Some people may be ordinary, living a mediocre life, while others may be extraordinary, living an extraordinary life to the end. Regardless of whether they are mediocre or extraordinary, life is generally uneventful for both. Mediocre people have long been numb to mediocrity, while extraordinary people have long been accustomed to being extraordinary. Life always moves forward along an unchanging track.
If you are born ordinary, living an ordinary life like this may not be a bad thing.
But things in this world are always so complicated. Many things are beyond the control of the people involved. Countless "unexplained" and "unforeseen" things happen to people and happen around everyone.
If God bestows upon a person exceptional talent, allowing them to show early promise, then that person's future path seems to be bright.
But things are always unpredictable, and a person's fate can change in an instant.
When someone who is high above suddenly falls from the colorful clouds, the sense of loss they feel is unimaginable. To the heavens, it may just be a small blunder, but for a young person who has achieved early success and is full of vigor, it may be the most tragic thing.
When Chen Nan was sixteen, his cultivation inexplicably stagnated and then began to decline sharply, which was like a bolt from the blue for him.
If a person starts out mediocre, they won't feel anything amiss or suffer as a result, even if they remain mediocre their entire life. But for someone once praised as a genius, suddenly falling into mediocrity is a pain greater than death. The sudden transformation from genius to mediocrity is a drastic change that no one can accept.
The extraordinary suddenly becomes ordinary, and the genius suddenly becomes mediocre. Chen Nan suffered a tremendous change and almost went mad. He desperately cultivated profound skills, but the facts proved once again that he had really become a useless person.
Accustomed to being surrounded by accolades and flattery, the stark contrast almost drove him to suicide. For the next year, he lived in a daze, feeling as if life had suddenly lost its color.
Unwilling to accept mediocrity, yet destined for it. The ridicule and sarcasm have numbed him; bitterness and loneliness have become a part of his life.
Chen Nan's once colorful world turned gray and lifeless. This upheaval caused his life path to take a turn, drifting further and further away from its original course.
When he was feeling down, his father sighed softly, "Life needs trials and tribulations, and hardship is also a valuable asset." But by then he had already lost his former ambition, and as his skills declined, his confidence seemed to have been eroded as well.
His mother advised him to travel the world and gradually let go of his burdens. Chen Nan heeded his mother's advice and from then on traveled to famous mountains and rivers, his footprints covering many places in the Immortal Fantasy Continent.
Meeting is a kind of fate, and meeting again after parting is a kind of extraordinary destiny.
Yanshan Mountain is renowned as a "famous mountain by the sea" and a "world-class scenic spot," and is known as the premier mountain in southeastern China. Yanshan Mountain gets its name from the fact that "there is a lake on its summit, where reeds grow in abundance, forming a grassy hut where wild geese roost in autumn."
Chen Nan visited famous mountains and historical sites not for leisure, but merely to relieve his depression. Half a year later, he arrived at Yanshan Mountain, where the beautiful scenery delighted him, causing him to linger for more than ten days.
The scenery here is breathtaking, with countless scenic wonders. Numerous strangely shaped peaks, caves, and waterfalls are scattered throughout the mountains. Someone once exclaimed, "To fully appreciate the beauty of Yanshan Mountain, one must be a flying immortal!"
During these ten days or so, Chen Nan wandered around various scenic spots. During this time, he would often see a girl by chance, but each time he only saw her extremely beautiful back view.
It's not surprising to see tourists on this famous mountain with its stunning scenery, but coincidentally, the girl's sightseeing route seemed to be the same as Chen Nan's, only one after the other.
Chen Nan almost went up to the girl several times to say hello, but he held back each time. They had only met by chance, and it seemed abrupt to approach her. Besides, given his current state of mind, he didn't want to talk to anyone; he was completely burying his head in the sand.
On the seventh time he saw the girl's back, she stopped, revealing a stunningly beautiful face to Chen Nan, untouched by any worldly air, like a fairy descended from heaven.
Clad in flowing white robes, her hair swaying gently, a pair of bright, beautiful eyes were fixed on him, a hint of displeasure on her peerless face.
"You bad guy, why do you always follow me?" The girl's angry expression was adorable; she pouted like a child. But it wasn't affected; her clear eyes showed it was entirely natural.
