. Why should I change it? Everyone praises it, but you call it bad. I think you’re a fraud!"

Shi Quan was upset for days until Zhao Zhonghe called the officials to investigate at the port.

Zhao Zhonghe had advised Shi Quan, "You can’t swim, so don’t go to the port. I’ll handle this with the others..."

Shi Quan insisted, saying he loved water and felt at ease near it due to his fate.

Thus, Shi Quan boarded the boat to Baisha Port with the others.

Xu Qing was indifferent until he saw Shi Quan jump into the water.

According to the fortune teller, without Shi Quan, everyone on the boat would have died to the Water Monkey.

Even with Xu Qing on board, Shi Quan didn’t survive.

Whose fault was it?

The unremarkable corpse stirred Xu Qing’s thoughts about destiny and fate.

Concluding that Shi Quan’s death was self-inflicted, not accidental.

Recalling Zhao Yuan’s rescue as logical, Zhao Zhonghe’s jump after his nephew as understandable.

But why would a non-swimmer, a small government official, jump in without reason?

Xu Qing frowned deeply, feeling uneasy for the first time while transcending a corpse.

He pondered repeatedly, reflecting on how he could have saved the loyal official from the Water Monkey and the water Taoist.

Eventually realizing, there is no perfection in life.

With this understanding, Xu Qing felt relieved.

Refocusing, he viewed the corpse, evaluating it as humanly superior.

His reward was a Water-Repelling Pearl.