Alex didn't make Grimsight immediately swear an oath. Before they did anything, before he accepted their offer to join, he needed to take them to the Blue Silk sect to have them get vetted by the sect master.
He couldn't trust himself to make a judgment here, so he needed someone else's input. If Thunderspine thought they were okay to take Alex along, then he would accept and get Grimsight to say the oaths.
That whole thing would happen a year later though, and for now, Alex focused entirely on his store and making pills. He had 360 different 99% pills to make, so he couldn't let his attention waver.
Pearl returned to the Timeless Palace for the time being since he had to come out in a hurry. Both Alex and Emily on the inside had more or less gotten used to their lives on the inside.
