Wang Anfeng received the wooden box with both hands and carefully opened it.
Inside lay a golden phoenix hairpin, with phoenixes dancing on top, and upon closer examination, there were as many as seven phoenixes. The noble clans each had a ranking system for such things, and a phoenix hairpin was considered a ceremonial item, naturally not for casual use. From one to nine, the rules were strict.
Ordinary won would use a single phoenix hairpin for their wedding.
And the Nine Phoenix Hairpin was the most prestigious, usable only by the Empress. Three years ago, after the current Empress passed away, there was no one in the land eligible to use the Nine Phoenix Hairpin; the Seven Phoenix Hairpin was already highly esteed.
Even before the current Emperor ascended to the throne, his wife had only used the Seven Phoenix Hairpin.
Wang Anfeng couldn't help but take a slight breath.
He lifted his hand and gently stroked the phoenix hairpin.
The craftsmanship was ticulous; the work of a master craftsman. As the palm brushed over it, the phoenix wings trembled slightly, as though wanting to take flight in the wind, revealing its extraordinary quality.
Wang Anfeng held the wooden box and looked up at the guardian of the ruins and said:
"Uncle Yan, this is..."
The guardian stroked his beard and sighed with a smile:
"Your mother's hairpin was a gift from a friend when your parents married."
"Back then, it was used as a stake in a bet with . I won the bet, your father reneged, so your mother used this phoenix hairpin to replace your father's jade pendant, pledging it here."
Hearing it was a gift from a friend, Wang Anfeng's heart steadied sowhat and he said:
"Then this friend surely must be of no ordinary status."
He looked at the guardian, then suddenly said:
"Uncle Yan, I'm growing more and more curious about my parents' story..."
The guardian smiled and said:
"Curiosity is good, very good. You'll naturally co to know about your parents' affairs in the future. Now is not the ti, but... you must rember, your father was absolutely a man who stood tall between heaven and earth."
Wang Anfeng chuckled and said, "He may have been a man who stood tall between heaven and earth, but he was also my father."
The guardian was montarily taken aback, then laughed out loud and said:
"Indeed, indeed, no matter what he has done, or how impressive he was outside, once he returned ho, he was ultimately just your father."
"You've indeed inherited three parts of your father's temperant."
"I can still clearly rember the sight of them going up the mountain back then. It's just unfortunate—things and people change. Since you are their child, it is right for their belongings to be returned to their rightful owner."
"What a pity, your parents were by no ans ant to have short lives. I rember, years ago, my master the Taoist once did a reading for your father. He said your father had a rare character and could enjoy a hundred years of life."
"Your mother was also a person with profound good fortune."
"The one and only ti in this life I witnessed phoenixes singing in harmony was on the day your parents' musical harmony reached the heavens, and a phoenix ca from beyond the skies. Such an astonishing event cannot occur for those with a shallow fate."
'Harmony of qin (zither) and se (harp)...'
Father, mother, back then, you must have been at ease.
Wang Anfeng held the wooden box, his expression turning tender.
............
Spanning over three hundred li in the mountain ranges, the entire area was known as Yan Mountain, and at its northernmost point, where the mountains soared steeply, the terrain ended abruptly, forming a cliff. Because of the ore veins, the cliff glead red, was devoid of vegetation, and was nad Red Cliff.
Red Cliff Sect was located at this spot.
On the main mountain path below Candle Dragon Nest, seated and standing, were already over three hundred martial artists dressed in red vigorous attire, each wielding different weapons, so with swords and so with gauntlets. However, they didn't press forward along the mountain road as Qing Yun had guessed. Instead, they just stood in place, conserving their energy.
At the very back, there was even an extravagant horse-drawn carriage pulled by four horses.
Around the carriage stood six beautiful won dressed in white, each with a sword at their side, their expressions cold and detached, maintaining a distance from the other disciples.
Yue Hongzhe was sitting cross-legged on a rock, his breathing even.
They weren't in a hurry to go up the mountain yet. Although there were only over a hundred Taoists on the mountain, and not many of them had highly advanced martial arts, the terrain still posed a considerable challenge.
This expedition wasn't about hunting a pack of wolves; it was more like waiting for an eagle to tire. They needed to wait for the Taoists on the mountain to beco exhausted and panicked. Then, attacking from three directions all at once would be best, easily overwhelming them and taking over the auspicious 'Candle Dragon Nest'.
Thus, he was in no hurry at all.
At that mont, a disciple who was guarding on the outer periter rushed in. Yue Hongzhe opened his eyes and glanced at the luxurious carriage at the back, noticing that there was no commotion there. He then turned to the disciple and asked in a deep voice:
"What's the matter?"
The disciple dressed in red replied softly:
"There's a young scholar outside who says he would like to see you."
Yue Hongzhe's expression turned cold as he said:
"No."
Yet the Red Cliff Sect disciple didn't leave; he hesitated for a mont and then said:
"The person said, if you, Vice Sect Leader, say he cannot be seen, to pass on a ssage to you." Yue Hongzhe frowned, clearly very displeased, and opened his eyes, demanding harshly:
"Are you truly my disciple of Red Cliff Sect and not soone pretending from another sect? Disobeying the words of a superior and instead heeding the words of an outsider—do you really take your duties as a disciple seriously?"
The disciple from Red Cliff Sect went pale and quickly asserted he dared not, his heart filling with dread.
There were eight Vice Sect Leaders in Red Cliff Sect, but the Sect Leader highly favored Yue Hongzhe, awarded him great rit, and overshadowed the other Vice Sect Leaders with his formidable influence. He had even promised to entrust him with an important role after taking down the 'Candle Dragon Nest'.
He was just an ordinary disciple; how could he not be afraid?
Yue Hongzhe gestured for him to leave, but as the disciple took five steps away, he opened his eyes again and said coldly:
"Wait."
The disciple stopped in his tracks, his body trembling as he turned around and saluted:
"Disciple is here."
Yue Hongzhe looked the disciple up and down, noting his pale face, and said coldly:
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