Jiang Yuantai still remembered that grand martial competition from years past — the one that shook the entire Totem Heavenly River.
The purpose of that tournament was to determine who held the title of the strongest prodigy.
As a result, prodigies gathered in droves, their brilliance like a sky full of stars.
Every last one of the Totem Heavenly River's most elite geniuses showed up. Not a single one was absent.
Even someone of Jiang Yuantai's caliber could only watch from the stands below; he didn't even qualify to set foot on the stage.
In the end, the one who cut through every rival and claimed the title of strongest prodigy was, by all accounts, the people's unanimous choice.
That person was none other than Long Chengyu, the young master of the Totem Dragon Clan — a hegemon-level power within the Totem Heavenly River.
From the moment Long Chengyu was born, he arrived in this world accompanied by extraordinary heavenly phenomena.
And those phenomena were so powerful that they shook the entire Totem Heavenly River — something entirely unprecedented even for the Totem Dragon Clan.
Long Chengyu's growth trajectory after that could only be described as defying the heavens at every step, as he created one legend after another within the Totem Heavenly River.
But just when Long Chengyu had the people's unanimous support and was about to claim the title of the Totem Heavenly River's strongest prodigy, a single person stepped forward.
This individual spoke with extreme arrogance, declaring that Long Chengyu had trespassed into the Immortal Sea Heavenly River and severed his elder brother's right arm.
Today, he had come for revenge.
However, out of respect for the Totem Dragon Clan, he would make things simple — he wouldn't cause too much trouble for Long Chengyu. All he wanted was to take Long Chengyu's right arm.
With those words spoken, the man ascended the combat platform.
That platform — the one that only the younger generation was permitted to set foot on.
Everyone had assumed this man was simply humbling himself. After all, Long Chengyu had just claimed the title of strongest junior with absolute dominance.
Yet against all expectations, that man actually defeated Long Chengyu and publicly severed his right arm.
Most remarkably, after publicly injuring the young master of the Totem Dragon Clan, he was able to leave completely unscathed, walking away just like that.
The incident shook the entire Totem Heavenly River.
And that man was Shao Yu, the young master of the Immortal Sea Fish Clan — Immortal Sea Shao Yu.
Jiang Yuantai had witnessed firsthand just how formidable Immortal Sea Shao Yu had been back then.
Even now, merely recalling that scene sent a jolt through his heart and made his hair stand on end.
That was the overwhelming presence of the Northern Territory's greatest prodigy.
In his presence, every other genius paled into insignificance.
So when he truly recalled the terror of Immortal Sea Shao Yu, his younger brother Jiang Kongping would indeed have an extremely difficult time catching up.
"Kongping, this is the Divine Era. Even if you aren't that transcendent prodigy, you should still have a place for yourself."
"And you know Father's current situation. We were all expelled from the Elixir Dao Immortal Sect."
"My talent is limited — no amount of effort will change that. The only one who can restore Father's pride is you."
Jiang Yuantai urged his brother.
"I know, brother."
"I know I have no chance of becoming that transcendent prodigy, and honestly, I have no interest in carving out a place for myself in the Divine Era."
"But I will make the Elixir Dao Immortal Sect understand."
"That casting us out was their mistake."
As those words left his lips, a rare look of steel resolve surfaced in Jiang Kongping's eyes.
Seeing that determination in his brother's eyes, a smile of gratified approval spread across Jiang Yuantai's face.
*Ding, ding, ding—*
But suddenly, from within the sleeve on Jiang Yuantai's right arm, a ringing sound emerged.
Startled, Jiang Yuantai hastily pulled back his sleeve. On his wrist, he wore a bracelet.
Set into the bracelet were a blue gemstone and a tarnished copper bell.
At this moment, the copper bell was ringing on its own without any wind, and as it swayed, its chime grew ever louder.
"How can this be?"
Seeing this, Jiang Yuantai's brow furrowed, and a deep look of unease crept onto his face.
"Brother, what is that thing?"
Jiang Kongping quickly pressed for an answer.
He had rarely seen such an expression on Jiang Yuantai's face.
It made him realize that this bell's ringing might be an ominous omen.
"This was given to me by Father's old friend from the Seven Realms Heavenly River — the Star-Plucking Daoist."
Jiang Yuantai said.
"The Star-Plucking Daoist? That disciple of the Spirit Realm Immortal King?"
Jiang Kongping asked.
"That's right. The very one."
Jiang Yuantai nodded.
"I've heard that man is a master of the art of prophecy. Don't tell me this is some kind of prophetic artifact?"
Jiang Kongping said, looking at the bracelet on his brother's wrist.
"It is indeed a prophetic artifact."
"Father had important matters to attend to and couldn't come here himself."
"So he asked the Star-Plucking Daoist to divine whether we would succeed this time."
"The Star-Plucking Daoist gave me this bracelet."
"He said that when the time is right, the bracelet will send me a sign."