Nian Shi withdrew his finger, examining the result.
"Interesting… Truly interesting." he murmured.
No anger. No irritation. Just quiet observation.
He turned his gaze to Yun Qianxue and the others.
"You must understand," he said, his voice calm, "this changes nothing. Even if I cannot break this barrier immediately, it will fall. Everything does, given enough time."
His silver eyes gleamed with the certainty of eons.
"And time... is all I have."
The survivors didn't respond.
They didn't need to.
Their silence was answer enough.
Nian Shi's smile deepened as he raised his right hand.
Buzz—
The space above his palm twisted violently, temporal energy condensing into visible golden threads that wove together with terrifying precision.
A blinding flash erupted, forcing even Yun Qianxue to raise her arm against the glare.
When the light faded, a sword hovered in his grasp.
