Presumably because he had been cooped up in this hellhole where he had had nobody to talk with for too long, the old man, having struck up a conversation, seemed unable to stop speaking, and he was particularly enthusiastic about Ling Zhang, calling Ling Zhang "kiddo" every time he addressed him.

"Thank you," said Ling Zhang.

"Much as I want to accept your gratitude, I know very well that I'm the one who should say thank you, because the halidom wouldn't have presented itself were it not for you. You changed many people's fates and put an end to the troubled times, which was really a meritorious deed," said the former clan leader.

Ling Zhang shook his head. "It was my marriage partner rather than me who brought the troubled times to an end."

Yuwen Tong, who had been silently walking side by side with him all along, did not interpose. Maybe because of the carry-over from the reverie, his spirits were not very high.

The former clan leader glanced at Yuwen Tong. "You two are supplementary to each other. Neither can thrive when separated from the other. Previously the bane of your life was at work, which was why things turned out that way in your last life. Fortunately the situation was not beyond redemption."

Yuwen Tong still remained silent.

The former clan leader gave a little cough. Probably having perceived that Yuwen Tong was not in a good mood and preferred to be left alone, the old man felt somewhat bored and shifted his attention to Ling Zhang again.

"I daresay your destiny was entwined with that of the Phoenix Clan the moment you were born, kiddo. You have the Blood of the Phoenix Clan, and now everybody acknowledges you as an incarnation of a real phoenix. Your life is worth much more than mine," added the former clan leader.

Ling Zhang, who had not bargained on him making such remarks, was at a loss for words, but then something occurred to him. "You should be able to tell that my father ... "

"Oh, your father. Although I don't know why he was reborn either, I think it was kind of a twofer," replied the old man.

Ling Zhang, " ... "

A twofer?

The former clan leader, apparently amused by the flummoxed expression on Ling Zhang's face, continued, "Maybe the halidom was grateful to you for helping it reappear in this world, so it gifted you with a father."

Ling Zhang, " ... "

At this moment, Yuwen Tong asked, "What is this halidom?"

"Well, it's right there," responded the former clan leader. "See for yourselves."

After walking for quite some time, they finally reached the end of the passageway. They had taken so many turns that Ling Zhang was almost disorientated. But the passageway inclined gently all the way downward, which meant that they had been going deeper underground from start to finish. Now they were probably at the lowest point of the island. Waves of scorching heat were billowing up towards them, and they finally saw some light, but the light was red in color.

"There are downward steps ahead. Be careful," said the former clan leader before resuming progressing.

Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong exchanged a glance and then followed in the wake of the old man. They turned out of the end of the passageway and were greeted by a cavern, high-roofed and enormous. The most conspicuous part was the fiery flowing magma at the bottom, which was slowly circling a circular platform in the midmost, and which was the very source of the scalding heat.

The circular platform had a hollow center where a giant egg floated on the magma. The magma beneath it was bubbling, but the egg, curiously enough, was floating contentedly on it, unscathed ...

Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong both stopped dead on the flight of steps. Neither of them had bargained on seeing such a large egg. In addition, there was nothing else special apart from this white egg in this cavern, which forcibly made them suspect that this egg had been the very thing that the former clan leader had been referring to by "halidom" and "the little guy".

"Old Clan Leader, wh–what is this?" Ling Zhang felt his legs buckle slightly as his eyes alighted on that egg. This place was baking hot, but the heat was nothing compared to the shock brought to him by the sight of the egg.

Was it what he thought it was, by any chance?

"This is the Ma–Magnificence of our clan!" The former clan leader, for some reason, suddenly changed the form of address, and he sneaked a surreptitious glance at the white egg. Seeing that it was as quiet as always, he was secretly relieved. "It was also the creator of the reverie you mentioned. That was really not my doing."

Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong, " ... "

It was not the reverie that they wanted to talk about!

"This egg ... Wh–What laid it?" asked Ling Zhang, his voice somewhat tremulous.

"A phoenix. Haven't you guessed it already?" answered the former clan leader, looking bemusedly at him.

Ling Zhang took a deep breath, toppling backward as though on the verge of fainting.

