Ignorant Youth, Reckless and Clueless—Rebirth

(Synopsis: "I am but a rogue cultivator. I achieved Qi Introduction at nine, yet after a hundred years of toil, I have only reached the seventh layer of Qi Condensation. Now that I am old and frail, I intend to return to my roots. No need to see me off, young friend. Farewell!"

"Wait. Your century of cultivation experience is exactly what I need. You had best leave it behind."

In the Cultivation World, it is said that alchemy is the most lucrative path.

"Alchemy? I began as an apprentice at nine, entered the first rank of low-grade at twenty-nine, achieved mid-grade at fifty, and only became a first-rank high-grade alchemist at eighty-nine. Boy, do you think the path of alchemy is so easily entered?"

"I shall humbly accept your experience, senior.")

Note: The system is quite expensive in terms of spirit stones.

The morning at Qingshi Market was always wrapped in a lingering dampness, a mixture of the earthy scent of spirit herb roots, the metallic tang of unknown beast blood, and that faint, indelible odor of sweat and spiritual energy clinging to the cultivators—all pressing heavily into the rising sunlight.

Fifteen-year-old Li Chengjie huddled at the outermost perimeter of the market, near the edge of the chaotic area where vendors set up their stalls, sitting upon a half-slab of cold, rough bluestone.

Spread before Li Chengjie was a piece of coarse cloth, washed until it had faded to white, though one could still discern it had once been the hide of some demonic beast. Scattered across it were a few stacks of crudely cut, earthy-yellow talisman paper, seven or eight talisman brushes with worn-down tips, and two or three low-grade spirit stones, their luster dim and their spiritual energy thin.

Li Chengjie squinted, appearing half-asleep, yet his divine sense was cast like an invisible net, quietly spread within a three-foot radius in front of him, wary of any "third hand" that might reach out.

Within this body resided a soul from the technological civilization of Blue Star in another world. He had been reborn here for a full year; the original owner had been a naive youth, neither rigorous in his actions nor versed in the ways of the world.

Mediocre in his past life, he seemed to have fared no better in this one, remaining at the very bottom of the Cultivation World—a struggling ant, a mere rogue cultivator at the third layer of Qi Condensation.

The scene from a year ago would still occasionally crash into his mind with startling clarity.

Also near this market, that old cultivator with white hair and beard, his face etched with the ravages of time—Old Man Li, a seventh-layer Qi Condensation rogue cultivator—had been hunched over, packing his bag, which was as meager as could be.

"Young friend Li,"

The old man's voice had been hoarse then, heavy with the exhaustion of a life ground down by time. "I am but a rogue cultivator. I achieved Qi Introduction at nine and have always considered myself diligent, stumbling along for a hundred years... Heh, a hundred years, only to reach this seventh layer of Qi Condensation. Now that I am old and frail, my Qi and Blood are depleted, and the Great Dao... is hopeless. I intend to return to my mortal home, find a remote mountain village, and settle down. Young friend, no need to see me off. Farewell!"

The old man cupped his hands, turned, and his stumbling silhouette merged into the dusty path leading out of the market toward the mortal world.

At that very moment, Li Chengjie clearly "heard" a cold, emotionless voice resonate deep within his consciousness:

[Replicable target detected: 'Old Man Li' (Qi Refining Level 7). Replicable items: Mysterious Flame Art century of cultivation experience and insights. Replicate?]

[Prompt: Confirm replication.]

The shock and bewilderment of that moment still lingered.

He had intended to see Old Man Li off, hoping the old man might give him a storage bag or something similar.

Replicate experience?

Not cultivation level?

Though he did not understand, the words "century of cultivation experience" held an immense temptation for a bottom-tier cultivator like him, who had been trapped at the third layer of Qi Refining for years without progress.

Almost by instinct, Li Chengjie responded "Yes" in his consciousness.

In an instant, it felt as if a torrent had surged into his mind.

It was not specific text of a cultivation technique, but rather profound realizations—how spiritual energy could circulate more smoothly through specific meridians, how to breathe more effectively, the subtle spiritual power vibrations and control required to break through the minor bottlenecks of the early Qi Refining stages, and the summaries of countless failures and occasional successes over a hundred years... Complex, yet clearly organized, they were branded into his memory, becoming a part of him.

Relying on this windfall of a century's worth of insights, his cultivation of the Mysterious Flame Art over the past year had been twice as effective with half the effort, far surpassing his previous Basic Qi Refining Art. He had naturally broken through the bottleneck that had long plagued the original owner, quietly stepping into the fourth layer of Qi Refining three months ago.

Even his originally dull and slow-witted personality had changed significantly.

Furthermore, Li Chengjie could feel that his understanding of techniques and his control over spiritual power were far beyond those of an ordinary fourth-layer Qi Refining cultivator.

At the same time, he had thoroughly figured out this so-called "replication" ability.

It could only be activated once a year.

What it replicated was the target's complete experience, insights, and techniques regarding a specific cultivation method or skill, not their direct cultivation level.

And to perform a replication, one needed to consume something called "Replication Points."

As for the source of these Replication Points...

Li Chengjie lifted his eyelids, his gaze sweeping over the three low-grade spirit stones on his stall that hadn't increased in half a day, and he murmured in his heart.

A faint light, a translucent panel visible only to him, floated before his eyes:

Name: Li Chengjie (Three Spirit Roots of Metal, Wood, and Fire)

Cultivation: Qi Refining Stage Level 4

Technique: Mysterious Flame Art (Entry-level 87/100)

Available Replication Points: 0

Replication Count: 1 (Cooldown complete)

Replication Point Recharge: One low-grade spirit stone = One Replication Point

It was concise to the point of being harsh.

