This is what an immortal should be like

Chapter 161 Keeping a Promise and Living

“I wish this was just a nightmare.”

Shen Qingyou's words seemed to be a nearly silent murmur, or perhaps they were just what was in his heart and he didn't say them out loud, but it seemed that someone heard them.

"Amitabha, benefactor, life is nothing but an illusion."

The sound came from next door, and many monks in the cell over there looked towards the corner in surprise. It was the old monk who sat there almost all the time except for eating, drinking, defecating and urinating.

Not only Shen Qingyou heard the sound, but also people in the nearby cells and the jailer who had already walked to the front heard it. After all, the place was not too big and the prison was relatively quiet.

"Who's screaming over there? Believe it or not? Drag him out and give him a good beating—"

The jailer's roar was heard, and the place suddenly became quiet.

Although he is just a low-ranking official, in this big prison, the jailer is the king to a certain extent. Even though there are some dangerous criminals imprisoned here, it is obvious that the jailer has many tricks up his sleeve.
-
"Rumble"

Bursts of thunder came into the dim dungeon through the air vents, and the brilliance of lightning flashed from time to time into this dark place.

But the sound of the rain is the sound of nature.

Everyone in the dungeon, including Shen Qingyou, struggled to use wooden bowls to get close to the narrow ventilation window high up, hoping that rain would splash into the cell.

Today's rain is heavy and fast, and the wind is howling.
Shen Qingyou was half lying in the corner, holding the bowl in his hand and looking up. At this moment, all his expectations and ideals turned into humble desires. He just hoped that more rainwater would splash in so that he could drink some clean water.

From time to time, rain would splash onto his face, and Shen Qingyou would find a way to lick it off or wipe it to his mouth with his fingers.

Ripples gradually appeared in the bowl, which meant that there was more and more water. Every time lightning flashed, Shen Qingyou looked at the transparent rainwater with a look of great anticipation.

Because the bowl is licked clean every time, the water now appears crystal clear.

This was the fortieth day that Shen Qingyou had been locked up in the prison. Although each day felt like a year, he used small stones to carve words on the prison wall, barely letting himself know how long he had been there.

Shen Qingyou didn't know how to collect water at first. He learned it slowly after watching others do it and being taught. There are many thunderstorms in autumn and summer, so this trick soon came in handy.

Outside, above the dungeon, heavy rain was pouring down.

Wuming stood beside an air vent in the cell, holding an oil-paper umbrella. His eyes were slightly closed, looking down, as if he could see Shen Qingyou holding a bowl of water to catch the rain.

At this time, a breeze blew from afar, and the gentle breeze gradually brought out a light mist in the rain, which took shape around Wuming.

Wuming opened his umbrella a little, just enough to block Zhuang Lin's head as he emerged from the wind and rain.

"Sir, you're here?"

Zhuang Lin nodded slightly and walked closer to Wuming. The two of them stood there, and he also looked at the air vent below.

There was no need to ask any more questions. Zhuang Lin just counted with his fingers. Although he didn't know the details, he already knew roughly that the hardships Shen Qingyou had experienced were mostly related to debauchery and alcoholism, and that he had been suffering for a while. He might even have been thrown into jail not long after arriving here.

To be honest, Zhuang Lin had foreseen that this person would suffer a severe beating in reality, but he did not expect it to happen so soon.

"Ten taels of silver and three hundred coins, how many days did he spend it?"

Hearing Zhuang Lin's question with a hint of surprise, Wuming spoke calmly and coldly.

"one day."

hiss.
Zhuang Lin couldn't help but take a breath. It was really outrageous that it happened so quickly. However, he calculated that the suffering he had suffered was most likely related to bandits.

Even if celebrities are used to spending lavishly, there will be a limit, and at least they will act according to their own current situation.

"If his concentration wasn't so insufficient, this disaster wouldn't have happened!"

Zhuang Lin naturally agreed with Wuming's comment, but after thinking about it, he added a sentence.

