Forgotten One

Ever since he was a little kid Lie Shu believed he was different from everyone else.

When he was just a little boy, he was surrounded by love from his parents, but when he made his way to school his life changed.

As a young child only 12 years old, he would be bullied at school. A small group of boys at school would bring him to the corner of the school and hold him against the wall, constantly punching him in the stomach and arms but never his face.

If his face was fine, then no one would know anything.

Lie Shu just took it as a game, the punches didn't hurt him, he even saw them as his friends.

Lie Shu had normal friends as well and he was very close with them, constantly going to their house and playing. Once he grew up, he realized that those days showering with bruises all over his body were not something friends would cause, they were bullies. He also started to go to an MMA school. He trained multiple arts within a 4 year period, eventually gaining mastery in many of them.

As he grew up, he became more detached from the world, he switched schools and kept to himself. While everyone else was playing outside, Lei Shu would stay in his room and think. For many years all he did was think. Due to this, he m.a.t.u.r.ed much faster than the rest of his peers, isolating himself even further. Lei wouldn't have too many friends his whole life, he wouldn't have anything to aspire for.

Lei chose to live because if he died it would deeply hurt his family members.

Every day he went to sleep he would dream of illusory landscapes and magnificent people, power unimaginable in the current world. He dreamt of cultivating, not to be the best, but to protect what he felt needed protecting. In his dreams is where he really got to live his life and many people would envy that, he is a lucid dreamer. Not like others though, when Lei Shu slept, every single day, his dreams would eerily progress becoming lifelike.

Lei Shu with the body of a 16 year old but knowledge that far surpasses others, laid his head down to sleep once more.

"Wuuuu Wuuuuu"

Finally falling asleep, Lei Shu began snoring away. He jumped back into his dream and was surrounded by lush scenery, there was energy flowing through the skies and an endless amount of possibilities could be reached.

Lei Shu finally began to move when he suddenly came to a halt. His dreamscape faded away and he found himself alone, sitting in a world filled with darkness. He wandered around aimlessly until a heavenly voice rang in his ears.

"Child, I have seen your life on Earth, pitiful indeed. Alas, your body is so-so but that mind of yours has been tempered by countless trials, a mind suited for the pinnacle. A mind suited for ME! The world of darkness shook, and a figure began to descend in front of Lei Shu. Immortal symbols began to rain down and cover him like a mist, Lei couldn't make out his appearance but even his figure alone could shoulder the heavens. The man began to speak.

"Your life of cultivation doesn't simply have to be a dream, promise me that if you take this opportunity, you must live ONLY FOR YOURSELF. Don't waste this life I am giving you, I only ask this, if you reach the pinnacle, come searching for me."

Lei Shu was awestruck, even though his mind was tempered, it was tempered within his realm of Earth, he simply couldn't fathom if this was a huge joke or simply part of his dream.

A feeling deep within Lei Shu began thumping, a thirst for life began to burst from Lei Shu and he hurriedly accepted the figures wish. Lei Shu was about to leave when he suddenly stopped.

"Promise me that my family and those around me who care for me, will all be happy and not made aware of my absence."

It sounded as though the heavens were opening up and the sweet chiming of bells could be heard in the distance.

The figure spoke, "I promise."

As his words fell, so did Lei Shu. His body violently jolted himself awake. His head was pounding, and it seemed like this pounding would never stop, he slowly opened his eyes and realized it was a sound from nearby.

Lei Shu spoke, "Is that a forge? Could that dream have actually been true? Have I been sent back in time???"

Lei Shu was covered in silky white robes that he had never seen before. He made his way outside and was suddenly met by a maid.

"H-H-Hello, this little one is Qing Yu and your royal father has appointed me as your personal maid." Qing Yu was a shy 15 year old girl and she never really spoke to many men. After she spoke, she began to blush not knowing what to say next.

Lei Shu was thoroughly shocked, he thought in his head, "just what kind of blessing did that man give me, I am the son of a king!"

He slowly looked at Qing Yu and told her to go on break, but she adamantly stood there.

"His majesty told me to make sure you focused on your cultivation, this is the day before your 16th birthday and if you don't reach the first level of Body Tempering than you will never be able to cultivate. You will be treated poorly by the rest of the capital."

Lei Shu then frowned heavily as he found out his last chance to cultivate is today.

He then began to speak, "Sister Yu, there is nothing to fear, as the son of the king I will have other means of protection."

Without even stopping to ask why Qing Yu had a worried appearance, Lei Shu barged out of his house. As soon as he did, cries of the town rang out.

"Is that him? The child of the Shu empire, look he still hasn't reached first stage of Body Tempering."

"HAHAHAHAHAHA what a complete idiot, if I was blessed into such a wealthy family, I would already be at mid stage of Body Tempering."

Qing Yu then rushed out behind him and brought him back into his room, she then began to explain everything.

