"Chan'er, I have important business to attend to tonight. It would be inconvenient to bring you along. Be good—I'll buy you a candied hawthorn tree later." Xiang Yuan frowned, saying that he and Senior Jiang would be enough.
"How could that do? What if Uncle Xiang gets snatched away by some other demoness? Chan'er will protect you."
What did she mean, other demonesses? She was surprisingly self-aware!
Xiang Yuan frowned at Chan'er, then suddenly understood. "So that's it. I get it now. Chan'er is worried that I'll secretly return to the Dry Abyss Realm and leave you all alone in the Unborn Realm, right?"
"No, Uncle Xiang always misunderstands Chan'er. Chan'er is really just worried about you."
Chan'er shook her head aggrievedly, slipping into their usual battle of wits. "You don't know—great medicine like you is exactly what demonesses love most. If you fall into their hands, the consequences would be unthinkable."
What exactly would be so unthinkable? Go into detail. My friend wants to hear it.
Xiang Yuan grumbled inwardly, though he smiled. "Thank you for your concern, Chan'er. Rest assured, I won't leave you behind and return to the Dry Abyss Realm by myself. Are you satisfied now?"
"Swear it on your Primordial Spirit!"
"..." x2
The conversation felt strangely familiar. Xiang Yuan seemed to have heard it somewhere before. After pondering for a moment, he gave a similarly familiar oath.
"Heaven above and bright moon as witness: Chan'er and I shall remain together in the Unborn Realm, entering and leaving together. If I ever break this oath, abandon Chan'er, and depart alone, may Heaven strike me down, may earth destroy me, and may neither gods nor ghosts tolerate me!"
"Uncle Xiang is the best." Chan'er clasped her hands over her heart, putting on an expression of worship.