The spherical object you see is the Time Pearl, one of the great treasures of the Indeterminate Realm, and also the core of the Heaven Gate trial.
Whether it's searching for roots or altering the various challenges within the Heaven Gate trial, the master of the Time Hall only needs to manipulate the Time Pearl accordingly to achieve the desired effects.
Lao Yun, with his hands hovering over the Time Pearl, did not immediately activate the Heaven Gate trial. Instead, he followed the instructions of the Realm Master Dongfang Mingzhu, changing all the challenges to tests of combat prowess.
Though simple in concept, the changes were quite painstaking.
Because the root-sourcing trial is meant to test the challenger at every stage of their path in life.
Every stage has different challenges in terms of difficulty and focus.
