Hours passed, though time felt meaningless here. Sweat beaded on Liang's brow, and his breathing grew labored as he poured more and more of his spiritual energy into the array. His universe essence burned brightly now, its radiance filling the garden with a soft, otherworldly glow.
"Almost there," Liang muttered through gritted teeth, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Just a little longer."
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the last rune was in place. The array hummed softly, resonating with the void laws governing the garden's realm.
"This is it," Liang said aloud, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "The critical moment—the point of no return. If this fails, I lose the garden, and the backlash could severely injure me—or worse."
He paused for a moment, glancing at the shimmering runes before him. "But hesitation has never been my nature. Let us see if this works."
