The Extraordinary

Zhao Yuan had not exaggerated. He simply laid out, truthfully and clearly, everything that had happened at Hanyang University.

Regarding Li Pin allegedly molesting An Wanyi, he had even found video evidence of their encounter, which had lasted less than three minutes.

The video had been filmed from a distance and had no sound, but from the footage, it was clear that An Wanyi had approached Li Pin of her own accord. Li Pin then waved his hand, the two exchanged a few words, and Li Pin swiftly turned and left.

After that, the two had never had any further contact.

The rumor spread the very next day.

Zhao Yuan had also gathered evidence on how the rumor had come into being, as well as testimony from Jing Yunshan's two lackeys.

As for how that testimony had been obtained...

Perhaps the methods had not been entirely aboveboard, but at a time like this, no one would care about such details.

The facts were crystal clear.

Even Li Pin himself was somewhat surprised after hearing it all.

So he had been expelled from Hanyang University?

Still, that was not surprising.

Just last month, Jing Yunshan had called him, wanting to bury the hatchet, but Li Pin had not said a single word before hanging up.

Only a month had passed, and he had already been struck off Hanyang University's rolls?

Had Fang Yubai not mentioned it because he already knew that, with thirty million in his possession and Dan Jin cultivated, Li Pin would not care about a mere university diploma?

In truth, he did care about it somewhat.

After all, he had never been able to attend university in his previous life.

"I never imagined that Canglong City's education sector would harbor such a black sheep. Are they treating education—a great undertaking for the nation and its people—as power they can squander at will?"

By then, Tian Feiyu had finished hearing Zhao Yuan's account, and his expression had grown increasingly grim. "If Hanyang University does not want to keep operating in Canglong City, we will grant them their wish."

Hanyang University was not some prestigious institution, anyway.

It could not even rank among the nation's top one hundred.

Besides, Zhao Yuan's reasoning was sound.

If Li Pin had remained an ordinary nobody all his life, then so be it.

But now, he had Embraced Qi into Dan and might well stand out in the Jiangzhou Martial Arts Tournament.

Once he achieved results at the Jiangzhou Tournament, his age of twenty-two alone would inevitably generate astonishing public attention.

If someone exposed Hanyang University's affair at that point, he would never escape responsibility for inadequate oversight.

And if his political rivals seized the chance to attack...

Then he could forget about being promoted from acting mayor to full mayor.

Furthermore...

Given Li Pin's ties to the Five Elements Sect, coupled with his own potential to cultivate Gang Jin, using a mere university board member to forge a favorable connection with him was a bargain no matter how one looked at it.

At that thought, Tian Feiyu turned to Li Pin and solemnly promised, "Martial Master Li, rest assured. We will never tolerate those who abuse their authority. I will definitely see justice done for you in this matter."

Li Pin withdrew his gaze from Zhao Yuan and Cao Tianyou and replied, "Then thank you, Mayor Tian."

"This is simply my duty. Martial Master Li has Embraced Qi into Dan, yet he has continued to abide by the law and did not use violence or coercion to retaliate against Hanyang University. That is a sign of trust in our local government. I should be the one thanking you."

Tian Feiyu responded in kind.

The atmosphere in the room immediately became warmer.

After the two sides chatted for a while, a middle-aged man whispered something into Cao Tianyou's ear. Cao Tianyou promptly rose to his feet and said excitedly, "The Shangfeng Garrison Commander and Baron Judy have arrived. I'll go receive them."

"Have the two councilors arrived?"

Tian Feiyu also stood with a smile. "Let's go together."

Cao Tianyou nodded, then turned to Li Pin. "Come too. I'll introduce you."

"Star Refiners, huh."

Li Pin had long been curious about these "extraordinary" life forms.

Although he had inherited the memories of the original owner of this body, he had never seen a genuine Star Refiner anywhere other than television and the internet.

On one hand, Star Refiners were rare—one in ten thousand.

On the other hand, Star Refiners had their own circles and their own duties. They were often stationed in major cities, at borders, or even seconded by the Tianyuan Federation to garrison fortresses and defend perilous regions.

There were probably only a few dozen Star Refiners in all of Canglong City.

Under such circumstances, it was naturally exceedingly difficult for ordinary people to encounter one.

At once, the group made their way grandly toward the entrance of the banquet hall.

The moment they reached it, they saw two people entering amid the company of more than a dozen others, chatting and laughing as they came in.

Of the two, Baron Judy was one thing, but the Shangfeng Garrison Commander...

He was practically a living, breathing ferocious beast.

Though he carried the aura of Embrace Qi into Dan, that perfectly rounded, unified feeling could not conceal the terrifying pressure emanating from him—a pressure that seemed like the suppression of a higher order of life itself.

Standing before him, Li Pin felt as though an ordinary person were standing before a tiger...

No!

Not a tiger!

A tyrannosaur!

A tyrannosaur whose size and strength far surpassed those of a human!

One could imagine the effect a tyrannosaur suddenly arriving would have amid such a bustling banquet.

Silence!

The banquet hall, previously lively with groups of three or five conversing together, fell silent at a visible speed.

No one needed to say a word.

Merely by arriving, he made everyone seem as though they had encountered a natural predator, or been cowed by a higher form of life. They sank into silence, as if afraid that their voices might be too loud and disturb this terrifying beast, causing it to move ever so slightly and tear them all to pieces.

"This is..."

Li Pin clearly felt his heartbeat quicken and his blood circulate faster.

A thin sheen of sweat even seeped into his palms.

It was beyond his control, something he could not help.

This was his body's most instinctive, most primal reaction.

Even as an Embrace Dan expert, he was reacting like this. As for everyone else...

"Do not try to entertain any thoughts of resisting or competing with a Star Refiner! Opposing a Star Refiner means opposing your own will—or rather... opposing the Atomic Will that formed this body of yours."

Zhao Yuan seemed to notice Li Pin's abnormality and quietly reminded him.

Li Pin glanced at Zhao Yuan, only to find that Zhao Yuan was faring far better than he was.

Because Zhao Yuan harbored no thought whatsoever of competing or contending with this Star Refiner.

"Humans can use their own will to suppress the Atomic Will, so they will not malfunction like machinery or matter whenever they attack a Star Refiner. But the atoms' instinctive resistance will still affect the human body's instincts. Unless one refines the spirit and becomes a Martial Saint, even a powerful grandmaster facing a Star Refiner cannot bring out even thirty or forty percent of their full strength."

Zhao Yuan said.

"Atomic Will..."

Li Pin murmured to himself.

He had heard of the claim that atoms, bathed in the radiance of Star Gods, developed wills.

Likewise, more than once, he had heard of people attempting to use technological weapons to encircle and kill Star Refiners.

Now, standing before this Star Refiner, with only thoughts of competition and comparison and not the slightest hostility, his body had already involuntarily reacted as though intimidated. If he truly intended to attack...

The consequences would be unthinkable.

"This... is a Star Refiner!?"