First, if it truly meant him harm, the Undying Phoenix would have acted at once. There was no reason to wait until now. Second, judging by Hephaestus' attitude, there was clearly a deep, irreconcilable feud between him and the Undying Phoenix. The enemy of an enemy was a friend. Aiden didn't care why the Undying Phoenix had been sealed here; as long as it bore hostility toward Hephaestus, they were on the same side. Of course, it was also possible that the eight chains were restraining the Undying Phoenix. But regardless of the reason, Aiden knew that—for now—he was safe. Keeping a measured distance, Aiden nodded. "Yes." "Well done." The Undying Phoenix's voice echoed through the chamber. "But I advise you to leave this temple as soon as possible. Once Hephaestus arrives, you'll be blasted into chunks before you even know what happened." Aiden was taken aback. "He'd come? Over something this small? That seems a bit much, doesn't it?""Small?" The Undying Phoenix let out a cold chuckle. "Do you think this is a place anyone can just come and go as they please? Oh…" It seemed to recall something and continued, "Shattering a statue is indeed no great matter. But because that statue was destroyed, I awakened. Given a little time, I will be able to break free of my restraints. Do you think that despicable creature wouldn't come?" "You can break free even from an old divine's shackles?" Aiden asked, genuinely surprised. He didn't know much about old divines, but even beings as powerful as the Radiant Dragon—creatures that could easily crush top-ranked powerhouses like Merrick Jones—stood no chance before an old divine. Yet this Undying Phoenix spoke of them with blatant disdain. "An old divine's shackles?" The Undying Phoenix suddenly burst into laughter, its voice shaking the entire underground chamber. "Ignorant human, do you really think a spineless wretch like Hephaestus alone can trap me here?" "Wasn't he?" Aiden's curiosity was piqued. Oh, there's definitely a story here. "Ridiculous!" the Undying Phoenix snorted. "Back then, when I was about to give birth, I required a place rich in fire element. The area around the Temple of Hephaestus happened to be abundant in it, so I settled there." "And then you were ambushed by Hephaestus?" Aiden realized at once. "By him?" The Undying Phoenix scoffed. "Such a crude scheme—how could I not see through it? Even in my weakened state, I was no match for a mere pseudogod." "A pseudogod?" Aiden quirked a brow at the unfamiliar term. "Why were you still locked here then?" The Undying Phoenix fell silent for a moment. Then it let out a heavy sigh. "I underestimated just how despicable Hephaestus could be. There was not one pseudogod present—but five. I was already weakened, and in a moment of carelessness, I was bound here." "So, in short, you were too arrogant," Aiden said with a shrug. "You looked down on them, knew it was a trap, still walked right into it—and when you couldn't hold out anymore, you ended up chained here." "Yes." The Undying Phoenix did not refute it. "I ruled unchallenged for most of my life, only to be plotted against by several pseudogods in the end. Even a significant portion of my true power was siphoned away. Consider it punishment for my pride. But my poor child—still unborn—was to be offered up as a sacrifice by those traitors. Tragic… truly tragic…" Its gaze dimmed, its voice heavy with sorrow. "You actually laid an egg?" Aiden's eyes lit up. If we're talking about this, I'm wide awake now. "Human!" The Undying Phoenix flew into a rage. "Such insolence! If not for the fact that you shattered that stone statue, I would have torn you to pieces already." "Sorry, sorry. Got a little excited and didn't filter my mouth," Aiden said, coughing awkwardly. Yeah… saying that right to its face is indeed rude. "But I am curious," Aiden continued after a moment's thought. "Your egg—no, your offspring. Where is it now? Maybe I can think of a way to help." "Huh!" The Undying Phoenix shot him a sidelong glance. "Human, do you really think those petty schemes of yours can fool me? If I'm not mistaken, you're a Beastmaster, aren't you?" "That's right," Aiden admitted frankly, nodding. "Huh! Human greed—it really is a deeply rooted flaw." The Undying Phoenix sneered. "Let me make this clear: give up that thought. My bloodline is of the highest order. Do you really think a human could ever control it? "Even if you were to find my offspring, it would all be in vain. Not you—nor even Corin, the strongest Beastmaster your kind has ever produced. Without a soul link, you simply don't have what it takes." "That's not necessarily true," Aiden said, shaking his head. He didn't know who Corin was, nor did he care—but hearing that rubbed him the wrong way. What do you mean "don't have what it takes?" I'm a six-foot-two Fortune God—rich, good-looking, and in the real world, the line of girls chasing me could stretch overseas.