There wasn't even a progress bar behind the cultivation level; the "Entry-level" assessment and the proficiency score had only appeared after he integrated Old Man Li's experience.

And that glaring "0" in Replication Points, along with the "Cooldown complete" status that he couldn't utilize, felt like a small claw scratching at his heart.

Recharge?

Easier said than done.

One Low-grade Spirit Stone equals one Replication Point.

Li Chengjie's entire fortune, including the half a bluestone he sat on, the three Spirit Stones before him, and the five Spirit Stones he kept hidden and wrapped in oil paper, amounted to a mere eight Low-grade Spirit Stones.

Eight Replication Points. What could he replicate with that?

The crooked "Cleaning Talisman" drawing skill of Old Wang at the next stall, where half of ten attempts might succeed?

Poverty was the original sin.

Especially so in this Cultivation World, and even more so for a Rogue Cultivator.

Li Chengjie let out a soft breath, suppressing the chaotic thoughts churning in his mind, and refocused his attention on his stall and the surrounding environment.

The cries of vendors, the haggling of customers, the clatter of inferior Dharma Artifacts, all blended into a constant din.

Just then, the crowd suddenly stirred, and an invisible pressure quietly permeated the air.

The vendors' calls involuntarily lowered, pedestrians slowed their steps, and gazes all turned towards the market entrance.

A young man in a moon-white brocade robe, accompanied by a beautiful female cultivator, walked in slowly.

The young man was about twenty years old, with a handsome face and an obvious air of reserve and arrogance in his demeanor. A jade pendant emitting a faint spiritual light hung from his waist. He walked with ease, his surrounding Spirit Energy Fluctuation condensed and powerful, clearly at Qi Refining Level 6!

"It's Young Master Chen Xuan of the Chen Family!" someone exclaimed in a low voice.

"Tsk, tsk, worthy of being a prodigy of the Chen Family's younger generation. I heard he's only twenty-two and already at Qi Refining Level 6!"

"Is that Miss Liu from the Liu Family next to him? Truly a match made in heaven..."

"Keep your voices down! Young Master Chen is known as the invincible expert of the Qi Refining middle stage around Qingshi Market. His Geng Metal Sword Qi Art is incredibly sharp; it's said even Rogue Cultivators at Qi Refining Level 7 dare not easily cross his path!"

The fragmented discussions reached Li Chengjie's ears.

Chen Xuan, a direct descendant of the Chen Family, one of the three great families of Qingshi Market, possessed dual spiritual roots and had access to abundant resources and superior cultivation techniques since childhood. He was a true genius in this region.

He was practically from another world compared to Li Chengjie, who struggled in the mud.

However, Li Chengjie's gaze was fixed firmly on Chen Xuan, his heart uncontrollably accelerating.

Not because of the other's status or strength, but because the moment Chen Xuan entered the range of his Spiritual Sense Perception, that cold notification sound rang out again!

[Detected Replicable Target: 'Chen Xuan' (Qi Refining Level 6). Replicable Item: Geng Metal Sword Qi Art cultivation experience and insights (including practical combat application techniques). Estimated Replication Point cost: 150 points.]

One hundred and fifty points!

Li Chengjie's breath hitched, feeling as if his chest had been violently punched.

If he sold himself, he wouldn't even have enough for the fractional part!

An indescribable bitterness and a sense of immense disparity surged in his heart.

The Golden Finger was right there, a powerful opportunity capable of changing his destiny was before his eyes, yet he didn't even have the qualification to touch it, all because—he was poor.

Chen Xuan seemed accustomed to the awed and envious gazes around him. He didn't stop at any stall, chatting softly with the female cultivator beside him as he walked directly towards the core area of the market, towards the shops with grand decorations and family backing. As he passed, the crowd naturally parted to make way.

Li Chengjie silently watched the moon-white figure disappear around the street corner. The market soon returned to its previous clamor, as if the scene had been a small pebble dropped into water, its ripples fading without a trace.

Li Chengjie lowered his head, looking at the few solitary Talisman Papers on his stall, his fingers unconsciously curling.

The gap, stark and despair-inducing.

It wasn't just the gap in cultivation and strength, but also the gap in resources, background, and even the starting line of destiny.

After a year of rebirth, relying on the borrowed experience of a hundred years, he had finally managed to climb from Qi Refining Level 3 to Level 4, thinking he might see a slightly different landscape.

But reality immediately delivered a heavy blow—he was still spinning in place, still racking his brains over a few Low-grade Spirit Stones, still unable to afford the "ticket" to replicate even a decent experience.

Unwilling.

Why? I've transmigrated and have a cheat, yet I'm still living like this.

Mediocre in my past life, and in this one, I'm still stuck in this mire, watching those geniuses forge ahead, only to eventually turn to dust, or... embark on that unattainable path to eternal life?

(Cultivation Realms: Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul... Qi Refining Realm: Levels 1-9, 1-2-3 Early Stage, 4-5-6 Middle Stage, 7-8-9 Late Stage. Foundation Establishment Realm: Early, Middle, Late, Peak Golden Core Realm: Early, Middle, Late, Peak Nascent Soul Realm: Early, Middle, Late, Peak Pill Grades: First Order, Second Order, Third Order, Fourth Order...)

(Realm Lifespan Division, Qi Refining Stage (Lifespan 120 years), Foundation Establishment Stage (Lifespan 240 years), Golden Core Stage (Lifespan 500 years), Nascent Soul Stage (Lifespan 1000 years), Spirit Transformation Stage (2000 years))