My Apocalypse System Arrives 10 Years Early

This Celestial Cloud Sword’s blade had flowing, lava-like obsidian patterns, and its guard was inlaid with eight Snake Eye Crystal Cores. Swinging it could trigger an Earth Vein Resonance with Mount Fuji. Its scabbard was forged from volcanic rock and engraved with Runes from the *Ancient Chronicles* meant to suppress Orochi.

Because the system had arrived early, it was inherently buggy, so some of the data was strange and followed no discernible pattern. Li Xiang didn’t dwell on it. ’Perhaps the system will only return to normal once the timeline is back on track.’

For example, killing the Tier Thirty-third Divine Level Mutated Creature, the Eight-headed Remnant Soul, had only yielded 3,300 Achievement Points. Li Xiang found it unbelievable. ’This was a Divine Level being!’

But on second thought, he figured it must have been a ”Pseudo-Divine Level” being, so he didn’t fuss over it. ’At least the Extraordinary Item I got was a genuine Tier Thirty-first Celestial Cloud Sword.’

The Celestial Cloud Sword was a divine weapon from Japanese mythology. As for the one currently enshrined in Nagoya’s Atsuta Shrine, it was, without a doubt, a fake.

’The museum has one, and so do I. Theirs is a fake, mine’s the real deal.’

Treading upon the lava, a lotus blooming with every step, Li Xiang sped toward the shore. His handsome and heroic figure left Chiba Yuki and her daughters stunned.

In truth, Li Xiang had learned this ”lotus step” technique from Luo Feifei.

When Luo Feifei walked, she would manipulate water vapor to form water lotuses beneath her feet. But Li Xiang was an Earth Element Transcendent, and since he was currently on a lava lake, he formed a ”Rock Armor Lotus Platform” instead.

Although made of rock, the craftsmanship was exquisite, fitting the ”Lotus Platform Pure Land” imagery from Japanese mythology. In particular, the patterns on the petals hadn’t fully solidified and still flowed like crimson lava, making them even more beautiful to behold.

The lotus platform is also the exclusive seat of a ”Buddha” in Buddhism. In Chinese mythology, the Tathagata Buddha sits on a nine-lotus platform, and while Bodhisattva Guanyin is not a Buddha, as a being of great Mana, she is also qualified to sit on one.

In that moment, to Chiba Yuki and her daughters, Li Xiang arriving on a trail of lotuses looked like an immortal deity descended to the mortal world. Chiba Yuki’s mind was buzzing, her heart filled with a single, overwhelming thought: she would gladly do anything her master asked of her.

”Are you all right? How bad are your injuries?” Li Xiang asked as he reached the shore and began to examine Chiba Yuki’s wounds.

Chiba Yuki took a deep breath to compose herself before replying, ”They’re a bit serious, but I can manage. It’s just... Aoi Monshou...”

”What happened to Aoi Monshou?” Li Xiang asked.

Chiba Yuki focused inwardly for a moment and said, ”I’ve lost contact. I don’t know if I can ever summon it again.”

”You’ll be in a lot of trouble without that ability. Let’s head back and talk this over,” Li Xiang said. He considered his options. ’Maybe I should teach them some Martial Arts. Without Aoi Monshou, they’ll need to be able to protect themselves.’

Immediately, Li Xiang used the Earth Escape Technique, holding Chiba Yuki and her two daughters as he traveled toward the hot spring inn.

On the way, after learning the full story, Li Xiang felt quite apologetic. His earlier attempt to temper himself had led to a misunderstanding, which in turn resulted in the loss of Aoi Monshou and left Chiba Yuki severely injured.

Li Xiang hadn’t expected Chiba Yuki to be so loyal that she would be willing to shatter Aoi Monshou just to help him—it was a huge sacrifice.

Held by Li Xiang with his arm around her slender waist, Chiba Yuki felt dizzy and her body went limp.