A New Perspective

"Can you really revive that withered crystalline rose?" Old Huang, worried he had misunderstood, asked again.

His doubt was understandable. Just as it is with people: if you catch a cold or suffer an injury, recovery is not difficult; even in the face of serious illness, as long as there is timely intervention from a skilled doctor, there remains hope for survival. However, when one reaches the end of their natural lifespan, not even the most gifted physician can reverse fate.

It is the same with flowers. When a plant has truly reached the end of its life, even the finest gardener is powerless. As a botanical expert, Old Huang understood this principle better than most.

And yet, today someone sought to upend this truth, claiming to revive a flower that had naturally withered at the close of its life? It was as outrageous as a doctor declaring he could resurrect someone who had died of old age.

Had it been anyone else, Old Huang would have dismissed such a notion as sheer fantasy. But if it was Zhong Yun… Old Huang found himself half-believing, half-doubting.

From the first moment he met Zhong Yun, Old Huang sensed there was something extraordinary about this young man—a quality like a beacon in the darkness, impossible to overlook, utterly unlike ordinary people.

Old Huang had always possessed keen insight, honed further by a lifetime of encountering all manner of people—eminent figures from every walk of life, foreigners, those from primitive societies, and even citizens of advanced civilizations.

Generally, it took only a glance for him to discern a person's character and abilities; he was rarely mistaken. At first sight, Zhong Yun appeared to be an unremarkable, talentless youth. But on the second glance, Old Huang noticed something peculiar—a shroud of mist concealed deep within the young man's body, vague and impenetrable.

This startled the old man greatly. He had met inscrutable individuals before, but they were always either formidable in strength or masters of cunning and patience.

Looking at Zhong Yun again, he was certain: behind the facade of a common youth, there lingered a mysterious fog. No matter how he tried, he could not pierce the veil to see the truth within.

Old Huang had never encountered anything like it. It was as if two souls dwelled within this young man—one mediocre, the other unfathomable.

Thus, his curiosity was piqued. In his long life, Old Huang had witnessed the rise and fall of countless prodigies. He was usually able to glean some clue to their future from them.

But this enigmatic youth—what kind of destiny awaited him? For the first time in many years, Old Huang found himself genuinely interested in another person's fate.

When the young man produced the "Seven Fairies" plant, Old Huang was not so much surprised as deeply moved—excited by the reappearance of such a rare treasure.

Driven by curiosity, Old Huang made discreet inquiries about Zhong Yun after returning home. He learned that the young man came from an ordinary white-collar family.

As for Zhong Yun's personal history, it could only be described as dismal; in many assessments, he performed below average. The label "mediocre" fit him perfectly. Even his teachers' evaluations noted he was not diligent or hardworking.

Neither gifted nor industrious, by all logic, such a person would never achieve much in life. Yet it was this very youth who had cultivated the nearly extinct "Seven Fairies."

The contrast was too stark. Everyone present believed he had simply stumbled upon incredible luck. This belief was only strengthened when they reviewed the footage of Zhong Yun's cultivation methods.

From a professional standpoint, his techniques were clumsy—he either overwatered or underwatered, exposed the plant to too much sun, and once even broke a root while fertilizing.

It was painful for the horticultural experts to watch. For such a rare flower to be treated so roughly was tragic. A plant as precious as the "Seven Fairies" deserved the care of a master, not the clumsy hands of an amateur like Zhong Yun.

Eliminating the possibility that his unconventional methods triggered a mutation, they concluded that the seed itself must have naturally mutated. Zhong Yun had simply been lucky enough to purchase it.

But Old Huang was not convinced. The fog within Zhong Yun suggested to him that the young man was anything but ordinary.

Clearly, Zhong Yun himself was unaware of this secret, nor did he realize the extent of his own potential.

Yet Old Huang could sense that this potential was awakening. The last time they met, Zhong Yun's physical cultivation was only at the second stage. Now, barely ten days later, he had progressed to the third stage, with signs of advancing to the fourth.

Old Huang had never seen anyone improve so quickly. Such progress could not be described as mere genius—it was monstrous.

This only deepened Old Huang's curiosity. What secrets did the young man harbor? Even with all his experience, Old Huang could not guess.

So when he heard that Zhong Yun could revive a naturally withered flower, Old Huang could only be half-skeptical. Perhaps, deep down, he even hoped that this seemingly ordinary youth would surprise him again.

Zhong Yun shot an annoyed glance at Yang Siqing, who was sitting beside him—he was not pleased with her loose tongue. Of all the things to mention, why bring up that?

Seeing Old Huang fix his gaze on him, Zhong Yun felt a headache coming on. This was not something easily explained. "Uh... actually, I'm just going to try. The chances of success are very slim," he admitted.

Yang Siqing, realizing her slip, turned her face away and pretended not to notice his discontent.

Excitement lit up Old Huang's face, as it had when he first saw the "Seven Fairies." Suddenly, he grabbed Zhong Yun's hand. "When the time comes, would you let me assist you?"

Faced with the old man's hopeful gaze, Zhong Yun could not bring himself to refuse. He nodded, "Once the equipment is ready, I'll let you know."

"Wonderful!" the old man exclaimed, slapping the table. "Whatever equipment you need, just say the word. This old face of mine is still good for something!"

With all the fuss, the whole world might soon know, Zhong Yun thought, shaking his head and politely declining, "No need. I'd rather not draw too much attention."

Old Huang realized, "You're right. The media can be bothersome. Best not let too many people find out."

He looked at Zhong Yun with approval. "These days, everyone is desperate for fame, yet young Yun here can resist the temptation. That is commendable."

Zhong Yun could only smile wryly. All he wanted was to keep a low profile.

P.S.: Tonight at midnight, I'm making my final push for the Newcomer Rankings. This is my last chance. If I can make it into the top fifteen, my name will appear on the front page. To everyone still online, please vote for me. Thank you!