``` [You understood that an existence like Houtu, whose cultivation was already close to the Tianhua Imperial Realm, possessed the ability to forcibly accept punishment and break a Great Dao Oath, yet you still did this...
And in the Great Dao Oath Houtu made, even if you did not become the Witch Clan's guardian, you could still ask for Houtu's help in the future and have her protect your Dao once. The oath's other additional condition was that, during this protection, Houtu would not help you deal with multiple Imperial Realm experts at once. At most, she would help you restrain one Imperial Realm expert attempting to harm you.]
[Although you did not directly reject Houtu, proposing this oath was, in truth, also an indirect way of telling her that you had no intention of becoming another clan's guardian. Yet, to your surprise, Houtu not only agreed and discussed the terms of this oath-bound transaction with you in detail, but her attitude toward you did not change much either.
Though you did not know the reasons behind it, you had always been someone who repaid a peach with a plum, so you gave a promise not bound by oath. "When it comes to friends, you have always refused to disappoint them. Witch Emperor Houtu is willing to protect your Dao, even if it is for profit. After you successfully break through, should the Witch Clan face trouble in the future, you will certainly not stand by and do nothing..."]
[In these All Heavens, few people actually believed in promises. Yet, strangely enough, after hearing your words, Witch Emperor Houtu truly believed them, as far as your emotion perception could tell.]
[In truth, Houtu believed that one needed certain qualities to be favored by the Dao Source Universe. At the very