Yuwen Tong flung out an arm to stop him from falling.

The large white egg floating on the magma suddenly stirred. At the sight of this, Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong were further stupefied.

"H–Her Magnificence seems to like you pretty much. Sometimes I have to keep talking to it for ten days or even half a month before it makes a reaction, but it jumped happily the moment you came here," said the former clan leader.

Ling Zhang, however, felt somewhat giddy. He had thought that mythical beasts like phoenixes were only legends, that they did not exist. Why was there a hatching phoenix egg in this place?!

"Is it really a phoenix egg?" repeated Ling Zhang.

The large white egg jumped again as though in response to Ling Zhang's words.

"Come down here and give it a stroke. It's fun." The former clan leader called to them. "Don't worry. The phoenix egg is absorbing most of the heat of the magma. You won't be scalded."

Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong walked down the steps, watching the white egg bouncing excitedly on the surface of the magma as they approached, astonished.

"Am I still in a reverie?" Ling Zhang asked Yuwen Tong in an undertone, his voice heavy with uncertainty.

Yuwen Tong thought about it for a brief moment. "If you are, whose obsession was it that created this?"

Ling Zhang twisted his head aside to look at the egg. "Well, I never dared think of getting myself a phoenix egg."

Yuwen Tong said, "And I've got myself a treasure already."

Ling Zhang looked confusedly at him. What kind of treasure?

Yuwen Tong said, "You."

Ling Zhang, " ... "

The white egg was still bouncing.

The former clan leader said, "Try stroking it."

Ling Zhang leaped across the magma, landed on the platform, stooped down and tentatively reached out a hand.

The egg, having sensed that he was about to stroke it, stopped bouncing, quietly waiting for Ling Zhang's hand to touch it.

As his hand came into contact with it, Ling Zhang found that the egg was warm, its shell smooth to the touch. It was an amazing sensation. Ling Zhang could not help laying his hand on the egg and with that he heard a muffled thud as though there was heartbeat coming from inside the egg. He could feel that what was in there was alive, which struck him as incredible.

His hand slid on the shell in spite of himself, the egg quietly letting him stroke it. Ling Zhang felt a wave of mingled delight and thrill sweeping over him.

...

A couple of days later.

Twelve men – Ji Yin, Ling Zhaowu, Ling Maomao, Ji Xiaocong, Ji Yanlai, the couple of elders of the Millennium Pavilion and the former clan leader, were standing in the cavern, watching the white egg.

"So there are really such things as phoenixes in this world." Ling Zhaowu found the scene unbelievable.

The couple of elders were so excited they directly dropped to their knees and kowtowed to the phoenix egg.

Ling Zhang felt somewhat guilty as he saw this, for during the past few days, when the others had been unconscious, he had been playing with the phoenix egg and petting it.

Yuwen Tong drew Ling Zhang behind him and said, "It's okay. Nobody knows."

Fortunately, the former clan leader, though talkative, was not big-mouthed and did not tell any of the others that Ling Zhang had been petting the egg for several days.

The phoenix egg was responsive to Ji Yanlai and Ji Xiaocong but irresponsive to all the others.

Eventually, Ji Yanlai, Ji Xiaocong, Ji Yin, the former clan leader, Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong whose involvement in this matter was hard to define were the only ones left in the cavern. Ling Zhaowu, Ling Maomao and the couple of elders had all left. Nobody except for the twelve of them were aware of the existence of the phoenix egg. The elders transferred those who were still unconscious out of the underground palace. Most people slowly came to, but the others, what with their evil intentions, never woke up.

It took the King of the South Ocean and his son a long time to come around, but they were both okay. The couple of men from that mini-state were not so lucky.

And neither were some greedy attendants.

...

In the cavern.

"You lingered on this island for such a long time. How did you find this place?" Ji Yanlai inquired of his father.

The former clan leader did not seem to mind his son's attitude towards him. "I deduced it with my divination skill, which I think you've realized is much better than yours. You've still got a lot to learn, kid."

Ji Yanlai rubbed his forehead resignedly. "You should have sent me a message, which would have spared me the ordeal of coming here to rescue you in great haste!"