"Young Lord, can you sit for a moment we should talk." A somber expression was plastered over Qing Yu's face. "Although your memories have been lost you really didn't recover any of them since your 12th birthday." She looked down and began to speak extremely quietly.

"Young Lord, when you were 12 we had the empire's top examiner come to the capital to examine your talent. I-I-It was determined that if you were not able to cultivate by your 16th birthday, then you would never be able to cultivate for the rest of your life."

Lei Shu's expression immediately went sour, he then thought of becoming a scholar, using his brain that was supposedly so magnificent. Qing Yu's eyes began to shine when she saw Lei Shu's expression change but then she became somber once more.

"Young Lord, I know that you're thinking of becoming a scholar and gain power with the help of your wealth and connections but forget that immediately."

"But why? Wouldn't this be my only other way to achieve sufficient power?" Lei Shu asked.

Qing Yu hesitated to speak but she eventually said something that would shock Lei Shu, "My lord you could become a scholar but you lack one thing, looks, my lord to be completely frank, you are quite ugly, even the master scholars and beautiful maidens wouldn't even look your way despite your royal position as a prince."

Lei Shu was shocked, he immediately got up and ran towards the mirror in his bedroom.

The mirror was a beautiful oval shape with no blemishes whatsoever, it was surrounded by gold carved into swimming dragons, this mirror was indeed one used by royalty, not unsightly at all. However, the image reflected in the mirror was quite unsightly to say the least. A short ball shaped man was standing in front of the mirror. With a head resembling a pig and a face riddled with craters and marks. To top it off, a large nose was protruding from his face.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

Lei Shu screamed in shock; he couldn't believe that this is the body he was given to be reborn into.

Qing Yu tried to quickly comfort him, although she thought it was weird, he even lost his memory of his own appearance, even though a mirror was in his room.

Although Lei Shu was disheartened, he didn't choose to give up. He even had a beautiful woman to wait on him.

Although Qing Yu wasn't the most beautiful girl in the empire, she was extremely cute and most importantly pure. Qing Yu was wearing light blue robes that had a symbol embroidered on the back showing that she was a maid. Although these robes weren't of the same quality as Lei Shu's they still tightly clung to the young girls' body. Qing Yu was about 5 feet tall with slightly disheveled golden-brown hair. Her hair was straight and cascaded over her back stopping right above 2 perky peaches hiding under her robe. Her bosom although small, was quite perky as well, seemingly lifting her robe a bit higher. She was a petite girl with a kind heart and nice frame and as Lei Shu was looking towards her with admiration, he heard 3 loud thumps.

BANG BANG BANG

The door to his house had been violently broken through, a tall lanky man with a nose like big bird from sesame street, came barging into his room, standing loftily with his hands behind his back.

"Brother Lei, it is almost time for your 16th birthday aren't you coming out to play with your friends, wait who's this?"

Lei Shu could see that this man was interested in Qing Yu but he wasn't sure if his interest was good or bad because he didn't recognize that man.

Qing Yu then spoke, "Young Lord this is Zhen Shu, your third brother and also the genius of the Shu family."

Zhen Shu looked up as he spoke basking in the compliment. "Brother Lei can we speak alone."

Lei Shu gave Qing Yu a look and she took the opportunity to leave the room.

Zhen Shu looked solemnly at his brother, "Brother Lei it looks las if your cultivation hasn't broken through even after all these years."

Lei Shu nodded with great disappointment on his face.

Zhen Shu then spoke into his ear, "Come quickly with me I might have a way to help your breakthrough before you turn 16."

Lei Shu immediately got ready to leave, he believed that anything was possible, even if the possibility was infinitesimally close to zero, it would never reach zero, there is always a chance.

Lei Shu and Zhen Shu began riding a carriage to a grand canyon. The canyon was filled with despair, screams could be heard from outside and darkness blocked all vision. Lei Shu asked why he had been brought to this desolate place.

Zhen Shu responded in a cold voice, "The greatest power in cultivation is often gained when your life is on the line and only when you sink into despair will the light lead you to greater heights."

Lei Shu then looked back as it seems these words meant something more than just advice when he looked behind him, he saw that a claw viciously threw him into the vast darkness.

"Brother Zhen help, help me." Lei Shu pleaded.

Brother Zhen's voice then rang out, "Get out if you can Lei Shu if you can't even do that then our family wouldn't need trash like you who resembles no human and who has cultivation even worse than a house pet. Die for standing in my, Zhen Shu's way."

The last thing Lei Shu heard was Zhen Shu snort before disdainfully looking at him and walking away. Lei Shu's mind went blank and as he was falling all his memories from his life on Earth began flooding into him at once. The one thing that stuck out was when he was bullied as a twelve-year-old, constantly beaten, punches thrown at his stomach and limbs. He then realized Zhen Shu was never a friend, only a bully.