The Earth Federation's expansion across the star map had been rapid—calculated, patient, and executed under the invisible hand of Hong's Formation Council. What most in the universe saw as a mere backwater planet that had recently emerged from the Dark Age was now quietly becoming one of the most fortified and advanced civilizations in the surrounding galaxy.
But not all were pleased.
In the deep void between sectors, beyond the border of lawful territory, an alliance of rogue alien empires and greedy corporate sects were stirring.
Meanwhile, within Earth's orbital Psi Tower, Luo Feng hovered cross-legged inside a rotating spiritual core chamber. This wasn't a place for the body—it was for the soul.
In front of him floated a mirror-like sphere — part of the Soul-Forged Labyrinth developed by Hong's system and powered by Elemental Formation Cores. A thousand shadow-forms of himself attacked, mocked, and tested his deepest fears.
"You are not worthy of the Mad Blade title," hissed one illusion.
Luo Feng's Psi-energy condensed into twin spectral blades, each pulsing with mental force laws and sword intent. He slashed forward—one blade shattered the illusion, the other absorbed it, refining his understanding.
From behind the glass walls, Teacher Hong watched with calm intensity, arms crossed. "He's ready," he murmured.
Beside him, Lie Shen stood silent, his lightning blade buzzing slightly with tension.
"He's progressing faster than projected," Lie Shen finally spoke. "You were right to delay his entry into the Genius Battle."
"I didn't delay it," Hong corrected. "I forged a better one before he enters it."
In the farthest vaults beneath Earth's High Council building, the Forge of Dominion roared to life. It was a circular, multidimensional anvil powered by the Galactic Core Formation Array—a creation so potent that only the System could fully stabilize it.
Hong stood before a slab of flowing plasma metal—Void-Aether Alloy, mined from a dead neutron star and enhanced by his own formation inscriptions.
He wasn't crafting a weapon today.
He was building the first Sentient Guardian Constructs—semi-conscious battle companions that would patrol Earth's protected space.
Each guardian would be powered by:
A Formation Core (inscribed by Hong himself)
A Cosmic Energy Reactor (developed through Hong's Civilization Evolution research)
A Gene Memory Crystal (housing Earth's highest martial traditions)
"Begin core imprint," the System chimed.
Hong's finger lit up with runes—each a fragment of Law, Dominion, or Formation—and he began engraving them onto the molten body.
"These aren't weapons," he whispered, "they're warnings."
Far away, on a fractured asteroid cloaked in stealth arrays, a meeting of enemies convened. Several alien warlords and void pirates hovered around a starmap displaying Earth's galactic spread.
"They've secured 37 border planets. Each under their protection. Their formations make teleporting inside impossible."
"Then we cut the supply chains," one growled.
"And risk triggering that no-tolerance death sentence from their system?" another said, shivering. "I heard they live-streamed the public trial of a pirate lord. Killed him after thirty seconds."
"He was from the Silver Fang Sect. Even they didn't intervene," muttered a third.
Silence fell. Everyone feared one thing:
Earth was no longer prey.
Back on Earth, Luo Feng emerged from the Psi Tower, eyes glowing with awakened clarity. His dual path was finally stabilized—Sword Master and Psychic Dominator.
He stepped beside Hong, who stood overlooking a vast map of Earth's protected sectors.
"Am I ready?" Luo Feng asked.
Hong smiled faintly. "You were born ready."
Lie Shen stepped forward, holding up a mission scroll sealed with a lightning rune.
"Your next trial isn't out there in the stars," he said, voice serious. "It's on Earth. In the Trial of Mirrors."
"And after that?" Luo Feng asked.
"After that," Hong said, "we unleash the Mad Blade onto the galaxy."
End of Chapter 35