Liu Sheng was only ten years old when his caretaker started becoming abusive. He was eleven years old when he realized he needed to gain strength to survive on his own. He was twelve years old when he decided to depart from home whenever his caretaker was in one of his violent moods. He was thirteen years old when he began collecting thrown-away tools and learning how to use them. He was fourteen years old when he felt the strongest urge to just give up and live as a servant.
He was a newborn when he realized that he shouldn't have been here.
Liu Sheng is fifteen years old now.
He hasn't surrendered yet.
In the previous years of single digits, the young boy had to adjust to and understand foreign world that was completely at odds with his prior sensibilities. Calling it a culture shock would be a great understatement.
A wry smile appeared on his face when he thought about just how much people valued strength and power in this world.
It's raw and primitive compared to the more advanced society he came from. Does that make it worse or lesser?
It's hard to say.
For him, it's currently awful. From the perspective of the weak, that's not a wrong view to have.
'I'd like to say this world is a terrible one, but I haven't truly experienced all of it. I haven't seen the entirety of this nation or the entirety of this continent.'
Before he can make a judgment, he needs to know more. However, he doubts that his opinion will change for as long as his strength remains as it is.
One of the few advantages allowed to Liu Sheng is the wisdom he acquired from the experience of already living a past life.
Thus, he collected a lot of information before trying to understand and apply it. From the passing by merchants who brought not only goods, but information, and the caretaker who disparagingly educated him and the condescending words of those around him. From their cold eyes, The youth peered deeper into them, finding the light of enlightenment that began cutting through his ignorance.
From cutting words, from backwards culture and language that resembled modern Mandarin, from the contrasting clothes between the townsfolk and wandering travelers.
He learned about the town, about the forest, and about the nation he was in and even the continent. He fused all of the information he acquired into an overall understanding of the world.
The Blue Wind Empire was one nation among seven on the Profound Sky Continent. The most important part about knowing this is that this is the weakest nation on the continent. It's small mercies to be living in a place with a small power ceiling.
The country's massive size far exceeds any other country on Liu Sheng's old planet, let along the ridiculous size of the continent.
He recalled how on Earth, ancient life forms were bigger because there was far more oxygen to sustain their larger bodies. He then wondered if Profound Energy was like oxygen, except it applied to more than just biological lifeforms. The landmasses surging with energy dwarfed any kind of natural structure on Earth..
This was a completely different planet that worked on completely different rules. And because it operated on different rules, the way society worked operated differently too. It needed to adjust to the concept that wars can be waged by just a single individual who could wipe out thousands with a wave of their hand.
In the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, an individual can cross far-reaching distances by flying through the sky if their realm is high enough.
There were so many wonders to marvel at, so much information and new concepts to be overwhelmed by, only for Liu Sheng to realize that he couldn't fully participate in the rules of this world.
Could it be because he wasn't from this world? Could that be why the Profound Way rejected him? He could only accept that and try to live in spite of the world that mocked him.
'It's not like I wanted to die. And if I did, I wouldn't want to live again in a place like this. Just why me?'
His weakness could break a person in his place, but he had the experience of an older and more learned individual. Liu Sheng remained stalwart, but he couldn't remain undaunted.
He tried to understand the world he was reborn in, but he couldn't understand everything. Just why was he reincarnated in the first place? How did it even happen?
The terrifying lack of knowledge is enough for him to consider giving up all thought and going with the flow.
The boy hasn't surrendered to this world however. He couldn't give up because he wanted to live. There had to have been a meaning in his reincarnation, so he couldn't give up like this.
He has no choice but to struggle as much as he can.
Despite that resolution, he became a gloomy youth. He made his resolve just a short year ago, yet he his fire was already showing signs of going out.
Ultimately, he was just a person from the modern world. He didn't have the grit to survive in such a place like this even if he spent his childhood adjusting to it. His life here still doesn't reach half the amount of years spent in his old world.
Despite that though, the sputtering fire still hasn't gone out. For as long as it exists, even if it's just a small candle barely enough to illuminate a room, he has to keep forcing himself forward.
Liu Sheng prepared before he started his training today. In another pouch on the other side of his waist were herbs, mushrooms, and salted dry meat.
The herbs and mushrooms came from foraging around the forest while the preserved meat came from his current home.
Herbs that went unused were delivered to his caretaker, Mo Bai.
He didn't need to hunt on the first day. This single day was just to get warmed up and spending the greatest amount of time practicing.
Liu Sheng's clothes weren't suited to weather the natural world outside of a human town. The cheap fabric would tear upon getting caught on branches and it's terrible for keeping warm. It's the warm season though, so the consequences won't be as bad as last year's camping event.
Really... The main difficulty was starting a fire. In a forest carrying the air of water, logic dictates that fire would be more difficult to use. It's not impossible, but it's more difficult than it should be.
Flint was another thing Lui Sheng took from home when he left for a three day vacation. He'll only need to use that for the following days.
