Chapter 188: Imperial Mandate Part 4 (Thanks to the great master He Jiang for the certification)

Su Chen, clad in a long, dark brocade robe, his ink-black hair held aloft by an ancient jade hairpin, the rest cascading over his shoulders, blending seamlessly with the robe. Despite his young age, he exuded the aura of a king, showing no fear even in the face of the gazes of numerous powerful figures from various Daoist lineages. The aura of an emperor manifested around him, accompanied by the profound mystery of his Flying Immortal Body, transforming into runes of law.
The bearing of a Great Emperor! This was the true bearing of a Great Emperor!
The powerful figures from various Daoist lineages were filled with extreme envy and jealousy towards the Ye family. This era had indeed produced an unparalleled figure!
Facing the gazes of the crowd, Su Chen felt no excitement, but rather extreme calm. In countless reincarnations, he had been scorned, admired, valued, envied, envied, feared, and revered. These past feelings could no longer stir any ripples within him.
The Ye family's power was immense, suppressing all. Only a handful of forces in the world could rival them!
Within days, news spread that the Ye family had produced a prodigy with the potential of an emperor. The name of Ye Chen, only ten years old, rose rapidly, gathering brilliance, securing a place among countless geniuses and prodigies.
At this moment, Su Chen was playing with a jade pendant in his hand within the Ye family compound, a gift from the master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion.
Hidden within was a heaven-defying destiny.
Mysterious runes began to intertwine in Su Chen's pupils, seemingly able to see through everything in the world. He began his seclusion, trying to comprehend the destiny within the jade pendant, hoping for a pleasant surprise.
Su Chen's seclusion lasted five years.
Five years later, movement came from the Ye family.
Su Chen slowly opened his eyes, joy shining within them. This jade pendant indeed contained a heaven-defying destiny. Five years had only allowed him to comprehend a fraction of it, but it was enough!
Divine runes emanated from Su Chen's body. At this moment, the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers seemed frozen in time, like a painting. Su Chen walked unhurriedly through the Ye family's forbidden area, admiring this almost untouched landscape. Ahead lay a surging river. Su Chen stopped. The fish in the river remained motionless, unmoved even as Su Chen approached.
Su Chen stood on the river, his figure illuminated by the bright moon.
Su Chen slowly extended a hand. Ripples spread through the space. The fish in the river splashed and disappeared in fright. The bright moon slowly rose, and everything returned to normal.
This is... the realm of time!
The secrets within the jade pendant far exceeded Su Chen's imagination. It was a legacy left by a Great Emperor who had attained enlightenment in the realm of time—a forbidden domain throughout history. In this life, his Flying Immortal Body, renowned for its incredible speed and ability to reverse the flow of time, would be terrifying if combined with a secret technique that allowed him to step into the realm of time.
The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion's gift was undeniably generous.
Hmm...
Su Chen suddenly stiffened.
He felt his body had shrunk.
This wasn't worse than that; what was worse was...
A jade hand lifted Su Chen up. He turned his head and saw a familiar, ethereal face. She wore a jade-green dress, and her icy blue eyes looked at him with a playful expression: "Little Chen, long time no see."
Su Chen said awkwardly, "Sister Liuli, long time no see."
For five years, Su Chen had been working to decipher the secrets within the jade pendant, while simultaneously avoiding Ye Liuli. He had remained silent and utterly evasive for a full five years.
Unexpectedly, Ye Liuli had come knocking on his door so quickly. Su Chen had reason to suspect that this older sister had been lying in wait for him for five whole years. Cultivators had long lifespans, especially these old monsters who pretended to be young; they were extremely patient—this was Su Chen's experience.
Ye Liuli looked at Su Chen with a half-smile. The boyish Su Chen had reverted to his childlike size. Ye Liuli's playful side was aroused, and she 'fiercely' rubbed Su Chen's face, which was even more delicate than that of a peerless woman.
After a long pause, Ye Liuli finally spoke, "You little rascal, you're such a worry! With only the Nirvana Realm cultivation, you dared to explore the secrets of time! If I hadn't discovered it quickly, you would have caused a huge disaster. Luckily, you've only lost some Dao Source, and your body is five years smaller. You'll grow back in five years."
Su Chen: "......"
No wonder he felt his body had shrunk so much. He thought Ye Liuli had used special methods to make him look like he was ten years old again. It seems he had misunderstood Ye Liuli.
"A forbidden technique like the Time Domain should only be used as a last resort!"
His body had shrunk, but his lifespan remained unchanged. The Time Domain couldn't last forever... Using it too much might have terrible consequences, causing this life to disappear and return to the world. This was something Su Chen didn't want to see; he could only use it as a last resort.
Ye Liuli said with some regret, "If only you could stay like this forever, Little Chen."
Su Chen: "?"
Are you being polite?
A multicolored bottle appeared in Ye Liuli's hand, containing a single drop of silvery-white water. It was quite wondrous; the moment it appeared, Su Chen felt time rapidly passing... This reminded him of a legendary item.
The Water of Time!
Ye Liuli pointed, and a drop of the Water of Time fell into Su Chen's mouth. In that instant, Su Chen's body gradually recovered, returning him to his appearance of about fifteen years old. The essence he had lost due to cultivating the Time-Traveling Secret Technique was instantly replenished. This made Su Chen's eyes light up. The Water of Time—this was a treasure!
It seemed this woman wasn't so bad after all.
Su Chen's impression of Ye Liuli improved somewhat.
Ye Liuli said, "It's a pity... the clan needs you to select a group of followers, and the Yaochi Feast is about to begin."
Ye Liuli's eyes suddenly lit up: "How about... Little Chen, after the Yaochi Feast, you try the Time Magic again? Turn back into your ten-year-old self, or even younger if possible."
Su Chen: "......."
Consider the effort to improve his image was wasted.