"No one is perfect. Putting aside his celebrity status, he is just an ordinary person."

Wuming slightly turned the umbrella in his hand, and the rain swirled along the ribs of the umbrella, and a lot of it fell into the air vent of the cell where Shen Qingyou was. At the same time, he said in a cold voice.

"Hmph, if ordinary people don't have some spirituality that hasn't been extinguished even in the Dharma Ending Age, an 'ordinary person' like him probably wouldn't have such a fate!"

Zhuang Lin had to admit this. If it weren't for the spiritual light from her spiritual platform, Shen Qingyou would not have caught the attention of Gao Ran and Sun Yao.

“People sometimes hate their ordinary selves, but at the same time they long for a chance to transform themselves. So why not give them that opportunity?”

As Zhuang Lin said this, Wuming immediately said calmly.

"It's just that the ordinary people inside may not realize that they have an opportunity, and it's easy to go crazy, even though his endurance and adaptability are somewhat unexpected."

"Is it?"

Zhuang Lin looked at Wuming, who stood there holding an umbrella, without making any comment.

Wuming has been observing Shen Qingyou. His brief silence represents a lot of things.

After a while, the rain gradually weakened, and then the rain stopped and the clouds disappeared.

Deep in the dungeon, Shen Qingyou held an almost full bowl of water, carefully put his mouth close to it, enjoying the feeling of his lips moistened by the water with a hint of greed, and then took three big gulps.

After swallowing these three mouthfuls of water, the sweet and refreshing feeling extended from the mouth to the internal organs.

Shen Qingyou only felt that the unhealed pains on his body were greatly relieved. This was not just a psychological effect. This rain responded to the changes in seasonal energy. It contained spiritual energy and was caught by the wooden bowl without touching the ground. It was a kind of rootless water containing the energy of heavenly thunder and wood.

For people with outstanding spirituality, this bowl of water is indeed a tonic, and it is also one of the reasons why Shen Qingyou has such a strong life.

However, at this moment, Shen Qingyou suddenly felt sleepy and his body was a little unstable. When he squinted his eyes, he seemed to see an umbrella spinning as if by an illusion, and his consciousness gradually became blurred.

A breeze blew into the prison, and the bowl of water that was almost overturned was lifted by the wind and slowly fell to the ground, while Shen Qingyou had already fallen asleep on the half-dry grass.

A vague pain became clear, as if the wound on his body was forcing Shen Qingyou to wake up. The pain and itching were very uncomfortable. Shen Qingyou struggled to get up, carefully scratching the edge of the wound, or rubbing some scabs with his hands to relieve the pain and itching. He still had some basic common sense and knew not to scratch the wound casually, but it was really uncomfortable when there were some places on his back that he couldn't touch.

"Mr. Shen, Mr. Shen"

A familiar yet unfamiliar voice was heard, causing Shen Qingyou to stop scratching his itch. He slowly turned his head to look outside the cell door, his pupils slowly dilating, and a look of disbelief appeared on his thin face.

Zhuang Lin stood outside the prison door and looked at the people inside.

Shen Qingyou is now thin and pale, with dry and bloodless lips, covered in dirt, and wearing tattered clothes. She is almost completely different from the big star she used to be.

"Master Shen, don't you remember me?"

"You, you are you"

Shen Qingyou struggled to get up, dragging his broken leg, which was still wrapped in a splint, and quickly approached the fence. He lay down and grabbed the railing to look outside.

"It's you, it's you, your surname is Zhuang. You brought me here? I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have laughed at you, I shouldn't have boasted. I know I was wrong. Please, please take me back."

Zhuang Lin had already prepared himself to be cursed madly, but Shen Qingyou didn't say a single curse, and his eyes and words were full of pleading.

Zhuang Lin just looked at Shen Qingyou like this until he gradually calmed down after begging. Then he walked to the prison door and pointed lightly. The chain fell down and the prison door was opened. He then walked into the prison.

