Whether Companionship is Possible is an Unknown Proposition

Danzhu continued to puff out her little nose proudly, saying, "This kind of character, innocent and cute on the outside, yet revealing maturity unintentionally, is definitely going to be popular in the future!"

"Oh, right!"

Danzhu's eyes lit up, and she said to Xu Yanwu, "Uncle Xu Yanwu, you paint the clay figurine! Color the hair a passionate fiery red! It'll be so charming!"

"Hey..." Chi Yuan tried to stop her but was interrupted by Xu Yanwu.

"No problem!"

Xu Yanwu gave a thumbs-up, "Your big brother Xu's skills are top-notch! Don't worry!"

"Here it goes! ┏(*￣3￣)=?[Clay Figurine]"

Xu Yanwu pointed at the figurine's forehead. At a speed visible to the naked eye, the color spread from where his finger touched the brow, covering the entire figurine in just seven or eight seconds.

"Wow! It's really charming!"

Danzhu exclaimed in admiration.

"Beautiful long hair, sexy figure... This image of Chi Yuan will definitely become widely known! Chi Yuan, you should try developing in this direction too."

"... I'd rather not."

However, Danzhu clearly wasn't listening and continued to say with a giggle, "Hehe, the clay here is really suitable for making figurines. I want to go deeper and take a look. Uncle Xu Yanwu, Chi Yuan, can you help me collect some clay ore first?"

"She really knows how to order people around."

Chi Yuan was a little helpless. Danzhu had always been like a child who refused to grow up.

"Okay, no problem. But Danzhu, you should be careful. After all, there are traces of Honkai in this cave. If a stronger Honkai Beast or Militant pops out, remember to call for help immediately," Xu Yanwu said with a smile. "We'll find you after we've collected the clay ore."

"Xu Yanwu, you..."

"Thank you, Uncle Xu Yanwu. I'm going ahead then!"

Watching Danzhu run off, Chi Yuan couldn't help but ask Xu Yanwu, "You're just going to let her go alone into the depths of the cave?"

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

Xu Yanwu raised an eyebrow. "Is there something wrong?"

"Aren't you afraid Danzhu will encounter danger?"

Xu Yanwu was speechless. "I say, Chi Yuan, aren't you underestimating Danzhu too much? She's someone who survived from the previous civilization era just like you. Even if she's not good at fighting, she can protect herself. At worst, it's easy for her to hold on until we get there."

"Alright..." Chi Yuan hesitated for a moment before deciding to trust Xu Yanwu.

Xu Yanwu and Chi Yuan were mining...

As Xu Yanwu was digging, he suddenly spoke, "Chi Yuan."

"Hmm? What is it?"

"I heard Cang Xuan say that you can live for a very, very long time?"

Xu Yanwu seemed to ask casually while mining, but in reality, his attention was focused on Chi Yuan.

"This..."

Chi Yuan's hands, which were mining clay ore, stiffened for a moment before she continued mining, not looking up.

"Yes, Cang Xuan is right. Because of my special physique, I can indeed live for a long time."

"I see..." Xu Yanwu slowly put away the clay blocks he had already mined. "Then Chi Yuan, have you ever thought about the future..."

"Plop—"

As Xu Yanwu spoke of the future, his heart pounded violently for no reason, giving him a sense of palpitations, as if something very bad was about to happen in the future.

"Xu Yanwu, what's wrong? Why does your face look so bad?"

Chi Yuan asked Xu Yanwu with some concern.

"...I'm fine, I'm very good." Xu Yanwu's voice was low as he pushed the matter of his heartbeat aside for the moment. "Have you ever thought about how long you will guard the Land of Shenzhou alone in the future?"

"That..." Chi Yuan smiled. "Probably for a very, very long time?"

"Aren't you afraid?"

"I'm not afraid.

That's my mission."

"..."

Xu Yanwu's face held a complex expression. "Then, if one day, these current times, and Ji Lin, Danzhu, Cang Xuan, Lianshan, me... everyone in the tribe..."

Xu Yanwu looked at Chi Yuan. "...the memories related to us will eventually fade with the passage of time, until... you completely forget these memories, what will you do?"

Chi Yuan: "Why are you asking me this question?"

Xu Yanwu slapped his own mouth, cursing inwardly: Damn it, I've made the conversation awkward again.

"Alright, I'm overthinking things. Chi Yuan, don't take it to heart."

Xu Yanwu turned away.

After a period of silence, Chi Yuan's voice came from behind Xu Yanwu, "Actually, I probably won't be guarding the Land of Shenzhou alone, will I?"

"Huh?"

"Won't you still be here?"

"..." Xu Yanwu slowly covered his face and curled up in the corner of the cave.

"Xu Yanwu! What's wrong?!"

Chi Yuan panicked a little. She quickly dropped the pickaxe and clay ore in her hands and ran over to try and pull Xu Yanwu up.

"Don't pull me!" The roots of Xu Yanwu's ears, which were exposed, turned bright red. "Let me be shy for a bit."

Chi Yuan's outstretched hand froze in mid-air.

She thought Xu Yanwu was suddenly having a relapse or something, but it turned out he was just embarrassed?

Inside, the curled-up Xu Yanwu was overjoyed.

Ah... how could I have forgotten myself? This is the first time I've felt so happy about this immortal body... Xu Yanwu thought.

"Chi Yuan, don't worry."

After finally calming himself down, Xu Yanwu lowered his hands from his face and said with conviction, "No matter how many years it takes, I'll stay with you... Where did she go?"

Xu Yanwu was stunned. Wait, where did the young lady who was mining just now go? Where did she run off to?

Speaking of which, when he was feeling shy earlier, he seemed to have vaguely heard someone shouting for help...

Damn it! Danzhu!

Xu Yanwu sprang up from the ground and strode towards the direction of the fighting sounds, his spear already back in his hand.

"You damn militants! If you dare lay a hand on either my Danzhu or Chi Yuan, you're dead today!"

Xu Yanwu's protective roar echoed through the cave.

"Hoo..."

Chi Yuan repelled an approaching Annihilation Spirit with a palm strike, shielding Danzhu behind her.

"Why hasn't Xu Yanwu arrived yet? If this continues, the aftermath of the battle will cause the cave to collapse."

Chi Yuan's expression was grave as she looked at the Annihilation Spirit charging at her again. Gritting her teeth, she clashed with the Annihilation Spirit once more, covering Danzhu's escape.

The already unstable cave walls began to crack and disintegrate under the unrestrained onslaught of Honkai Energy from the Annihilation Spirit. Rubble rained down from the ceiling, as if the entire cave would collapse at any moment.