C12 Super Torture!

"Bastard, go to hell!" Stubble Man bellowed, expertly whipping out a pistol from his pocket.

"Even with a pistol, you're no match for me!"

Niu Li flicked his hand, sending a Wind Blade slicing through the air, vanishing as quickly as it appeared.

Stubble Man had barely raised his hand to take aim when a sudden cold sensation struck. He watched in horror as his palm split from his wrist, his gun-toting hand dropping to the ground, twitching and spasming.

"Ah!"

The pain was bone-deep for Stubble Man, who screamed and writhed on the ground.

Niu Li, not taking any chances, dashed over, scooped up the fallen pistol, and pointed it at Stubble Man.

"Ah, don't shoot." Despite his agony, the fear of death was greater. Stubble Man backed away, pleading in terror.

"Hehe, so you know fear? Do you even have a shred of humanity? You kidnapped me, and you dared to try and assault me," Niu Li thundered at Stubble Man.

"Yes, yes, yes. I'm a sinner. I deserve death. Spare me, please. I'll never dare again," Stubble Man stammered, his face etched with fear.

"Wrong!" Niu Li snapped his fingers dismissively. "All that is trivial. My personal honor is the least of it. What infuriates me the most is your collusion with the R People! Absolutely unforgivable!" Unsatisfied, Niu Li delivered a brutal kick to Stubble Man.

Caught off guard by Niu Li's revelation, Stubble Man had no defense against the blow to his face. He flipped backward, tumbling several meters.

"Ah!"

Stubble Man lay there, curled up in agony.

"How does it feel? Painful? This is just the beginning. The real agony is yet to come," Niu Li said with a wicked grin. With a swift motion, he stowed the pistol in the Molding Space and began to chant solemnly.

"O great earth, brimming with life, heed my summons. Bestow upon me your robust vitality for plant growth."

Niu Li's hands formed a mystical seal, and a swirl of purple magic gathered. He pointed at a small grass by the building's corner, and the purple magic surged forth like lightning, infusing the grass with power.

Niu Li's thoughts were intertwined with the purple magic, guiding the cellular structure within the grass to proliferate rapidly.

In mere moments, the grass swelled and elongated, transforming from a palm-sized sprout into a massive, twisted plant that engulfed the entire building.

Stubble Man, in the midst of his lament, beheld the spectacle as if he'd seen a specter. His mouth agape, he was struck dumb, unable to utter another sound.

"The banquet commences with the first step: the plant prison," Niu Li declared, a grin on his face. He manipulated the colossal plant to unfurl four robust vines, which swiftly ensnared Stubble Man's limbs. The vines stretched taut, suspending Stubble Man midair.

"Mercy, mercy!" Stubble Man pleaded, terror nearly robbing him of his senses. Witnessing these otherworldly events, he revered Niu Li as a deity, filled with remorse. Why had he dared to abduct a being of such power?

"Fear not. I'll keep it in check; you won't be toyed with to your demise," Niu Li said with a malevolent smirk, then brought his hands together to form another seal.

"Oh omnipresent fire element, heed my summons: Fireball Technique."

Magic surged anew, and three sparks flickered between his palms, swiftly coalescing into three small fireballs, each the size of a fist.

"Such tiny things!" Niu Li muttered, dissatisfied. His magical reserves were limited, and he needed to conserve energy for other spells, so he made do.

"Braised roast meat," he quipped, chuckling at his own ingenuity. The Elf in the Molding Space echoed his delight, sharing in the triumph.

"Just kill me, kill me," Stubble Man's voice broke, his psyche teetering on the edge of collapse, repeating the phrase like a mantra.

"Enough. I'll make one final gesture for the sake of all the fine gentlemen out there, and we'll call our debts even," Niu Li resolved, his hands weaving another seal, and he murmured an incantation. The last of his magic flowed forth, shaping three Wind Blades in his palm.

Niu Li rolled his eyes and made a hasty exit from the scrapyard. He may have dispatched a villain, but he had no desire to entangle himself with a criminal investigation. A swift departure was the wisest course.

Stepping away from the scrapyard, Niu Li navigated through several side streets until he reached a bustling thoroughfare. He hailed a cab at the roadside and made his way toward the school.

It goes without saying that Stubble Man truly lived up to his mafia roots with his exceptional driving skills. Niu Li only realized how far he had strayed from the east district of H City, his home, after asking for directions; he was now deep in the south district.

The taxi fare set him back over 40 yuan, but he managed to make it back to school just in time for the second afternoon class.

Despite missing a class, his absence went unnoticed in Class 3, Grade 2 of Mingxing High School—a notorious haven for the less academically inclined. The teachers turned a blind eye to such behavior.

Taking his seat, Niu Li was greeted with nods and smiles from his classmates, a sign of respect for the new powerhouse among them.

Yet, Niu Li remained humble, acknowledging their gestures with a simple nod before diving into his studies with earnest determination.

He had always believed that, even though he was in a lower-tier class, he had to be a diligent and conscientious student. His education was something his parents had worked hard to provide, and he refused to squander their sacrifice.

The afternoon classes flew by, and Niu Li reluctantly closed his books, his thirst for knowledge unquenched. Sharing in the Elf's magical powers had significantly boosted his mental energy, allowing him to absorb and comprehend the material from his textbooks with ease.

Indeed, the perks of studying magic were proving to be plentiful.