C13 Intimidate the Entire Class

As the bell signaled the end of class, Niu Li was packing up his books, ready to head home for dinner, when he noticed two classmates looming by his desk. Looking up, he recognized the notorious troublemakers of his class, Li Gang and Li Mo. Rumor had it they had some heavy connections outside of school and were considered big shots among their peers.

Niu Li remained silent, his expression turning steely. Fear was not in his vocabulary.

Li Gang and Li Mo were taken aback by Niu Li's composed demeanor. It seemed Niu Li had undergone quite the transformation. Still, in their eyes, Niu Li was the underdog, someone they could easily push around.

A flicker of light danced in Niu Li's eyes as he locked gazes with Li Mo, a sinister sheen emerging from his stare.

"Mental Intimidation!"

This was Niu Li's latest magical acquisition. Mental Intimidation, a low-level psychic spell, was tricky for most magicians to master. But Niu Li was no ordinary magician; his innate Mental Energy allowed him to conjure a Devil Spirit for training, a talent the Elf had recognized and nurtured by teaching him this formidable spell.

"Release me," Niu Li commanded with a thunderous roar. The eerie gleam in his eyes morphed into a dark, soul-eating shadow that leapt into Li Mo's gaze.

"Ah!" Li Mo was instantly overwhelmed, feeling as though he had plunged into the depths of hell, surrounded by ghastly skeletons, blood, and ceaseless wails.

In a flash, Li Mo's face drained of color. He released Niu Li's collar and stumbled backward in terror, screaming, "Ghosts, there are ghosts!"

Some students lingered in the classroom, eager for a spectacle. Witnessing Li Mo's horror-stricken face, they couldn't contain their laughter. They were equally astonished by Niu Li's ability to instill such fear in Li Mo. Did Niu Li possess a lethal aura capable of making even the fearless Li Mo shriek in terror?

Embarrassment washed over Li Gang. Li Mo's reaction was pitiful, hardly befitting someone aspiring to make a name in the mafia. Fixing a venomous glare on Niu Li, Li Gang hissed, "Kid, you're way out of line."

With those words, Li Gang hurled his fist toward Niu Li's face.

Niu Li effortlessly sidestepped Li Gang's punch, a flicker of contempt in his eyes. Magic surged to his palm, igniting a spark that he silently pressed against Li Gang's chest.

Though Niu Li's blow was light, the spark was densely packed with the fire element. As it made contact with Li Gang, it burst silently, the force of the explosion piercing through Li Gang's body. His face flushed and paled in turn, a crushing tightness in his chest making him feel like he might cough up blood.

"You!" Li Gang gasped, clutching at Niu Li's shoulder in disbelief, but words failed him.

"Trash!" Niu Li sneered, brushing off Li Gang's hand and shoving him to the ground. He cast a glance at Li Mo, whose eyes were wide with terror, too scared to come any closer. With a cold smile, Niu Li warned, "Don't mess with me if you can't handle the heat. Otherwise, you're on your own."

With that, Niu Li calmly gathered his books, turned on his heel, and strode out of the classroom, leaving a roomful of students in stunned silence.

"Hey, did you catch that?"

"I did, that was some real skill!"

"Is it for real? Boss Niu just gave a gentle push. How could it pack such a punch?"

"Cut the chatter. Boss Niu took down Li Gang with ease. I saw it all."

"I didn't catch it, but Boss Niu must have mastered some secret martial art. That's it, I'm asking him to be my teacher."

The students buzzed with excitement, their imaginations running wild. Too bad Niu Li was already gone; he would have been astonished by their wild theories.

Stepping out of the school, Niu Li bypassed his family's restaurant and instead headed to a bustling Xinjiang beef noodle shop near the school gates, where he ordered two bowls of beef noodles.

Finding a quiet corner, he handed one bowl to the Elf, and they began to eat heartily.

Niu Li was just sampling the flavor, so he ate with a measured grace. The Elf, however, was another story. Niu Li couldn't help but wonder if there had been a mistake during her creation. She seemed perpetually ravenous, devouring the hearty beef noodles as if they were the finest of delicacies.

"Hey, even though we're alone, couldn't you show a little restraint?" Niu Li sent a scornful glance at the Elf, utterly at a loss for words.

Without looking up, the Elf slurped down a strand of beef noodles, then rolled her eyes dismissively. "I'll never understand you humans. Eating should be a joyful affair, not some slow, tedious chore that annoys me to watch."

Niu Li was left speechless.

"I'm still hungry, though. Later, you should pop over to the supermarket and grab me some snacks. That one across the street looks good," the Elf suggested, eyeing a bustling medium-sized department store on the opposite side of the road from Niu Li.

Once again, Niu Li was without words.

Having finished their beef noodles, and at the Elf's insistence, a reluctant Niu Li entered the department store. Guided by the Elf, he filled a cart with an assortment of food items. It wasn't until his wallet ran dry that the Elf reluctantly called it quits.

As he paid the bill, Niu Li was struck dumb. He hadn't created an elf; he'd created a spending tyrant. In no time at all, she had blown through the modest savings he'd painstakingly accumulated over the years. How on earth was he going to afford her in the future?

Just then, Niu Li spotted Mr. Long Hair and his companions heading toward the school. He quickly settled the bill, discreetly stashed two large bags of food into his Creating Ring from a secluded corner, and hurried over to Mr. Long Hair.

"Mr. Long Hair," he called out respectfully upon approaching. Truth be told, his greeting was perfectly polite, devoid of any undue reverence.

Long Hair's brow quirked, a flicker of displeasure in his gaze, but he held his tongue, considering he needed Niu Li to earn him some Red Bull that evening.

"Money does talk, doesn't it? You seemed reluctant this morning, but now you're on board?" Long Hair teased with a sly chuckle.

Internally, Niu Li admitted his need for cash. Yet, he managed an embarrassed smile and responded, "When it comes to matters you care about, I'd help out even without pay, just to show you respect. Mr. Long Hair, what do you need me to do tonight?"

Mr. Long Hair was quite pleased with Niu Li's wit, nodding with a smile. "It's not a bad thing at all. I guarantee you're going to love it."