"I was worried! What if someone came and stole the little phoenix after I left? And I wasn't trying to mislead you. This place is shielded by a barrier of enchantments cast by the little phoenix, which is why you can't deduce anything about this island," said the former clan leader.

"Old Clan Leader, Clan Leader, this matter can wait." Ji Yin made an attempt to smooth things over. "What should we do now? Let Her Magnificence stay here?"

Ji Yanlai, his face still sulky, averted his face from his father.

"Grandfather." Ji Xiaocong looked at the former clan leader, smiling.

The old man's face creased into a beam as he saw his grandson call him with a sweet smile. "You're so much more docile and considerate, Cong!"

Ji Yanlai pretended not to have heard these words.

"This is the perfect place for Her Magnificence to hatch out, so the egg should not be transferred elsewhere. I'll stay here keeping guard over it. You may put your minds at ease and go back," said the former clan leader.

With that he flicked a glance at Ling Zhang, opened his mouth but then closed it again.

Ling Zhang looked confusedly back at him. "Old Clan Leader, if you need any help, all you have to do is ask."

"Can you stay here, kiddo? Her Magnificence seems to like you pretty much. The air about you strikes Her Magnificence as quite pleasant," said the former clan leader.

Ling Zhang was amazed. Before he could make a reply, Yuwen Tong standing beside him knitted his brows and said, "He can't."

The former clan leader, " ... "

The phoenix egg gave a jump as though displeased with Yuwen Tong.

Yuwen Tong said, "As my consort, he's supposed to return to the palace with me. There's no way I'm letting him stay here."

The phoenix egg floating on the magma was infuriated, turning from a white egg into a red one.

"Her Magnificence is angry," said the former clan leader apprehensively.

All the others sensed it ... The temperature in the cavern rose considerably in the twinkling of an eye. Everybody present found the heat somewhat unbearable.

Ling Zhang was astonished. This was his first time seeing the egg become red.

He walked up and tentatively reached out a hand.

The former clan leader cautioned, "Don't!"

On hearing this, Ling Zhang intended to withdraw his hand, but the red egg quickly cooled down on its own initiative and became white again before it jumped up and touched Ling Zhang's hand.

Ling Zhang really felt overwhelmingly flattered. "Th–Thank you for liking me, Your Magnificence, but I'm an empress, and I have children waiting for me at home. I can't stay on this island for long. I hope you understand."

The phoenix egg stopped bouncing, staying still in the magma, appearing to be heartbroken.

"Tell us how long it'll take for the egg to hatch first," Ji Yanlai said to his father.

The former clan leader said, "I don't know that either, but I think it won't take long – a couple of years at the most."

A couple of years ...

"The answer is no. End of discussion," said Yuwen Tong immediately.

The others also lapsed into silence. That was indeed too long a time. It was not really necessary for Ling Zhang to stay here. If the egg would hatch in a week or two, they might be able to convince Yuwen Tong. It was impractical to have Ling Zhang stay in this place for a couple of years.

...

Ling Zhang could not stay to keep the phoenix egg company, but because of the imploring looks in the eyes of those from the Pavilion and the air of dejection about the egg, Ling Zhang eventually decided to stay for another couple of days.

"The food and supplies on the ships are running low. It's about time we set off to return. Every day that we stays here causes our food supply to dwindle," said Yuwen Tong. Lingering here for a couple of days was the best they could do. This was no laughing matter. Ling Zhang was his consort, not the large white egg's playmate.

Though it was a phoenix, he would not allow it to take his consort from him.

The phoenix egg, as though having come to know that Ling Zhang would leave in a couple of days, was not as active as it had been during the past few days, but it still enjoyed Ling Zhang's company very much.

Ling Zhang, feeling faintly guilty, naturally spent as much time with it as he could. Actually he was playing with the egg all the time except when he was eating, drinking or sleeping.

...

Three days passed and it was time for them to leave.

Ling Zhang went into the cavern to bid farewell to the phoenix egg and the former clan leader.

"You really can't stay?" The former clan leader was still unwilling to see Ling Zhang leave.

Ling Zhang smiled an apologetic smile at him. "I really need to go back."