A person's eyes are the windows to their soul. The girl's eyes were as clear as a spring and as bright as stars. Her pure gaze indicated that she was a very innocent girl.
Faced with that incomparably beautiful face, Chen Nan felt a sense of awe. Such a stunning beauty was like an elf or fairy in the deep mountains.
"Why don't you say it's because you keep popping up in front of me for no reason?"
"Bad guy, don't make excuses for yourself. I don't want you to follow me. There are two roads here, leading in opposite directions. Let's each take one."
Ahead was a fork in the road; the girl walked down one path first. Chen Nan smiled and walked down the other path.
The two walked away in opposite directions.
Chen Nan glanced back, then strode forward. She was definitely a naive girl, seemingly still retaining the innocence of her childhood; otherwise, she wouldn't have simply called someone who had been "following" her for seven or eight days a "bad guy."
This pure and ethereal girl seems to belong to another world; her innocent words and naive actions suggest she is completely unaware of the ways of the world.
Chen Nan shook his head and continued to tour the scenic wonders of Yanshan Mountain.
He thought he had missed his chance with the girl, and that their chance encounter would become a decent memory. But sometimes you really have to believe in fate; five days later, the two met again.
Both of them were somewhat surprised. The girl asked curiously, "What a coincidence! How did I run into you again?"
"Yes, it's really a coincidence."
The girl thought about it seriously for a moment and said, "You bad guy, are you deliberately following me?"
"We took different paths back then, and now we come from opposite directions; it's a meeting, not a pursuit."
The girl tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said, "That's really true. But Master said you can't trust anyone in this world. Who knows if you deliberately went around in circles?"
The girl's skin was as white as snow, and in this beautiful setting, she truly resembled a fairy from a celestial pool. However, her earnest expression revealed her to be a naive young girl, and her innocent words immediately amused Chen Nan.
"Heh, your master said not to trust anyone, so do you believe your master's words?"
"Of course I believe you. I only believe my master's words, but my master is no longer here..." A faint sadness appeared on the girl's beautiful face, and her voice grew softer and softer.
Chen Nan had already guessed what was going on, and asked softly, "Besides your master, don't you have any other relatives?"
"No...why should I tell you?"
"Actually, not everyone in the world is a bad person."
The girl seemed to quickly shake off the faint sadness she had just felt. She looked at Chen Nan earnestly and said, "I also don't think you're a bad person, but it has nothing to do with me. I'm leaving."
"Wait a minute, may I know your name?" In this deceitful and treacherous society, Chen Nan was truly surprised to encounter such an innocent girl who still retained a childlike heart. In the end, he couldn't help but ask her name.
The girl blinked her bright, large eyes and said earnestly, "I don't want to tell strangers."
"Alright, be careful on the road. What your master said makes sense. Don't trust anyone easily." Chen Nan was a little worried. Such an innocent girl could easily be deceived and hurt.
"Thank you, but I won't go into towns. My master was right, the people there are all bad. I only go to places with mountains and rivers."
These words confirmed Chen Nan's guess. The girl had lived in the mountains for many years and had never been in contact with the outside world. This environment was the only way that allowed her to maintain her innocence.
Watching the girl walk gracefully forward, Chen Nan waved and said, "Take care on your journey. I hope we'll meet again someday."
The girl turned around and said, "The world is so vast, we certainly won't meet again." Then she smiled playfully like a child and said, "If we ever meet again, I'll tell you my name."
Looking at that calm and aloof figure, Chen Nan smiled. The girl's innocent words seemed to have brightened his troubled mood considerably.
The next day, Chen Nan also left Yanshan Mountain. He traveled south, enjoying the folk customs of the grasslands; he saw the strange tribes in the Nanheng Mountains; and finally, after lingering in the fairyland-like Kunlun Mountains for several days, he began to return.
Over the past year, he has visited countless famous mountains and rivers. He seems to have gradually let go of his burdens and is no longer as depressed as before. Having been away from home for almost a year, he decided to go back and take a look.
When passing by Yanshan Mountain, Chen Nan couldn't help but stop. Over the past year, he had climbed many famous mountains, and Yanshan Mountain was undoubtedly one of the more outstanding ones, with its unique peaks and rocks, ancient caves and stone chambers, waterfalls and springs, and beautiful scenery.
On his second visit to Yanshan Mountain, he was once again deeply attracted by its spectacular scenery.
