Chapter 5. Threshold of Adulthood
Another three years had passed. In the world of Douluo, time spared no one, and what had once been childish faces now belonged to a young man and a young woman whom the clan already regarded as fully mature adults.
Ye Chen was now twelve years old. According to the customs and laws of the Douluo Continent, this age signified complete adulthood: from this moment, a person could formally enter marriage, make independent decisions about cultivation, participate in serious missions, and even establish a family. His body had grown taller and more defined, shoulders broader, movements carrying the quiet confidence born of real battles and unyielding discipline. His face remained refined, yet his eyes now held a deeper intensity — a subtle shadow that only he himself could fully comprehend.
Ning Rongrong had transformed into a genuine beauty. Her skin was smooth and fair as the finest porcelain, glowing with health and purity. Her chest had developed to a full third size — round, firm, beautifully emphasized by the form-fitting dresses of the clan. A narrow waist flowed gracefully into rounded hips, while her long, shapely legs seemed almost endless when she moved through the estate's corridors. Her black hair, now reaching her lower back, cascaded in soft waves with every step. Her eyes — vivid and expressive — still looked at Ye Chen with the same warmth as in their childhood, though now that gaze carried something additional: feminine softness, a hint of shyness, and profound, unwavering trust.
Over these three years their connection had strengthened immeasurably. They were no longer merely best friends — they were inseparable. Ning Rongrong openly held Ye Chen's hand in the presence of the elders, sat beside him at every meal, and asked him to accompany her on walks through the garden. The other young men of the clan had long accepted the reality: the princess had chosen her partner. No one dared to contest it.
Ye Chen had recently broken through to the thirtieth level of soul power and obtained his third soul ring.
The hunt had taken place deep within the Star Dou Forest under the personal escort of Bone Douluo Gu Rong. The spirit beast chosen for him was a 1460-year-old Wind Wolf — a massive, silver-gray predator whose fur shimmered as though woven from flowing wind itself. The battle had been brutal: the wolf attacked with inhuman speed, generating whirlwinds capable of tearing apart an ordinary thirtieth-level master. Ye Chen activated "Green Light" and "Green Dragon Transformation" to withstand the assault, then delivered the killing blow with the full force of his accumulated soul power.
The resulting ring was deep turquoise with silver veins — a rare color indicating exceptional quality and wind affinity.
The skill obtained was named "Green Armor."
Upon activation, all of Ye Chen's physical attributes increased by five hundred percent: strength, speed, endurance, reaction time, regeneration — everything multiplied fivefold. His body became enveloped in a thin, nearly transparent layer of nephrite-green energy resembling dragon scales, yet lighter and more fluid, like wind itself. Moreover, the skill possessed a permanent passive effect: the recovery rate of soul power increased by three hundred percent even outside of combat. This allowed Ye Chen to meditate and fight far longer than any other master at his level.
He returned to the clan estate bearing the new ring and a sensation that his body had become lighter, his energy flowing more freely. But most importantly — he returned to her.
Ning Rongrong awaited him on their favorite rooftop — the very one where they had sat as children. Now she sat with her knees drawn up, her dress slightly riding up to reveal the smooth expanse of her thighs up to mid-level. Seeing Ye Chen approach, she rose swiftly and ran to him.
"You're back!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him so tightly that he felt the warmth of her breasts pressing against his chest through the thin fabric. "I was so worried… Thirtieth level and a third ring! You are officially stronger than me now."
Ye Chen gently returned the embrace, careful not to hold her too tightly — though inside him something new, adult, and difficult to restrain was already awakening.
"You will soon obtain your third ring as well," he replied calmly. "Your twenty-ninth level is already at the threshold. Father and Gu Rong are already discussing a suitable beast for you."
Ning Rongrong pulled back slightly but did not release him from her arms. Her eyes sparkled.
"You know… sometimes I think that if it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have progressed so quickly. You are always there. Always supporting me. Always protecting me."
She fell silent, looking directly into his eyes. A faint blush colored her cheeks.
"Ye Chen… you feel it too, don't you?"
He knew exactly what she was asking. He had known for a long time.
"Yes," he answered quietly but firmly. "I feel it. I have always felt it."
Ning Rongrong smiled — tenderly, almost shyly — and pressed her forehead against his shoulder.
"Then… promise me again. That we will always be together. Not just as friends. As…"
She did not finish the sentence. There was no need.
Ye Chen gently lifted her chin with his fingers. Their faces were now very close. He could see every eyelash, every tiny spark in her eyes.
"I promise, Rongrong. We will be together. Always."
She closed her eyes and rose slightly onto her toes. Their lips met — for the first time. The kiss was light, almost weightless, yet it lasted longer than any previous moment in their lives. When they parted, both were breathing a little faster than usual.
Ning Rongrong buried her face in his chest.
"I am so happy…" she whispered.
Ye Chen held her more tightly. Inside him raged a storm of emotions: joy, tenderness, the fierce desire to protect her at any cost. And at the same time — a distant, barely perceptible warning from the Nephrite Hat. Not a voice, but simply a cold touch against his mind: You are building the foundation. But remember that it can collapse. And when it does… you will become invincible.
He pushed the thought away. Right now she was here, in his arms. Right now she belonged only to him.
And the third ring quietly revolved within his body, its green light passively restoring soul power, as though reminding him: the journey has only just begun.