Every year on the day of the Winter Solstice Celebration, the Snow Upon The Branch Pavilion shimmered like a ruby ember against the velvet expanse of the celestial night.
Draped in auspicious crimson and gold, its ethereal tendrils pulsed with the rhythm of the heavens. At its heart, a cloud platform soared, granting an unobstructed view of the full moon, a luminous pearl hanging in the sapphire tapestry above.
From this elevated stage, Xie Jianyu surveyed the assembled throng. Gods of all stripes, deities draped in celestial silks, and their ethereal attendants formed a vibrant sea around him. Though his celestial vision was keen, faces remained blurred, a kaleidoscope of awe and anticipation. It was perhaps for the best, for clear recognition might steal his focus from the task at hand.
The first notes of the zither, like wisps of fragrant incense, spiraled through the air. Each melody, expertly plucked by unseen fingers, whispered tales of celestial journeys and battles won.