The former clan leader sighed, "Okay. Come back here to see it again when you have the time."

Ling Zhang did not dare make any promises, for this place was too far away from the capital city. A journey between the two locations took too long, and he had very little spare time. There was no doubt that he and Yuwen Tong would have to work their asses off to handle all the state affairs that had piled up during their absence.

Ling Zhang, when saying goodbye to the phoenix egg, was also very upset about him having to leave, for he had grown very fond of the phoenix egg in the past few days. It was really quite adorable.

Originally he had held the egg in awe and veneration, but now, looking at it, he felt as though he were looking at his own child.

When he reached out a hand to stroke the phoenix egg, the latter jumped, appearing a little anxious.

Ling Zhang said, "Sorry. I can't stay here to keep you company any longer. I need to go back to the capital city."

The phoenix egg emanated a crestfallen air. Were it able to speak, it would definitely have demanded that Ling Zhang stay. If it had had limbs, it was guaranteed to cling on to Ling Zhang's leg, refusing to let him leave.

However, though unable to hold Ling Zhang's leg, it abruptly jumped out of the magma onto the platform when Ling Zhang was leaving.

The thud startled both Ling Zhang and the former clan leader.

"Why did it jump out? Do you think the e–eggshell has ... has cracked?" Ling Zhang, feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand up, hastened to the egg and picked it up to examine it. Having checked that the eggshell was still intact, he heaved a sigh of relief. "Be careful, little guy. Don't jump too high. What if ... "

What if the eggshell cracked? If that happened, the damage would be irrevocable.

The phoenix egg stirred in his arms. Ling Zhang held it for a while before he put it back into the magma and then reluctantly got off the platform.

Unexpectedly, he had just walked away when the egg jumped onto the platform again and followed in his wake, bouncing along. When it rolled to his feet, Ling Zhang was alarmed and, his heart now hammering against his Adam's apple, hastily scooped it up again.

"I think it wants to go with us," said Yuwen Tong, walking down the steps and looking at the egg. He did not look very happy about it, for this egg had hijacked too much of Ling Zhang's time recently. If they took this egg with them, it would sure as hell eat away more of his time.

The former clan leader, looking at the phoenix egg in Ling Zhang's arms, clapped a hand to his lap. "Yeah. Why didn't I think of it? Now that Her Magnificence shows an inclination to go with you, let's get out of here right away. Come on."

"Ha?" Ling Zhang was bewildered as he saw the old man eagerly set off to leave. "Wait a moment. She needs to stay under the conditions in this place to hatch out. How is she supposed to hatch if she leaves with us?"

"It's okay. A phoenix egg doesn't have to stay in a place like this to hatch. It's just that this place makes her feel more comfortable," said the former clan leader.

Ling Zhang was dumbstruck. Was that true?

After the former clan leader made a decision, the phoenix egg was very happy, stirring constantly in Ling Zhang's arm. Anybody could tell what the little phoenix meant.

Ling Zhang, " ... "

...

Thus, there was an egg on Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong's ship when they set off to return. During the day the egg was only docile when Ling Zhang was with it. At night, it even attempted to follow Ling Zhang into his room. Yuwen Tong grabbed it and tossed it to the former clan leader.

The old man hastened to catch it, so alarmed that cold sweat broke out on his forehead. The phoenix egg seemed to be frightened by Yuwen Tong as well and did not dare to look for Ling Zhang again that night, but it appeared a bit down all night. It remained absolutely motionless no matter what the former clan leader said to it.

This egg added a lot of fun to their homeward journey. However, not many people knew about its existence. To keep it confidential, Yuwen Tong had the others move downstairs, so that only those privy to the fact that there was a phoenix egg on the vessel were on the third floor.

During this journey to the South Ocean, apart from a phoenix egg, they had also obtained large numbers of gemstones.

Yuwen Tong took all the gemstones but left the gold and other treasures to the others.

...

The homeward voyage took a long time. After they returned to the capital city, the phoenix egg was settled in the palace.

The former clan leader and Ji Xiaocong were accommodated in the Ling Mansion, standing guard over their Magnificence.

Ji Yanlai took the others back to the island.