... and we couldn't world-hop to the First either except as a soul, until Shadowbringers very much set up a completely new means to. That's just how a progressive narrative goes: "We can't do this right now, please come back later."
Every expansion is literally "Hey look what we found, a Brand Spankin' New means/reason to travel to Place You Haven't Been." The means may not exist yet for us to do so at-will, but as soon as the writers find it relevant to execute, a path will open.
Because anything is possible within the narrative if the writers will it to be so. Likelihood is not the same as possibility.
Which is an interesting point that's worth discussing, since it's repeatedly discussed AND USED AS A PLOT POINT that:yes minor rips allow Voidsent to enter the Source but they have to always possess a physical host in order to complete the 'jump' so to speak
1) The Crystal Exarch was able to forge aetheric vessels for the Scions' souls whom he Called (proper noun by Elidibus, implying it's an important term in magic, probably the same method used for summoning Voidsent) into the First so that they could interact with the world (which presumably Elidibus was able to do for Ardbert and his companions on the Source), and
2) The Warrior of Light appears to be a unique case, in that they were able to be called to the First complete with their physical body and any belongings they possess. The means by which is this possible is never again expounded upon (only that the Scions hope to abuse it to get back via the auracite the Exarch is prepping), making it implicitly a unique property of the WoL given that this is a feat even Ardbert and his companions couldn't do.
Not to mention that the Exarch is able to just... make a portal back to the Source within the Tower, which hasn't gone away with The Tycoon's destruction, just one that only the WoL can use.
Not to beleaguer the point, but the story shows that's not really a limitation for us. In theory we could just hop through a rift summoned for a Voidsent, and we just happen to know a girl who can open those at-will.
All you're saying is the current means we've used are now unique to the locations we've used them to get to.So both means are now unrepeatable
Great.
So if it ever becomes relevant for us to go - and I'm agreeing with you that's a big if - we'll use something else. Not "it's impossible and will never happen."