I Can Copy Talents Chapter 1: 0001

A messy bedroom, a simple wooden bed.

"My head is throbbing!!"

"Am I... still alive?"

As Ye Tian’s fractured thoughts gradually settled, the memories of his past life began to resurface one by one.

Simultaneously, a fresh surge of information began to fuse with his very soul.

"So, I’ve actually crossed over!"

He forced a bitter smile; this body didn't belong to him, yet it was inhabited by a youth sharing his exact name.

He originated from the year 2019, but the current date was 2119—an era known as the first century of the new world.

Essentially, he had arrived in a world one hundred years into the future.

This future era was famously called the Age of Yuan Qi, or alternatively, the Age of Talent.

Ye Tian slowly processed the history of the past century that resided in his mind.

At the start of 2019, numerous spatial cracks tore across the globe. From these rifts, countless fierce beasts flooded out, instantly toppling humanity from its position at the peak of the food chain. Humans were forced to struggle for survival against these savage creatures.

Faced with the onslaught, humanity attempted to eradicate the beasts using thermal weapons. However, a mysterious substance began to permeate the atmosphere, which later generations named Yuan Qi. This Yuan Qi interfered with the mechanics of thermal weaponry, rendering them useless. Even the ultimate human weapon, the nuclear bomb, was reduced to nothing more than scrap metal.

Mankind was abruptly thrust back into an era of cold weapons. Naturally, fragile humans wielding blades were no match for the fierce beasts.

Fortunately, the initial beasts to enter Earth were all low-level entities, providing humanity a slim window to survive.

Following extensive research, scientists discovered that this new mysterious substance could be harnessed by humans. Thus, a new profession was born—

Warriors!

By tempering their physiques and absorbing Yuan Qi, individuals could surpass human limitations and become a Martial Artist.

During this same period, human Talent began to manifest.

A minority of the population possessed these gifts. The most vital was Cultivation Talent, which dictated the ultimate heights a person could reach. Beyond Cultivation Talent, other variations existed, such as Sword Talent, Flame Talent, Ice Talent, and more.

By relying on Talent and martial arts, humanity gradually regained the ability to resist the beasts. Nevertheless, the majority of the planet remained under beast control; humans occupied only tiny pockets of land, where they established various survival bases.

Notably, the Earth was now significantly larger than it once was. It appeared that under the influence of Yuan Qi, the planet had expanded hundreds of times over.

"Yuan Qi, Talent, fierce beasts... what a fascinating world!"

Ye Tian inhaled deeply and let out a sudden smile.

Perhaps being transported to this era wasn't such a bad thing after all.

However, his expression quickly darkened.

"When the spatial cracks first appeared and Yuan Qi arrived, a tiny fraction of people awakened their Talents overnight. While Cultivation Talent is innate and doesn't require awakening, other Talents can manifest later. But for the people of that time, awakening was a catastrophe rather than a blessing. Without a sufficiently strong body to house the power, awakening meant death. Records show that many were obliterated by the overwhelming energy of their own Talents, ending up either dead or crippled."

"It seems I died because my own mysterious Talent awakened, and my entire body... just exploded!"

Ye Tian was certain that he had absorbed a massive amount of Yuan Qi back then, causing his body to undergo a fatal overload.

"I wonder what kind of Talent I awakened to make me explode like that. Even though people a century ago hadn't adapted to Yuan Qi, most would only swell up or become disabled if they couldn't handle the power. It's likely that the Talent I awakened was incredibly heaven-defying. It’s a shame that since I've crossed over, I'll never know what it was!" Ye Tian felt a pang of regret.

After organizing his thoughts regarding his past and this new era, Ye Tian finally examined his current physical form.

This was the body of a fifteen-year-old. In the Age of Yuan Qi, this was the standard age to begin one's Cultivation journey.

Before fifteen, the body isn't fully developed and is unsuitable for training—unless one belongs to a wealthy clan that uses rare treasures to accelerate growth.

Fifteen was considered the golden age. Once a person reached twenty, even if they possessed high Talent, their future potential would be severely limited if they hadn't started yet.

"At least I'm not in an old man's body, otherwise I'd be in real trouble."

"Wait... no..."

Ye Tian’s face suddenly paled.

A specific memory regarding this body’s potential finally surfaced.

The Talent of this body was abysmal!

It was a Weak Talent!

In this era, Cultivation Talent was the most critical factor. The ranks from lowest to highest were: Weak, Inferior, Primary, Medium, and High. It was rumored that even higher ranks existed, but those were secrets far beyond Ye Tian’s reach.

Once a person hit fifteen, they could purchase a Talent Stone to test their Cultivation Talent. Testing for other specific attributes required specialized stones.

The previous owner of this body had been so eager upon turning fifteen that he bought a stone to test himself in his room. Upon discovering he only had a Weak Talent, he fell into such a deep, angry despair that he literally died of rage, allowing the current Ye Tian to take over.

"Damn it, a Weak Talent? That’s the most pathetic tier. There’s no hope of even becoming a true Martial Artist!"

Ye Tian felt a wave of hopelessness.

Martial Apprentices and Martial Artists were the first two stages of growth. A Martial Apprentice wasn't even considered a true rank; one only became a real Martial Artist after gaining a thousand catties of strength.

To reach the level of a Martial Artist, the bare minimum requirement was an Inferior Talent. While Inferior was only one step above Weak, it at least offered a sliver of hope to reach the early stages of a Martial Artist. Once you attained that rank, you were considered a figure of importance, far above the common masses.

However, having a Weak Talent was humiliating. Even with a lifetime of effort, one would remain stuck as a Martial Apprentice. It was a hard ceiling imposed by nature.

"If only I had a way to change my Talent!"

Ye Tian tried to console himself.

*Knock, knock, knock!!*

A knock sounded at the door.

"Big brother, are you in there?"

A young, delicate girl’s voice called out from the hallway.

Ye Tian realized it was his sister in this life, Ye Yu, who was currently thirteen years old.

Opening the door, Ye Tian saw a young girl as cute as a porcelain doll.

"Brother, how did your Talent test go?"

Ye Yu inquired with curiosity.

Talent was a deeply personal secret. Unless it was a close family member asking, such a question was seen as a provocation. No one wanted their potential exposed; those with high Talent often feared assassination if their specifics were leaked.

Such tragedies were common in this world.

Consequently, people generally refrained from asking about the Talents of others.

Naturally, Ye Tian didn't mind his sister's questioning.

"Xiaoyu, your brother’s Talent is excellent. I’ll definitely become a powerful Martial Artist in the future!" Ye Tian looked at her and smiled, though his heart was filled with bitterness.

But in the next heartbeat.

His pupils contracted in sheer shock!

A translucent display had suddenly appeared across his vision.

[Human: Ye Yu] [Cultivation Talent: Inferior] [Ice Talent: Elementary (Unawakened)]