Chapter 460 : Xie Jianyu’s Dark Past (5)
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.
Xie Jianyu, unbound by heavenly constraints, danced amidst the swirling clouds. His movements, as graceful as a soaring phoenix, mirrored the music’s ebb and flow.
Winter Frost’s gleaming blade flashed like shooting stars, its dance fierce and precise at times, then impossibly gentle, mimicking the caress of moonlight on snow.
The scene expanded outward. Celestial lanterns, like miniature stars, drifted through the air, casting an ethereal glow on the assembled deities. Laughter, light and musical, mingled with the music, creating a symphony of joy. From unseen kitchens, aromas of celestial delicacies teased the senses, promising a feast worthy of the gods.
Oblivious to the spectacle around him. His world shrunk to the rhythm of the music, the weight of the sword in his hand, and the silent stories woven into his every move.
He was no different from a celestial brushstroke, painting a fleeting masterpiece against the backdrop of the heavens, a testament to both the beauty and power that resided within the unseen realm.
Once the music’s final notes dissolved into the celestial air, so ended his marvelous performance. The banquet hall erupted in a thunderous applause that shook the very clouds, echoing through the palace grounds. Xie Jianyu, breathless and drenched in the afterglow of his dance, stepped off the platform.
Just as he was about to head to the palace to change out of his dance costume, a series of quick footsteps resounded behind him. It was Head Eunuch Wang, who was busy chasing after him.