"Isn't that a good thing? You admit you have a child?" Huo Lian said with a smile. "Even if he isn't your child, he still belongs to your Phoenix lineage. Very few of your divine beast Phoenix lineage remain alive. Whatever else he may be, he is your junior. As his seniors, shouldn't you give him some guidance?"
"Huo Lian, you've certainly worked out a fine scheme. Wouldn't it end up following in our footsteps?" the Phoenix snorted. "Rather than that, we might as well let it live as it is. Every extra day it lives is another day."
Huo Lian shook his head. "I've already lived for over a thousand years. Who knows when my allotted time will run out? If you improve its strength, it may still be able to escape from my grasp. If you don't try, the Phoenix lineage may truly become extinct."
The two Phoenixes fell silent. Huo Lian was in no hurry either. He knew they were struggling inwardly.
"Fine. We'll go with you and take a look first," the Phoenix said.
"That's more like it. Shrink yourselves a little. Going out at that size would probably cause unnecessary trouble," Huo Lian said.
Neither Phoenix refused. Their bodies rapidly shrank until their wingspans were only about half a zhang, and their appearances changed somewhat as well.
If anyone saw them like this, they would hardly recognize them as divine beast Phoenixes. Most would merely take them for two rather large birds.
"Can we leave now?" the Phoenix asked.
"Wait." As Huo Lian spoke, he turned to Chao Hun. "Chao Hun, you should head outside now."
"Ah?" Chao Hun cried out in surprise. "The Demon Hall's people won't spare me."
This old man before him might be the former Demon Hall Master. If he spoke