Obstacles to Constructing the Spatial Passage

The flying boat powered up, its engine emitting a low hum as silver-gray light coursed across its hull. Lin Hao took one last, lingering look at Xiao Wan's illusory form in her mother's arms, at his battered but resolute family, and at their ruined home. Then he turned without hesitation and stepped through the flying boat's hatch.

"Kid, remember: the passage is the key! Think things through when trouble comes. You're the Sword Emperor now, not some lone swordsman!" Xuanyu called after him, his voice unusually solemn.

The hatch closed. The flying boat became a streak of silver-gray light, piercing the sky, which had yet to fully settle, and racing toward its designated spatial coordinates. It quickly vanished from sight.

Inside the cabin, Lin Hao sat cross-legged, but didn't immediately begin deep meditation. The continuous battles, his passage through unstable channels, and the anxiety weighing on him had left both mind and body taut with exhaustion. Still, he forced himself to calm down and began considering everything he would face upon returning to the Sacred Martial Continent.

His Mental Space was anything but peaceful.

"Roar—!" The Golden Sacred Dragon let out a rumble that sounded weary, yet still carried its imposing majesty. Its phantom coiled in one corner of the Mental Space, its golden radiance somewhat dimmed. The earlier fusion and battle had taken a heavy toll. "Lin Hao, the situation on Blue Star is indeed troublesome. The Heavenly Dao lies dormant and the laws are in disarray. It's like a city that's lost its walls and defenders. The old man Xuanyu is powerful, but even he can't fight off four opponents at once. If the Demon Emperor sends more enemies—and more cunning ones at that—things could easily go wrong."

The Kirin Phantom of Huang Mie appeared nearby, purple lightning