If Mandala had not appeared.
The Great Luo Gold Pond competition had been proceeding just fine when the slots suddenly vanished. Of course, they had not truly vanished; more accurately, the time to enter the Great Luo Gold Pond would be announced later. Whether for the remaining three winners or for the Three Emperors and Various Kings, this was an event no less devastating than the sky collapsing, one bound to cause chaos.
Even if the order had come from the Sleep Emperor.
It would still have been questioned by everyone in the Great Luo Heaven Territory.
Yet once Mandala appeared, even without offering a reason, merely tossing out a single sentence, everyone in the Great Luo Heaven Territory became utterly obedient, with no objections at all.
This was the prestige of an Earth Supreme.
Or rather, the privilege an Earth Supreme deserved.
The formation left behind by the Tuo She Ancient Emperor could trap Zhu Kun completely. Clearly, any Earth Supreme could suppress a Ninth Grade Supreme without even needing to act—perhaps more than one Ninth Grade Supreme.
However, that principle applied to many people.
But not to Lu Yuan.
At the bottom of the Great Luo Gold Pond.
On the platform where Mandala had previously lain.
Above Lu Yuan, who sat cross-legged upon it, the vortex had grown larger and larger.
The golden lakewater was gradually stirred into motion.
At first, it only covered a radius of ten meters.
Soon, it expanded to a hundred meters.
Then came a thousand, ten thousand, until every drop of lakewater in the Great Luo Gold Pond was drawn into motion, pouring downward in a funnel shape toward the top of Lu Yuan's head.
"Is something wrong?"
Before this chaotic spiritual energy storm, Mandala, who had forcibly torn open space to return,