Junior sister, keep forbear for a while, I almost become invincible as soon!

One was emaciated and tall, with a sallow, withered face. His eyes were deeply sunken, the pupils no longer visible. The life within him was faint, his aura subdued and flickering, like an old man who had just crawled out of the earth. The other was in better condition, with flesh on his bones and a robust aura of life, a stark contrast to the first elder.

Upon seeing the two old men, Hong You's expression changed drastically; she eyed them as if facing a formidable enemy.

The Sleeping Ones.

She had seen them before, deep within a village, albeit only in a painting.

They had not intervened when the Demon Flower appeared. Yet now, after she had fled into this small town, The Sleeping Ones had pursued her.

She was somewhat puzzled.

But the situation at hand was undeniably real. Vibrations reached them from all directions, indicating that there were more than just those present.

"Find a way to escape!" Hong You whispered, her expression gravely serious.

One Sleeper alone could slaughter them all. Now, two were present, with an unknown number of Chong Tower Killers lurking in the shadows. They stood no chance in a direct confrontation.

Chen Pingping smiled. "Guests have traveled from afar. How can we not welcome them?"

Escape? Impossible in this lifetime.

If he hadn't achieved his breakthrough to the Emperor's Way, perhaps he might have been nervous. But now... it wasn't Chong Tower hunting him; he was waiting for Chong Tower.

Hong You's eyes widened in disbelief, thinking she had misheard.

Chen Pingping said again, "Pour the tea!"

Hong You was rendered speechless.

The bastard! He may want to meet his death, but this lady has no such desire.

Her face turned ashen. She cursed Chen Pingping internally for his ignorance of the dire situation. Yet, even though she wished to flee, their surroundings seemed completely encircled.

What else could be done? Pour the tea! Act according to the circumstances.

In that short minute, Hong You's mind raced, considering dozens of possibilities. Fortunately, as a former high-ranking member of Chong Tower, she still possessed the composure and calm needed to face a crisis. She forced herself to calm down and set out several teacups.

The two old men had reached the courtyard gate but didn't enter, observing instead. Though only two people were in the courtyard, there were also Lao Huang the ox, Hei the dog, Earth Chicken, and Mao Qiu. These small creatures all possessed extraordinary abilities and were not to be underestimated.

Chen Pingping chuckled. "What? You've come all this way. Aren't you going to come in and sit down?"

The two old men exchanged a look, seemingly having reached a decision, then strode into the courtyard. Their profound gazes were fixed solely on Chen Pingping; Hong You, standing beside him, was completely ignored.

"The tea is weak," the skeletal old man said, lifting his cup and downing it in one gulp.

"Indeed!" his companion agreed. They set down their cups in unison.

Chen Pingping smiled. "Humble tea is often like that."

The gaunt old man gestured towards the small animals in the yard. "Can you ask them to leave?"

Chen Pingping shook his head. "No!"

As if anticipating his reply, the old man showed no emotion. With a casual wave of his withered hand, ripples spread through the Void, and an ancient bronze mirror materialized. An image appeared on it, showing several figures, one of whom was Chen Shixian.

"Bastards! Let me go!" she shouted angrily. "Chen Pingping is destroying Chong Tower; what does that have to do with me? If you want to threaten Chen Pingping, go after Guang Xiaoyu and Zi Ji! What's the point of capturing me, an outsider?"

One could hear the fury in her voice.

That bastard surely won't risk his life to save me.

Unfortunately, these blockheads simply wouldn't listen; she was on the verge of a breakdown.

Chen Pingping was momentarily at a loss.

A miscalculation, a miscalculation!

He hadn't expected Chong Tower to be so shameless.

The two Sleeping Ones before him were completely disregarding conventional tactics, actually using Chen Shixian to threaten him.

"You all go play over there!" Chen Pingping said, his gaze sweeping over the small animals in the yard.

Lao Huang glanced at him, understanding his intent. Hei, the little black dog, looked bewildered but followed Lao Huang, with Earth Chicken close behind. Only Mao Qiu slowly opened its eyes, looking utterly confused.

Chen Pingping kicked Mao Qiu, sending it flying. He then chuckled, "Pardon the display."

With the small animals gone, the atmosphere in the courtyard instantly grew heavy.

Hong You felt a tightening in her heart; the situation was dire. He's been too impulsive! How could he give up the chance to live just for a woman? Without the Spiritual Beasts, what will you use to contend with The Sleeping Ones?

Thinking this, she couldn't help feeling annoyed. How did I end up with someone like him? Besides, even if he were killed by Chong Tower, there's no guarantee they would let Chen Shixian go. Only if he stays alive is there a chance to save her. Foolish! Truly foolish!

Her face darkened, and she remained silent, covertly searching for an escape route.

Chen Pingping spoke up, "No need to be so tense. Look, your people have surrounded this place, and the little animals in the yard have run off. Now I'm isolated and weak. If you want to kill me, it would be a matter of minutes, wouldn't it? Why not have a chat first?"

He was quite at ease, perfectly calm. Even facing a deadly trap, he was unruffled, still able to banter with his opponents.

The elder asked in surprise, "Do you still have a trump card?"

"Not really!" Chen Pingping said innocently. "As everyone knows, my pets are the strongest. But now, they're not here."

"That's true." The elder nodded. "What do you want to talk about?"

"The Heavenly Road!"

He didn't speak of Chen Shixian, his own life or death, or the current situation in the Central Continent—only the Heavenly Road. Truth be told, his peculiar line of thought left even Hong You dumbfounded.

But the elder was not at all surprised. He thought for a moment and said, "You are the most outstanding young man I have ever seen. If nothing unexpected happens, you could enter the Heavenly Road and receive guidance from a God."

"My meaning is, Senior, do you know where the Heavenly Road is?" Chen Pingping asked.

"South!"

"South of the Central Continent?" Chen Pingping inquired.

"Yes!"

"Any basis for that?"

"Divination!" the elder answered. "I am proficient in the prediction skill."

So that's how it is! South of the Central Continent! Chen Pingping understood.

Although he possessed a page from the Heavenly Book, gaining insights about the Heavenly Road was exceedingly difficult. He had attempted it many times, and all had ended in failure.

"Senior, would you mind discussing a more profound topic?" Chen Pingping asked, looking at him.

"What do you mean by 'profound'?"

"Hong You, could you give us a moment?" he said, looking to the side.

Hong You's heart skipped a beat, her eyes fixed on him. Is he creating an opportunity for me to escape? Damn it! He's already in such a deadly situation, yet he's still thinking of others?

She immediately took a deep breath and fled without looking back. I can't die; I'm still young! Don't worry! If Chong Tower kills you, I'll definitely avenge you. I'll protect your two junior sisters too.

Fortunately, Chen Pingping couldn't hear these thoughts; otherwise, his face would have been covered in black lines. I just wanted to discuss some profound topics with the two seniors. How did that turn into me trying to help her escape?

Give me a break! Is there even a need to run? The ones who'll need to flee soon will probably be from Chong Tower.

Seeing her walk away, Chen Pingping then said, "Seniors, have you ever seen the God at the end of the Heavenly Road?"