Although he sighed in his heart, it was not appropriate for Zhuang Lin to just be a good person at this moment. Instead, he needed to be motivated, otherwise he might be ruined in the future.

When Shen Qingyou saw Zhuang Lin coming in, he became even more excited, but he didn't dare to rush towards him. He knew that this person could be a god, a demon, or an immortal, but he couldn't be a mortal.

"Mr. Shen, you were the one who wanted to come to ancient times and swore an oath with me. So, you don't want to make a career and have three wives and four concubines?"

Zhuang Lin's expression was calm, but there was obvious sarcasm in his words.

"Yes, I am ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth."

Shen Qingyou glanced at Zhuang Lin and didn't dare to look him in the eye.

"High five and swear an oath. It's your oath, and it's mine too. Do you think it's easy to come to this world?"

Shen Qingyou was panicking, which meant that he couldn't just come and go as he pleased!
"But you are not an ordinary person, you will definitely find a way! I don't belong here, I am not from here!"

Zhuang Lin looked at Shen Qingyou, thought about it and nodded.

"Okay, in that case, I can send you back, but you have to do at least one thing."

"what's up?"

Shen Qingyou showed hope, while Zhuang Lin said indifferently.

"Pay back what you owe, and fulfill your promises. I can ignore your promise to Zhuang, but I can ignore your promise here. Otherwise, don't go back."

"What? Promise?"

Shen Qingyou couldn't remember anything for a moment, but at a certain moment, two figures flashed through his mind.

One was the doctor who had treated his injuries. He thanked him hoarsely and decided in his heart that if he could survive, he would repay him in the future.

The second one was incomplete. He could only think of a hand and a voice. It was the person who kept calling him "brother" and kept saving food for him. But he had no idea of the other person's height, weight, or anything else.
"I, I can't even protect myself, how can I fulfill my promise? Oh, I mean, you are a god, right? Can you help me?"

Zhuang Lin glanced at Shen Qingyou.

"You brought this upon yourself. I already trusted you once, why should I help you?"

After saying that, Zhuang Lin walked towards the prison door. Shen Qingyou reached out to grab him, but only touched the corner of his clothes, and then fell to the ground.

"No, don't go, don't go—I'll go crazy if I stay any longer—help me—"

In fact, after contact, Shen Qingyou's mind is still very clear, and he is far from crazy, but his spirit has indeed collapsed many times.

Zhuang Lin stood outside the fence. The door was clearly open, but Shen Qingyou seemed to be very afraid of this threshold and did not dare to climb out at all.

"Remember this: when you can't bear it, you can recite to yourself: 'A pure heart is like water; pure water is the heart; a gentle breeze does not stir the waves; sitting alone among the bamboos, whistling and playing the harp.'"

A mantra came out of Zhuang Lin's mouth and seemed to be imprinted in Shen Qingyou's heart.

This is not a very rare spell. No matter in ancient times or modern times, it is known and obtained by everyone. It is the most basic "Qingxin Jue" of Taoism.

But the truth is simple, and the word "purity" explains everything.

The sound became increasingly distant and ethereal. At a certain moment, Shen Qingyou in the cell trembled and suddenly woke up from his dream.

"ho"

Shen Qingyou immediately struggled to sit up and looked at the cell door. The door was locked tightly and there was no one outside. It was not as quiet as in the dream. There were noisy voices and chattering of some people in the cell. It was obvious that many people were caught in the rain.

“It’s a dream, it’s a dream.”

Shen Qingyou looked dejected, and then hurriedly looked around. When he saw the remaining half bowl of water still intact on the ground, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

But when I recalled the dream again, an article called "Clear Heart Secret" came to my mind again.

"My heart is pure, and Heaven rewards the diligent; my righteousness is awe-inspiring, and even ghosts and spirits are frightened; my passion overflows, and Heaven and Earth are at peace with me."

Is this really just a dream?

If I keep my promise, can I go back?

(End of this chapter)