Bowing in Person (Please Bookmark!)

On the outskirts of Heaven Dou City.

Stingray's expression looked as awful as if he had eaten shit.

Following Qian Renxue's orders, he had chased in the direction Lu Li had left the city for three days.

At a Title Douluo's top speed for three whole days, let alone finding the person, he had not even caught sight of a shadow!

He had botched the young mistress's assignment. Who knew what punishment would await him when he returned?

"Whatever. I, Stingray, am a real man—able to bend and stretch! It's just punishment. I'll take it!"

His skin was thick and his flesh sturdy. He truly was not afraid of ordinary punishments.

As long as he was not judged incompetent and sent back, only to have some other elder dispatched in his place!

Just as Stingray had sorted out his emotions and planned to return to Heaven Dou City to accept punishment from Qian Renxue—

That sensation of being locked onto by a fierce tiger appeared again.

Stingray's heart jolted, and his small eyes scanned his surroundings.

At that moment, Lu Li emerged from a small grove nearby, landing right in Stingray's sight.

The moment he saw Lu Li, Stingray's little eyes lit up.

I, Stingray, won't have to be punished!

Seeing Lu Li made Stingray immensely happy. At last, he would not have to return and tell Qian Renxue that he believed he had failed.

Lu Li noticed Stingray as well. There was no helping it—Stingray was such a huge man that he was impossible to miss.

"Why does this person seem a little familiar?"

Lu Li glanced at Stingray from the corner of his eye. The man's clothing and features both gave him a sense of familiarity.

It felt as though he had seen him somewhere before.

Stingray kept Qian Renxue's instructions firmly in mind.

Respectful—be respectful, then even more respectful!

Stingray tidied his appearance, wiped his hands, and only walked toward Lu Li after making sure they were clean.

Only then did he realize that with every step he took, the pressure on him grew heavier!

The source of that pressure was naturally Dragon One.

By the time he reached a point less than two meters from Lu Li, the pressure Dragon One imposed on Stingray had already made it impossible for him to take another step forward.

Lu Li gave Stingray a suspicious look. The man's gaze had remained fixed on him, and he had kept moving closer.

Such obvious behavior made it clear that this person had come for him.

What puzzled Lu Li, however, was why the man stopped after getting within two meters of him. Moreover, his expression looked as awful as if he had eaten shit.

"Sir, may I ask if you need something?"

Lu Li watched Stingray warily. As Stingray drew closer, the familiar feeling in Lu Li's heart grew stronger.

Yet he still could not remember who this was.

"Your Excellency, my name is Stingray. I bear no ill intentions. My mistress wishes to meet you. I ask that Your Excellency have the expert by your side withdraw his pressure."

Stingray!

The two words exploded in Lu Li's mind.

He knew those words all too well. Was this not one of Qian Renxue's two chief aides while she was undercover in the Heaven Dou Empire?

No wonder this person had seemed so familiar!

Wait, his mistress—wasn't that Qian Renxue?!

Qian Renxue wanted to see me!

Lu Li went over his current relationships in his mind. He had never interacted with Qian Renxue at all—not even with Xue Qinghe, the identity she had been playing.

So logically speaking, how could Qian Renxue have set her sights on him? She had even sent Stingray, a Title Douluo, solely to deliver a message.

"Mmgh."

At that moment, Stingray could not help letting out a muffled groan under Dragon One's pressure. Even the extra golden armor he wore showed signs of cracking.

Lu Li came back to his senses. He looked at Stingray's flushed face, then at Little Yellow on his shoulder.

Little Yellow was still sleeping soundly. It did not seem capable of exerting such pressure on Stingray.

Then it could only be Dragon One.

"Dragon One, withdraw your pressure."

Dragon One did not reply, but Stingray, whose face had been flushed red, let out a tremendous breath of relief.

The pressure on him suddenly vanished.

"Thank you, Your Excellency."

Stingray cupped his hands and bowed to Lu Li.

If it were any other child, even the young sect master of one of the Upper Three Sects, that child would not be qualified to receive a bow from him, a Title Douluo.

Yet when facing Lu Li, Stingray always felt as if he were facing the Grand Priest. The pressure was simply too great.

From the very start, he had been locked onto by an aura, as though a fight might break out the next moment. Forget Title Douluos—even two Soul Saints doing that to each other would be terrifying.

Especially when the other party was a level ninety-seven Title Douluo, countless times stronger than him.

"Go back and tell your mistress that I don't have time to see her right now, nor do I wish to. We can talk when I have time."

After saying that, Lu Li walked straight past Stingray and headed toward Heaven Dou City in the distance.

Watching Lu Li's departing back, Stingray felt a deep sense of helplessness wash over him.

Had anyone else said such words, Stingray would have driven an elbow into them, knocked them unconscious, and tied them up before delivering them to his young mistress.

But facing Lu Li, with that level ninety-seven Title Douluo behind him, Stingray truly did not dare act rashly!

"Sigh. I'll report truthfully when I return. This shouldn't count as failing my mission, right?"

Lu Li truly had no interest in meeting Qian Renxue, at least not for now.

Compared to meeting Qian Renxue, he was more curious about how she had discovered him.

Meanwhile, in Heaven Dou Palace.

Qian Renxue looked grimly at Stingray, who was kneeling on one knee on the ground and trembling.

"So you mean to say that you did not invite that child here?"

Hearing Qian Renxue's voice, Stingray's fat body could not help but shudder.

Qian Renxue's voice was icy, revealing neither joy nor anger.

"It's over, it's over. This voice usually means the young mistress is very angry. Am I, Stingray, really going to be sent back this time?"

Stingray swallowed nervously, cold sweat streaming down his forehead.

"Young Mistress, this subordinate failed in his duty. Please punish me!"

Qian Renxue looked at Stingray, who was voluntarily requesting punishment on the floor, and silently sighed.

She understood that given Stingray's strength, there had been no room for discussion when facing a level ninety-seven Title Douluo.

If the other party wanted to come, he would come. If he did not want to, he would not. Stingray had no way to change that.

If he had made a move, Stingray likely would not be kneeling here and volunteering to accept punishment now.

"Forget it. This matter is not your fault. I did not show enough sincerity. You may leave."

As a genius herself, with a powerful force behind her, Qian Renxue understood the pride of people like them all too well.

If someone she did not know came to tell her that his mistress wished to invite her for a meeting, she would not go either.

Wanted to meet? Fine—but she would not go to them. They would come to her.

Stingray found Qian Renxue's words somewhat unreal, but he did not dare think any further, afraid she would change her mind the next second.

"Thank you, Young Mistress. This subordinate will take his leave."

Qian Renxue waved a hand and turned away.

After Stingray left, Qian Renxue instructed She Long, "Our people should have already followed that child to his residence, correct?"

"Reporting to Young Mistress, they have."

Qian Renxue nodded. Hearing that information finally made her feel much better.

"Prepare gifts. Tomorrow, I will personally go meet him."

As soon as she finished speaking, She Long did not immediately carry out her order. Instead, he looked troubled.

"Young Mistress, with the strength of our Spirit Hall, is there really any need for us to bow so humbly?"