The System Is Three Thousand Years Late

The protagonist transmigrated into the cultivation world. With no System awakening, he diligently cultivated for three thousand years, overcame countless hardships, and became the Demon Lord everyone wanted dead. His Banner of Ten Thousand Souls struck terror into the hearts of all.

Just as he was hunted down and driven to the brink, a System voice rang in his ears.

[Ding! Hello, Host. The Dragon-Aotian System is at your service!]

[Mission 1] Welcome to the cultivation world. Your spiritual roots have been crippled, and the scheming senior brother is bullying you. Give him a face-slapping defeat and agree to a duel atop Kunlun three years from now.

[Reward] 1 Foundation Establishment Pill

The protagonist, who was already halfway to the Deity Transformation stage: "..."

He glanced at the senior brother who had been sleeping in his Banner of Ten Thousand Souls for over two thousand years, then earnestly asked the System, "He's been dead for over two thousand years. Can that still count as completing the mission?"

The Dragon-Aotian System: [???]

.

Good news: He has a System now.

Bad news: The System is three thousand years late. He's already become a god.

As for the System's mission targets, the senior brother, sect leader, junior sister, and the rest, they'd all died three thousand years ago when he fell to demonic cultivation. He'd captured their souls and refined them into his Banner of Ten Thousand Souls.

The protagonist couldn't care less about the System's meager rewards. He was ready to flee with his banner, but the Dragon-Aotian System was so determined to stick to the plot that it actually brought his senior brother, dead for three thousand years, back to life.

The Dragon-Aotian System was utterly persistent:

[Mission 1] Welcome to the cultivation world. Your spiritual roots have been crippled, and the scheming senior brother is bullying you. Give him a face-slapping defeat and agree to a duel atop Kunlun three years from now.

[Reward] 1 Foundation Establishment Pill

The recipient, abruptly resurrected, stared in shock for a moment before looking at the protagonist. Smiling with the same serene grace as ever, he gently called out, "A Chen, how did you grow so much in the blink of an eye?"

The protagonist stared at him in disbelief, his eyes suddenly reddening.

Tears blurred everything before him. With the System's persistent mission prompt ringing in his ears, he threw himself at the recipient and choked out, "Senior Brother..."

Three thousand years ago, everyone in their sect had been slaughtered after they happened upon a banner. Protected by his senior brother, he had escaped with the soul banner and embarked on a path of revenge. Over time, everyone came to hate and fear him, but he could never find his old companions again.

Now, one of those old companions had appeared before him once more.

.

[Mission 2] Your senior sister is arrogant and has thrown away your cultivation manual. Steal her token and enter the Library Pavilion.

[Mission 3] Your master...

[Mission 4] Your rogue cultivator friend...

The Dragon-Aotian System stubbornly pushed him to follow the plot. With the recipient by his side, the protagonist fled from place to place, completing missions and recovering the people he'd lost long ago. At last, he also confessed the feelings he'd kept buried for a thousand years, and uncovered the truth behind what happened back then.

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The Banner of Ten Thousand Souls can command the dead and refine souls to increase one's cultivation. It is a rare treasure in the cultivation world.

Legend has it that the Demon Lord xx slaughtered his entire sect and refined even his own kin to claim the banner. Now, suffering the backlash of its evil aura, he has secluded himself for a thousand years. Countless righteous cultivators have come to challenge him.

That day, heaven and earth trembled. The Demon Lord emerged, and ten thousand ghosts wailed.

A youth stood holding a dark, ink-black banner. Beside him stood the people of his sect, dead for three thousand years.

He slaughtered several elders of the cultivation world, wantonly brazen.

The righteous cultivators cried out in fury, "xxx, who do you think you are? How dare you oppose us!"

The protagonist chuckled. "Sorry, but I'm actually the Dragon-Aotian."

"The blood debt from three thousand years ago is long overdue to be repaid in blood, isn't it?"

A widower protagonist who seems normal after three thousand years of mourning, but has actually gone a little mad x a senior brother recipient, graceful and radiant, who is tender and indulgent only toward the protagonist.

After three thousand years of mourning, the protagonist is overwhelmed by joy and fear when the recipient comes back to life. He nervously worries that he can't measure up to his former self, and even though he's already a great demon, clumsily pretends to be the frail, helpless junior brother he used to be.

The recipient be like: My junior brother is so cute. My junior brother is so sweet. You say my junior brother killed people? Oh, then you must have deserved it. Go explain yourself to my sword. ^^

20240818: An old idea, revised and posted. All versions are documented.

The story's overall direction is set. The blurb will continue to be streamlined and polished.

Theme: I don't want to become a god alone.