Chapter 8: The First Date and the Level 20 Breakthrough
The "Fortress" ring hummed on Ye Chen's finger, a silent reminder that he was technically the most powerful landlord on the Douluo Continent. But as he stood in front of the mirror in Room 7, he felt more nervous than when he fought the Mandala Snake.
"San, be honest. Does the collar make me look like I'm trying too hard? Or is it giving 'Sophisticated Powerhouse'?" Ye Chen asked, frantically adjusting his shirt.
Tang San, who was busy sharpening a sleeve arrow, didn't look up. "It's a school uniform, Ye Chen. You look like a student."
"A student? San, I'm a mogul! I have a spatial ring that can fit a mountain range! I should be radiating 'Wealth and Success,' not 'I have a math test at eight!'" Ye Chen huffed, checking his teeth. "And where are the girls? If I'm paying for a 5-star meal in Nuoding City, I expect punctuality!"
The door opened, and Xiao Wu and Xiao Ling stepped in. While Xiao Wu was already vibrating with hunger, Xiao Ling had clearly put in effort. Her violet hair was braided with silver thread, and she wore a simple but elegant dress that matched the color of her eyes.
Ye Chen's 40% Kevin Hart motor stalled for a second. "Whoa. Okay. Look at you. You look... you look like a problem, Ling-Ling. A very expensive, very beautiful problem."
Xiao Ling blushed, her rabbit-like instincts making her ears twitch under her hair. "And you look like you've been staring in a mirror for three hours. Are we eating, or are you going to keep complimenting yourself?"
"Oh, we're eating! And we're traveling in style!"
The First "Date"
Ye Chen didn't take them to the academy cafeteria. He took them to the Rose Hotel—the fanciest place in Nuoding.
"Table for four. Best view. And bring me the menu that doesn't have prices on it," Ye Chen told the waiter, sliding a gold spirit coin across the table with a wink. "My associates and I have had a very long week of being awesome."
As the food arrived—roasted spirit lamb, honeyed fruits, and actual non-cabbage vegetables—the conversation turned to business.
"So, the 'Superman Solutions' fund is at three hundred gold coins," Ye Chen announced, leaning back. "But we're hitting a wall. We're all Level 19. We need that second breakthrough. I can feel my cells screaming for more sun."
Xiao Ling looked at him, her expression softening. "You've been pushing yourself, Ye Chen. I see you on the roof every night, even when the moon is out."
"I have to, Ling-Ling. If I'm gonna protect this 'Small Country' on my finger, I can't be stuck at 'Super Strength.' I need to move. I need to be everywhere at once."
The Breakthrough: Level 20
After dinner, while Tang San and Xiao Wu went to practice, Ye Chen and Xiao Ling walked to the highest balcony of the academy. The late-night air was cool, but Ye Chen was radiating heat.
"Ling... stay back a bit," Ye Chen whispered.
He didn't need a beast this time. Because of his Kryptonian physiology and the massive amount of solar energy stored in his Spatial Ring (which he'd discovered could actually 'store' sunlight like a battery), he was forcing a breakthrough.
The air around him began to ripple. His second spirit ring didn't come from a hunt; it condensed from the pure kinetic energy vibrating in his DNA.
[Second Spirit Skill: Super Speed - Unlocked]
Ye Chen didn't just stand there. He vanished.
To Xiao Ling, it looked like he had simply blinked out of existence. A split second later, a sonic boom rocked the balcony, shattering a nearby flower pot. Ye Chen appeared twenty feet away, but he was blurry, his body vibrating so fast he looked like a ghost.
"Whoa... whoa! Everything is slow!" Ye Chen shouted, but to Xiao Ling, it sounded like a high-pitched squeak.
He slowed down, gasping for air as his body adjusted to the friction. "Ling! I just saw a bird mid-flap! I could see the individual feathers! I'm fast, Ling! I'm 'don't-blink-or-you'll-miss-the-entire-fight' fast!"
Xiao Ling ran to him, grabbing his arms to steady him. "You idiot! You almost blew the roof off!"
Ye Chen laughed, grabbing her waist and spinning her around before he even realized what he was doing. "I can get us anywhere now! No more walking! No more carriages! We're going to the Great Spirit Arena in the capital, and we're gonna be there before the sun sets!"
Xiao Ling looked into his glowing blue eyes, the thrill of his power infectious. "Just... don't leave me behind, Superman."
"Never," Ye Chen said, his wit softening into something real. "You're the only one who can keep up with me anyway."