Volume One: First Signs of Brilliance Chapter Twenty: Psychological Changes

In this moment, regardless of whether it was Wang Jue or Luo Shui, as their bodies pressed tightly together, both could feel each other’s stiffness and a faint trembling.

“Mm…”

Luo Shui, utterly unprepared, suddenly found herself in an intimate collision with Wang Jue’s body. Unable to suppress a soft gasp, she instinctively began to move as if to toss him over her shoulder. But almost immediately, realizing the man behind her, the one daring to take advantage, was Wang Jue, she quelled that impulse.

“Hiss…”

Wang Jue couldn’t help but draw in a breath—not from pain, but from pleasure. He already knew from memory and their midday encounter that his childhood friend had developed far beyond her peers, nearly rivaling women in their early twenties. This close contact only confirmed his suspicions.

No, to be precise, there were likely many women in their twenties whose figures couldn’t compare to Luo Shui’s.

Yet, to Wang Jue’s embarrassment, something happened he never expected: he experienced a physical reaction to his childhood friend.

Not only did Wang Jue notice his physiological change, but Luo Shui felt it too—perhaps even more acutely. As Wang Jue wished for nothing more than to dig a hole and disappear, he heard Luo Shui whisper, her voice barely audible: “You… you bastard, get away from me now, or I’ll do something about it…”

She felt something pressing against her hips. At first, she was confused, but quickly realized what it was. Her pretty face flushed crimson, almost as if blood would drip from it. Had her hands not been crossed over her chest to prevent other men from taking advantage, she would have spun around and punched him.

Truth be told, if the man behind her hadn’t been Wang Jue but someone else, with her temperament, Luo Shui would have transformed into a raging dragon and beaten him senseless, never allowing such boldness.

“This… this isn’t my fault, really. I didn’t mean for this to happen—it’s those people behind us,” Wang Jue muttered awkwardly. Without another word, he relied on his third-level body cultivation, raising his hips to resist the mounting pressure from behind, finally managing to create a small gap between his lower body and Luo Shui’s shapely figure.

He felt like a lone boat tossed in a stormy sea, always on the brink of disaster, but fortunately, his skillful maneuvering prevented a capsizing.

Sadly, before he could catch his breath, the next moment, the pressure from behind exceeded what his cultivation could withstand.

Already strained, Wang Jue was like an overloaded camel, and the force from behind was the final straw. Without doubt, their bodies slammed together once more, tightly pressed.

“Mm…”

“Hiss…”

Both let out muffled groans of pain—different sounds, yet identical meaning.

Luo Shui fared better; her discomfort was brief, a mere jolt to her hips.

Wang Jue, however, was not so fortunate. His previous arousal had not yet faded, and now he was suddenly and forcefully pressed against her. This unbearable pain was something only men could truly understand.

His face paled, the pain radiating from his lower body. Damn it, could it have broken? Especially when he felt no reaction from the wounded area, panic spread within him, and the dreadful thought surfaced.

Quickly, he suppressed the terror, reassuring himself: no, it couldn’t be. It must be a temporary shock from the collision. If it had been bone, he’d have no doubt it would have shattered, but he knew that part of his anatomy was flesh, not bone—it shouldn’t break.

As Wang Jue’s fear lingered, Luo Shui’s voice, cold but unable to conceal her embarrassment, sounded from his arms: “Wang Jue… I can’t take it anymore. I’ve decided to force a way through with my cultivation. If we keep going like this, I’m afraid I won’t be able to control myself and might do something I’ll regret.”

She wasn’t joking, nor was she lying; she meant every word. Although she didn’t dislike Wang Jue, that didn’t mean she could accept this level of intimacy.

In her mind, she and Wang Jue were childhood friends, nothing more than close companions. In fact, she considered Wang Jue a sister, and he viewed her as a brother—true, pure friendship, nothing else.

Whether such pure friendship exists between men and women remains a subject of debate. Most people choose to believe it does not.

In real life, we often hear discussions about whether men and women can truly be just friends. With the attraction between the sexes, can such a relationship ever be purely platonic?

Those excuses like “too familiar to make a move” or “the rabbit doesn’t eat grass by its own burrow” are little more than empty words. You probably wouldn’t believe them either.

The answer is clear: there is no pure friendship between men and women.

Those who insist otherwise usually represent the party being unrequitedly adored. The other side disagrees.

Many label their close friends as confidants, but never forget—one cannot truly be indifferent; there is always some affection involved. Even if the bond is purely friendly, often it’s merely a guise, hoping in time to win the other’s heart.

Affection is the glue that holds such relationships together; no one would give so selflessly forever without caring. If someone did, one could only call them foolish.

In sum, there is no pure friendship between men and women. Either one harbors a crush, or there was once mutual attraction, or the friendship is but a prelude to love.

If Luo Shui was confused about the nature of her relationship with Wang Jue, it was understandable. After all, she was just a sixteen-year-old schoolgirl, untouched by the complexities of adult life, still innocent and naïve.

Wang Jue, however, with two lifetimes behind him, could see clearly. In his previous life on Earth, he’d lived more than thirty years, poised on the threshold of middle age.

Anyone who’s endured the trials of society knows that innocence fades with experience. Life changes people, and no one can claim to remain unchanged over time.

Perhaps, influenced by his predecessor’s memories, Wang Jue felt curiosity about Luo Shui before they met. But it was only curiosity.

After their first encounter that day, Luo Shui felt to him almost like family—there was kinship, friendship, but no romance. Even if her beauty surpassed any actress he’d known, it was only a breathtaking sight to him.

Did he ever consider something more with her? Honestly, he hadn’t.

Yet, the small incident just now made him realize that his feelings for Luo Shui were not so simple. His body belonged to his predecessor, but his mind did not. The original soul had already departed, and Wang Jue, though he’d absorbed those memories, remained a different person.

When their bodies, under external force, met in such intimacy, he experienced a physical reaction. This shocked him—he knew well that such responses stemmed both from physical need and genuine attraction to a woman.

At that moment, Wang Jue understood: his feelings for Luo Shui had subtly shifted, tilting from kinship and friendship toward love.

Recognizing his true feelings, Wang Jue’s gaze softened. He leaned toward Luo Shui’s ear and whispered, “Whatever you decide, I support you. If you don’t want to make a move, I can take the lead.”

“Mm…”

As Wang Jue’s words reached her ear, his warm breath brushed against her skin. This unfamiliar sensation made Luo Shui’s delicate body instantly go limp; her already pink cheeks deepened to crimson, even her dainty ears reddening.

Had she not been nestled in Wang Jue’s arms, she would surely have collapsed to the ground.

Sensing her tendency to slide down, Wang Jue swiftly wrapped his arm around her slender waist, making her already weakened body feel boneless.

Luo Shui, her body growing softer, struggled feebly at first, but when she found herself unable to muster any strength, she gave up, resigning herself to fate.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me—I can’t summon a shred of strength. If you’re fine, you take the lead.”

Her face so red it seemed ready to bleed, she bit her lip and said shyly, “If you keep wasting time here, don’t expect to see the teacher today.”

“Alright, since you’ve said so, I’ll clear the way.” Wang Jue naturally agreed to her request.

He tightened his hold on her waist with his left arm, extended his right hand forward, and channeled the star power within him.

Instantly, an oppressive aura radiated from Wang Jue, stifling to ordinary people.

This aura was like two invisible giant hands—one pushing aside those blocking their path, the other pressing against his back, driving them forward…