Your Talent is Mine Chapter 2: Copying Talent

"What's going on?"

Ye Tian felt a touch of confusion. From the initial look, it appeared as if it were merely a trick of the eyes, yet moments later, he confirmed beyond doubt that it was entirely real.

"Could this be a golden finger (cheat ability)? Wait, maybe it's actually my secret talent!"

After pondering briefly, Ye Tian came to that conclusion.

Ye Yu, at just 13 years old, hadn't started cultivating yet, but talent for cultivation gets fixed right from birth, making it usual for her to possess some cultivation talent. Still, the Ice talent stood apart as something beyond regular cultivation gifts, an incredibly scarce one-in-a-million kind. Should she unlock it down the line, she'd surely overpower peers at her level and might even challenge those stronger than her.

"They say that once you turn into a martial warrior, you start drawing in spiritual energy, and those hidden talents gradually reveal themselves, though folks with extra talents like that are exceptionally uncommon. Who would've thought my little sister carries this precious Ice talent."

"Does that mean my own gift is solely spotting talents in others?"

Ye Tian sensed his ability went far deeper than that.

Before long, he experimented a bit more.

By placing a hand on his sister, he noticed that next to the cultivation talent shown in the ethereal panel, there appeared a copy option.

In other words, he had the power to duplicate her modest cultivation talent.

Yet, the Ice talent remained out of reach for copying, as it hadn't surfaced yet.

"Proceed with the copy?"

Confronted with this prompt, Ye Tian promptly declined.

A low-level talent might surpass his feeble one, but it was still worthless trash, offering no real benefit even if duplicated.

Once he sent his sister off, Ye Tian settled into his room by himself to examine his own gift.

"Since I can view my sister's talents, surely I can gaze upon mine too," Ye Tian mused inwardly.

Thus, Ye Tian directed his focus toward his own being.

Quickly, details of his talent materialized before his eyes.

Human: Ye Tian

Cultivation Talent: Weak

His talent profile was straightforward, revealing only a weak cultivation gift with nothing else concealed. In the terms of this time, he qualified as a typical failure, merely a notch above everyday folks lacking any talent at all.

"Having sorted out the fundamentals, this extraordinary power likely stems from that enigmatic talent which led to my explosive death and carried over through my rebirth. I'll name it the Copy Talent, capable of replicating others' gifts. I'll need tests to see if it replaces my current one or blends with it. Plus, duplicating requires physical contact, which proves inconvenient, though it might evolve later!"

Harboring these ideas, Ye Tian devised a strategy: he'd duplicate a genius's cultivation talent, for with his pathetic weak one, achieving martial warrior status seemed impossible in this life.

And failing to become a martial warrior meant a harsh existence ahead.

A year prior, ferocious beasts had slain Ye Tian's parents. Now, just he and his sister held on in the family. Such tragedies struck countless households in this age, as humanity battled for survival. Deaths occurred nonstop, and families crumbled without end.

Ye Tian lived in a modest outpost known as Linhai Base, sheltering some three hundred thousand souls, where roughly a thousand served as martial warriors. These warriors enjoyed perks beyond the grasp of common folk.

His late parents had been warriors who met their doom during an external assignment. Despite their passing, the base offered some aid to the survivors, including a stipend claimable up to age 15 to cover basics.

Yet, upon hitting 15, that support would cease.

Ye Tian had just turned 15, cutting off his subsidy. His sister Ye Yu still qualified for hers, but it barely sufficed for one.

The two youths lacked any income sources. To cut costs, they had quit school ahead of schedule.

In Linhai Base, kids studied from nine to fifteen, covering reading, numbers, and beast lore. Since Ye Tian and Ye Yu had absorbed sufficient knowledge, leaving early didn't hinder them greatly.

"My parents bequeathed a modest legacy," Ye Tian reflected, "It's slim, but it'll sustain me for several years. Still, what lies beyond? Without martial warrior status, I'd end up laboring for others."

Laboring for others? Never in a million years. In this era, becoming a martial warrior marked the sole path forward!

"Time to hit the streets and roam!"

Resolving firmly, Ye Tian told his sister to remain indoors and stepped out solo.

Crowds thronged the streets, with folks rushing about. The majority were plain civilians, a handful martial disciples, and scant few actual warriors.

Those warriors radiated an intense presence, suffocating anyone who neared too much.

Low talent!

Low talent!

Weak talent!

Low talent!

As Ye Tian strolled, he observed that the bulk possessed weak or low talents. Basic talents were rare, save among a few warriors.

"Looks like even basic talent counts as exceptional here in Linhai Base!" Ye Tian furrowed his brow.

It stood to reason. As a minor base, Linhai's mightiest figure was merely a great martial warrior. Low talent might forge an early-stage warrior, basic ensured warrior status with a shot at elite, and medium secured elite with a chance at great.

The Linhai Base Grand Warrior was advanced in years, likely of medium talent himself.

"At minimum, secure a medium talent to copy," Ye Tian pondered. "I dare not approach those warriors. Touching one could mean instant death. Warriors slaying civilians often face just a penalty, doubly so for a nobody like me without backing. No way I'll hazard copying a warrior's talent!"

"With 300,000 residents in the base, and my copy talent scanning only within three meters, that range feels painfully limited. Checking individually drags on forever. The smart move is targeting promising types, like speedy-advancing martial disciples, then probing their talents. Spot medium or better, and I duplicate. No doubt a place this vast like Linhai Base hides at least one medium talent!"

Most martial apprentices gathered at Linhai Base's five key academies. At 15, anyone could join them. The top academy demanded basic talent or ties, but the rest welcomed all comers.

"I once aimed to spark basic talent and enter the first academy, but even with basic now, I wouldn't risk it," Ye Tian sighed. "They test talents on entry. If word spreads of my gift and it surges later, they'd dissect me for study."

His current path led to the other academies.

In truth, he needed an academy to master body tempering techniques. Martial disciples couldn't draw in Qi, so they tempered their forms to build strength up to a thousand pounds (catties), paving the way to warrior rank.