Before long, three standard hours had flown by.
Lord Yuehua's figure quietly appeared once more. This time, he wasn't alone: two more figures radiating boundless authority appeared on either side of him.
The five Lords responsible for opening the Supreme Sacred Tree Secret Realm had gathered!
The hall fell abruptly silent.
After a brief pause, Lord Yuehua exchanged glances with the other four Lords and gave a slight nod.
"The time has come." Lord Yuehua's voice rang clearly in everyone's ears, carrying an unquestionable authority. "Open the Sacred Tree Secret Realm!"
Before his words had even faded, the five Lords raised their hands in unison.
Boom!
Five streams of light burst from their palms, intertwining and resonating in a way that was difficult to describe.
Gold, silver, emerald, azure, and dark red. The five colors of light outlined a three-dimensional rune that continuously rotated and expanded in the void.
At the rune's center, space began to twist violently, as if invisible giant hands were tearing reality apart.
Soon, as a faint cracking sound rang out, a massive vortex slowly took shape beneath the temple's domed ceiling.
The vortex was a deep emerald green. An overwhelming aura of life and pure Source Energy gushed from it like a breached dam, instantly sweeping through the entire hall.
"Huh?"
Many of the young geniuses instinctively drew a deep breath. Just being enveloped by the aura spilling from the vortex made them feel the activity of the Source Energy within their bodies rise by several dozen percent.
"The entrance is stable. Those bearing a mark, enter in order!" Lord Yuehua commanded, his voice overpowering the deep rumble of the spatial vortex.
There was no need to urge them. The Star Domain Rank geniuses closest to the entrance were the first to move.
One streak