Amid the crowd's united cheers, the Yueyang Tower Mid-Autumn Literary Gathering officially began.
Fang Yun surveyed everyone before him, raised a cup of wine, and smiled as he used Tongue Blossoms Thunder. "A bright moon rises over the sea; though at the ends of the earth, we share this moment! Within Sacred Origin and beyond, past and present converge tonight. This first cup honors the heavens of the Myriad Worlds, which nurture all living beings."
As he spoke, Fang Yun flicked his cup upward. Under the influence of Literary Qi, the wine turned into droplets that rose in an even spread, their shimmering light like a sky full of stars floating above the gathering.
Everyone present who had a wine cup gently raised it before lowering it again. Those without cups cupped their hands in a gesture of respect.
"May this radiance illuminate those to come, who follow in their ancestors' footsteps. For ten thousand years, may they receive Heaven's blessings! That we can stand before Yueyang Tower rather than in Demon Barbarian prisons is thanks to the sages and worthies, to all our forefathers. This second cup honors the worthy predecessors of every age, who opened heaven and earth!" This time, Fang Yun poured the wine onto the ground, forming a clear horizontal line.
Once again, the crowd either raised their cups or cupped their hands.
The four lines Fang Yun recited were the final four lines of "Continuing Martial Virtue" in the Book of Songs. The poem praised the former kings of the Zhou Dynasty. These four lines meant that their glory and achievements shone upon later generations, who should follow and emulate their ancestors' words and deeds, ensuring that their foundations stood firm for ten thousand years and received Heaven's blessings.
By using them here, Fang Yun