The narrator tells us that the time has passed. The phoenix and the tiger have been living in the "house of human youth" for a while. They're just "ordinary humans" . The narrator asks us why they want to get rid of the "seal" and become normal humans again. He says that humans used to think that being immortal was a great thing, but now that they're starting to grow old, their memories are starting to come back to haunt them. He explains that even immortals can die under "special circumstances" , which is why he's so worried about the white tiger. He's worried that the tiger is acting like a cute little boy, but the narrator says it's just a "miracle" that she's lived this long. He tells the narrator to stop asking him why he doesn't just let the tiger do whatever he wants. He also tells him that if the egg ever breaks any of the other rules, she'll be punished with death. In other words, if she ever breaks one of the four rules, the narrator will have to face his "life's greatest despondency," which means that he won't be able to enjoy his life anymore.