The first day is always the easiest. All that needed to be done was endless training until the sun set.
After the young man ate his dinner, he set up his sleeping space with branches and dried leaves. He slept on the grass and dozed off beneath the moon and stars.
The cry of birds woke him up. When he opened his eyes, Liu Sheng was blinded by the sun's rays. He quickly shielded his eyes before getting up and making sure he had everything around him secured.
"I didn't wake up early. It's rare to get a peaceful sleep. Usually wild animals try to snatch my food or think of me as food to snatch."
He keeps the pouch on him. Leaving it off his person has only led to rabbits and foxes sneakily biting through the leather and eating his breakfast.
'Day two.'
The salted meat is what stirs his need for water, but it's the most filling thing he has.
Just as before, he'll eat the remaining food in his pouch for breakfast and go to the river later. He can't go too early or the rest of the animals will be there. There are some Profound Beasts who'd overpower and kill him if he's not careful.
"I'll wait until they're finished and then I'll be able to drink."
His hand slowed halfway to his food pouch. His brows furrowed.
'When did I get so used to living like this?'
When a pattern evolves into a habit, one stops thinking because it becomes instinctual. Running from his caretaker, hiding away from those stronger than him, waiting for the animals to go away before he can take a sip of water.
It's the smart way to live. Life is already a struggle, so there's nothing wrong with making it as easy as possible.
The technology he's used to doesn't exist here, the kind people who he's used to don't exist here, and the culture he's used to doesn't exist here.
He's accepted that.
'Is it okay to be okay with this? No, of course not, but what else can I do?'
Liu Sheng grit his teeth as stupid notions began to stir up in his chest. He quickly quashed them.
It's merely the thoughts of a youthful brain. He can stop it from taking him over as long as he remembers his wisdom and experience of an adult.
He's just thinking like this because he's hungry.
'You're not you when you're hungry and all that. I remember. I'll be better after eating.'
Those thoughts have become less and less frequent as the years have gone by, but they've become even stronger.
It's the worst when he remembers just small things about his old world and nostalgia kicks in.
These three day vacations are not only good for getting away from an angry caretaker, but it's also good to take a break and sort out his thoughts before his emotions get out of control.
Deep breath in and out.
In...and out.
That's better.
After calming down and finishing the rest of his food in a few breaths of time, Liu Sheng began his preliminary stretches.
He trains everyday even when he's sick and even when he's injured. If he stops, then he'll get lazy and he'll start making excuses like the modern man to get out of sticking to a game plan. He can't afford to do that in this world.
He changed himself to adapt to this world.
He rubbed the bruise on his face.
"It's going down faster than I thought. Was he lighter this time or is my body in better shape than usual?"
His flexibility has greatly improved from before he started these training sessions. He dare say that women would be jealous of him.
'Alright, done with that.'
It didn't take much time. It's just preparation after all.
He just needs to wait for his food to digest and then he'll go to the river. After that, training that will double as hunting and foraging.
Liu Sheng was certain that this would be another simple day.
He sighed.
"I really do need to start taking actual steps to my goal. I can't just stay here for the rest of my life, but what can I do? Maybe I can start learning how to be a merchant? Money is important."
He mumbled to himself with thoughts of the future.
'Could get into medicine, but I never went to medical school and I don't know if the knowledge from the modern world will apply perfectly to this one. Blacksmithing will require strength in the long run.'
He clicked his tongue.
The thought that he can apply modern knowledge to this one despite knowing how different the rules are is fallacious thinking. That's just a way to fall into a pitfall.
Liu Sheng stared at the light through the clouds and decided that it was time to go get a drink.
The boy knew this region of the Cyan Forest like the back of his hand. He never went in truly deep, but he's camped around the outskirts of the town many times. He could walk to the river with his eyes closed just following the sounds of the forest, but it'd be too risky for that.
There's the ever present danger of wild animals he needed to watch out for, so he can't ever get arrogant. He's been attacked by Beasts before and he's not keen on repeating that.
"Huh? What's that sound?"
There could be some animals still drinking, but they're the silent type. Is that...humming?
Liu Sheng walked forward and was greeted with the sight of a female figure bathing in the river. Her clothes were neatly folded on top of a clean white piece of cloth for it to rest on without being stained by the dirt and grass.
The girl hummed to herself, washing her hair and her body. She was lost in her own world, ignorant of the fact that there was a person of the opposite sex staring at her.
Liu Sheng was confused.
Why would someone bathe outside where there's possible danger? Even if she's possibly a crouching tiger, why not just bathe at home?
His eyes weren't stuck on the curves or contours of her body because there wasn't much to say about it. She had breasts and a butt and her face looked fine, but none of it was to his taste.
Liu Sheng was just baffled. He's never experienced something like this in both of his lives. Should he call out to her?
Wait, this society is very hard on women showing their exposed bodies to men. Isn't this kinda bad?