Survival for All: I can deconstruct projections and synthesize everything.

Shi Yan's Dao heart was completely healed at that moment.

It wasn't because he finally accepted his fate as a supporting character, nor because he gave up his dream of becoming a protagonist.

It was because he finally understood one thing—

The roles of protagonist and supporting character are never determined by talent.

A person can be the protagonist of their own story, and also a supporting character in someone else's story.

This is not a contradiction.

Just like Lin Xiao, he is the protagonist of the Eternal Alliance and the protagonist of the entire Mist World resistance.

But to his family, he was just an ordinary son... if he had one.

And Shi Yan, too, can be the protagonist of his own story.

He doesn't need to surpass Lin Xiao, he doesn't need to be at the forefront.

He only needs to do his job well—be a master of his time, someone who can buy his comrades a few seconds in critical moments.

Those few seconds might change the outcome of a battle.

Those few seconds could save countless lives.

Those few seconds were his value.

And he did it willingly.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Lin Xiao's welcome was more than just a few words.

Over the next few days, he personally arranged everything for the eight new members.

The Wheel of Reincarnation was placed in the core region of the miniature universe, where the most concentrated power of rules is located, making it the most suitable place to cultivate the power of reincarnation.

Lin Xiao even created a separate space for him, where he built a small Six Paths of Reincarnation Valley.

Burning Heaven was placed near a star in a miniature universe, where the power of fire was most abundant.

Although his destructive power does not require fire, a high-temperature environment allows him to focus more intently.

Lin Xiao also prepared a batch of ores rich in destructive power for him to absorb and cultivate.

Yanhuang was assigned to a star field where the five elements were most balanced.

There, the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth cycle perfectly, making it an excellent place to cultivate the power of the five elements.

Lin Xiao also shared his understanding of the mutual generation and restraint of the five elements with him, giving his talent in the five elements a new direction for breakthrough.

Ye Chen was assigned to the edge of the miniature universe, which is close to the void and is most suitable for cultivating the power of nothingness.

Lin Xiao also opened a spatial passage for him to the outside of the universe, allowing him to enter the void at any time to comprehend the universe.

Cang Xuan was placed in the region with the slowest time flow in the miniature universe.

One second there is equivalent to ten seconds outside, making it the perfect place to cultivate immortality.

Lin Xiao also shared the primordial power of the microcosm with him, establishing a deep connection between his Immortal Sacred Domain and the microcosm.

Hongmeng was placed in the chaotic region of a miniature universe—a star field that was not yet fully formed.

The chaotic energy there surges endlessly, making it the perfect place to cultivate the power of chaos.

Lin Xiao also shared his insights from creating a microcosm with him, which led to a qualitative leap in his chaotic talent.

Lu Qiong was placed near the core of the rules of the miniature universe.

That place is where the rules of the entire universe are most concentrated, with countless threads of rules intertwined to form a net of rules that covers the entire universe.

Lin Xiao also shared his understanding of the rules with him, giving his talent for the laws a new direction for breakthrough.

Shi Yan was placed in the deepest part of the microcosm.

That was a private space that Lin Xiao had specially created for him, where time stood still.

There is no past, no future, only the eternal present.

The moment Shi Yan stepped into that space, his pupils suddenly contracted.

Because he sensed that the rules of time in this space were different from any rules of time he had ever seen before.

It is neither acceleration, nor deceleration, nor reversal, nor stillness.

Rather, it is a kind of...transcendence.

Transcending time.

"This is..." His voice trembled slightly.

Lin Xiao stood beside him and said softly, "In the deepest part of the microcosm, time has not yet been born. Here, you can see the essence of time."

Shi Yan fell silent.

He closed his eyes, and silver light slowly flowed around him.

His consciousness probed into the deepest part of this space, sensing the power of time that had not yet been born.

The feeling was like standing in the void before the birth of the universe, watching the river of time come from nothingness to existence, from chaos to order, from stillness to surging.

At that moment, he seemed to see the source of his talent.

At that moment, he felt as if he had touched time itself.

When he opened his eyes again, a flash of understanding appeared in them.

"Thank you," he said softly, his voice filled with genuine gratitude.

Lin Xiao smiled slightly: "No need to thank me. From now on, we are comrades-in-arms."

Shi Yan nodded, a smile playing on his lips.

"Comrade-in-arms... that's a really good word."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

half a month later.

Within the Eternal Alliance's miniature universe, eight powerful auras rose simultaneously.

Zhuanlun, Fentian, Yanhuang, Yechen, Cangxuan, Hongmeng, and Lüqiong—seven survivors with SSS-level talents—simultaneously broke through to the seventh tier.

The seven auras converged and formed a huge pillar of light in the miniature universe.

A beam of light shot into the sky, illuminating the entire star field.

At the very top of the pillar of light, there was an even more dazzling silver light.

That was Shi Yan.

Although he did not break through to the seventh rank, his time talent underwent a qualitative change in the past half month.

He no longer needs to form hand seals to cast Time Acceleration; a single thought is enough.

He no longer needs to expend a lot of mental energy to maintain the Time Training Ground; the primal power of the miniature universe will provide him with a continuous source of energy.

He even touched the threshold of time stopping—though it couldn't last much longer, it was enough.

Eight auras rose in the miniature universe, shaking the entire Eternal Alliance.

Countless creatures raised their heads, gazing at the dazzling pillar of light, their eyes filled with awe.

"Eight survivors with SSS-level talent..."

"They've all broken through to the seventh rank..."

"And that time-manipulation talent...it's terrifying..."

Inside the council hall, Lin Xiao watched the beam of light grow ever brighter, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Zhuge Duo stood beside him, the threads of fate gently flowing around her.

"With their addition, the strength of the All-Spirit Alliance has increased significantly," she said softly, a hint of a smile flashing in her eyes.

Lin Xiao nodded: "Yes, we're one step closer to the day of our final battle against the God of Mist."

He turned around, his gaze piercing through the barrier of the miniature universe and piercing into the depths of the misty world.

There, the gray fog still churns.

There, the ninth-ranked high priest and the messenger, Mist Shadow, are still secretly watching. There, the God of Mist is awakening.

But he wasn't afraid.

Because he is not fighting alone.

Behind him were billions of warriors of the Eternal Alliance, countless beings of the All-Spirit Alliance, and races that had come from every corner of the Misty World to join him.

and also--

Those eight survivors with SSS-level talents.

They were once enemies, but now they are comrades-in-arms.

They once wanted to kill him, but now they are willing to fight for him.

In this world, there are never eternal enemies, only eternal interests.

And when everyone's interests are aligned with the same goal—

That is unparalleled power.

Lin Xiao took a deep breath, turned around, and walked towards the council hall.

Behind him, Zhuge Duo followed closely.

"Let's go," he said softly. "There's still a lot to do."

In the deepest part of the microcosm, Shi Yan opened his eyes.

A silver light swirled in his pupils, and his gaze pierced through layers of space, landing on Lin Xiao's back.

A relieved smile appeared on his lips.

"The future... is in your hands."

He said it softly, then closed his eyes.

Silver light flowed slowly around him, like fine threads that tightly connected him to this miniature universe.

At that moment, he felt—

My own time has finally become completely synchronized with the time of this universe.