The cliffs rise one after another, towering and majestic; the dense forests and secluded valleys meander and twist; waterfalls cascade and springs flow, and clear pools and streams appear.
He stood before a waterfall for a long time before walking down the riverbank. Further downstream, the rushing water gradually calmed, and the fragrance of unnamed wildflowers on both banks filled the air, a natural aroma that deeply captivated Chen Nan.
Just as he was feeling relaxed and happy, he suddenly spotted a familiar figure.
A girl, as ethereal as an elf or a fairy, was wading barefoot in the river, her smooth, jade-like feet gleaming with an alluring luster. She was the same innocent girl who had met Chen Nan several times three months ago at Yanshan Mountain.
The girl seemed to have just emerged from the river; her slightly damp hair still held droplets of water, and her beautiful, ethereal face shone like a lotus emerging from clear water.
Seeing someone coming from upstream, the girl hurriedly escaped the river and quickly put on her shoes. When she looked closely and recognized Chen Nan, she gasped in surprise, "It's you..."
"Hehe, it's me. Now you can tell me your name, right?"
The girl blushed slightly, a little embarrassed, and said, "Why are you here again?"
"Passing by Yanshan Mountain, I couldn't resist stopping by for another visit."
"Ah, so that's how it is, just like me."
"You still haven't told me your name."
The girl smiled brightly and said, "My name is Yuxin. My master found me in a flower bush on a rainy night."
The girl's sweet smile and gentle words made Chen Nan feel a pang of heartache.
An abandoned child, who grew up in the deep mountains with his master since childhood, had no playmates, no friends, only his master to depend on for survival, but his master has now left...
"My name is Chen Nan, and I hope we can become friends."
"Friends?" The girl's smile vanished, and she said softly, "I've never had any friends. My master is gone, and I'm all alone now..."
"If you're willing, we can be friends from now on." He had an impulse to protect this girl for the rest of his life. The girl's background was too pitiful, and Chen Nan felt a deep sense of pity for her.
"Hehe, great, I finally have a friend." Yu Xin quickly shook off her sadness.
But the more she acted like this, the more heartbroken Chen Nan felt.
He walked over, gently embraced her, patted her back affectionately, and said, "From now on, I will take care of you like my own sister and will never let you get hurt."
Yu Xin panicked slightly and with a gentle struggle, a powerful force surged towards Chen Nan, pushing him back a distance of about half a zhang. Chen Nan was secretly shocked; this girl actually possessed an extremely powerful and terrifying internal force.
Yu Xin said earnestly, "I'm sorry, my master said I can't let men touch me."
Chen Nan laughed and said, "Silly girl, you didn't understand your master's words. Some men are indeed bad, but not all men are like that. Come with me and leave the mountains. I'll take you to see the outside world and show you how people get along."
"I'm not going, and you shouldn't go either, okay? We just became friends, and I don't want to lose you again so soon."
"Why? Go out into the world and see for yourself; you'll understand a lot of things."
"I'm a little scared. My master said that the people outside are bad and that I should stay in the mountains and stay away from the towns."
Chen Nan understood that the girl's master knew she was naive and was afraid she would suffer, which was why he gave her this warning. Although this kind of protection was highly inadvisable, it still showed the master's care for her.
"With me protecting you, no one can hurt you."
"But... I'm still a little scared. My master said that the people outside are ruthless and can eat people without spitting out the bones."
"Although ugly things often happen between people, they are not all as your master said. You will know when you go out into the world."
"Really? But... I think staying in the mountains is great, why do I have to go out?"
"Although the scenery in the mountains is beautiful and there is less noise in the world, the outside world is also wonderful. If a person is detached from the whole human society, his life is incomplete and he misses out on a lot of fun."
"Really? You're not lying to me, are you?" Yu Xin was clearly tempted; her thoughts were written all over her face, unlike most people who hide them in their hearts.
"Really, I'll show you around town life. I guarantee you'll like it, and I promise I won't let anyone hurt you."
"Okay, let me think about it. Let's stay in Yanshan for a few days." Yu Xin had never been to a town before. She obtained her daily necessities from bartering in remote mountain villages. Suddenly having to go to a town and live with many people made her quite panicked.
"Don't be afraid, I told you I would protect you."
A few days later, at Chen Nan's urging, Yu Xin finally left the mountains with him.