On Du Zhixiao's corpse, an Immortal Gu gradually materialized on his chest.
This Immortal Gu resembled something crafted from crystal, shaped like a flea, the size of a fist, curled into a ball. It made no sound, perfectly silent.
"Is this Immortal Gu the reason Du Zhixiao, an ordinary mortal, was able to influence the tribulation?" Li Xiaobai cleaned up the battlefield and naturally discovered this Immortal Gu.
To activate an Immortal Gu, Immortal Essence was typically required. However, there were exceptions that operated outside this constraint.
"It seems this wondrous Immortal Gu can be activated even by mortals," Su Qihan said.
"This Immortal Gu is extremely rare. Let me look it up." Su Shangshu's expression shifted when he saw the Immortal Gu, and he immediately activated his information-path methods.
The Huawen Grotto-Heaven was an information-path grotto-heaven that had always focused on the search and accumulation of information. Though the Huawen Grotto-Heaven lived in seclusion, it had never been bold enough to close itself off from the world, maintaining close ties with the outside at all times.
Su Shangshu was also a high-ranking court minister with extensive authority, able to access many of the court's hidden secrets.
Soon, he obtained the result: "This Immortal Gu is actually the Heaven's Jealousy Immortal Gu!"
"Heaven's Jealousy Immortal Gu?" It was Su Qihan's first time hearing of it.
Su Shangshu explained in detail: "The Heaven's Jealousy Immortal Gu is a Heavenly Dao Gu Insect. Similar ones include the Heaven's Wrath Immortal Gu and Heaven's Sorrow Immortal Gu. These Heavenly Dao Immortal Gu cannot be activated even by Ninth Transformation Gu Masters."
"Father, that information must be wrong. We just witnessed Du Zhixiao activating this Immortal Gu and using it against Brother Li," Su Qihan immediately retorted.
Su Shangshu shook his head. "I haven't finished. Heavenly Dao Immortal Gu like the Heaven's Jealousy type are special — they can resonate with the emotion of jealousy and activate on their own. But the cost is immense, requiring the Gu cultivator's lifespan to be depleted. That is precisely why Du Zhixiao aged from a young man to middle-aged, and from middle-aged to elderly."
Su Qihan was stunned. She couldn't help but think of "The Legends of the Human Ancestor," and said: "I recall there's a similar record in 'The Legends of the Human Ancestor.' Does that mean the Li Liang Gu and Zhi Hui Gu are also Heavenly Dao Gu Insects?"
Su Shangshu gave a faint, bitter smile. "That I cannot confirm, even though it is written so in 'The Legends of the Human Ancestor.' But Heavenly Dao Gu Insects cannot be utilized by Gu cultivators. The most famous example is the Destiny Gu. You yourselves witnessed the Battle of Destiny."
Su Qihan pouted, displeased, and thought to herself: "I originally thought this Immortal Gu would be of great use to my Li Lang. Who would have thought it was a Heavenly Dao Immortal Gu? This Gu requires the emotion of jealousy to activate on its own. But my Li Lang is open and magnanimous, a remarkable man of this world — how could he ever feel such an emotion? Moreover, the cost of triggering the Heaven's Jealousy Immortal Gu is far too great, consuming far too much lifespan!"
Su Shangshu noticed his daughter's disappointment and smiled before saying to Li Xiaobai: "Xiaobai, this Heaven's Jealousy Immortal Gu is yours. What you do with it is your decision. However, if you turn this Gu over to the court, according to our dynasty's laws, you will receive a certain compensation."
Su Qihan's eyes immediately lit up.
Li Xiaobai pondered: "Could it be exchanged for an information-path Immortal Gu?"
Su Shangshu looked troubled. "Well, that..."
Su Qihan quickly grabbed Su Shangshu's sleeve and pleaded coquettishly: "Father! Our Heaven's Jealousy Immortal Gu is as high as the Seventh Transformation. We'll take the loss — just exchange it for a Sixth Transformation information-path Immortal Gu."
Su Shangshu lightly tapped his daughter's forehead and scolded with a smile: "You girl, you underestimate the entire court. Do you think those Gu Immortals are that foolish? Even a Heavenly Dao Immortal Gu as high as the Eighth Transformation has very little practical value — far less than a Sixth Transformation information-path Immortal Gu."
Su Qihan wasn't willing to give up for the sake of her beloved: "Father! You are the current Grand Minister, after all."
Su Shangshu sighed. Who told Su Qihan to be his beloved daughter?
"I'll think of a way and try my best to negotiate for Xiaobai," he could only say.
Su Qihan beamed with joy and continued to press: "Father, I believe you can definitely succeed!"
Su Shangshu smiled bitterly: "Little girl, you've never had this much faith in your father before."
Li Xiaobai remained calm throughout, thinking: "My father-in-law has many political rivals. Going through his channel to seek Immortal Gu rewards from the court will likely invite considerable obstruction, and the chances of success aren't high. Even if it ultimately succeeds, my father-in-law would inevitably lose a great deal of political capital — not the move of a wise man."
With this thought, Li Xiaobai spoke: "Father-in-law, Qihan, I think I shouldn't rush to turn it in. Why don't I first list this Heaven's Jealousy Immortal Gu for sale in the Treasury Yellow Heaven and see if anyone is interested in purchasing it?"
Su Shangshu nodded. "That is also a way. But Xiaobai, don't get your hopes up too high. Although Heavenly Dao Immortal Gu are rare, the fact that no one can directly use them is well known. Who would trade an Immortal Gu that can actually be used for a useless Heavenly Dao Immortal Gu?"
Su Qihan sighed. "That makes sense."
Li Xiaobai nodded. "I just want to give it a try."
Su Shangshu gave one final word of caution: "Know when to stop. Listing an Immortal Gu in the Treasury Yellow Heaven comes with fees."
Li Xiaobai's expression suddenly shifted in surprise: "Someone wants to buy the Heaven's Jealousy Immortal Gu!"
"What?" Su Shangshu was astonished.
Su Qihan cried out in delighted surprise: "What price are they offering?"
Li Xiaobai could barely contain his excitement: "I've already completed the trade. They actually offered a Seventh Transformation Poetry Wall Immortal Gu — I simply couldn't refuse those terms."
When Li Xiaobai ascended to Immortal, he hadn't had surplus Heavenly and Earthly Qi to upgrade his Life Gu to an Immortal Gu. A major reason was the Heaven's Jealousy Immortal Gu.
Li Xiaobai was also not of the Ten Extreme Physiques, and the blessed land he obtained was only a superior-grade blessed land.
But through this transaction, Li Xiaobai acquired his first Immortal Gu, and it was even at the Seventh Transformation level.
Su Shangshu stared at the Poetry Wall Immortal Gu in Li Xiaobai's hand with wide, disbelieving eyes: "Someone actually wants to buy a Heavenly Dao Gu? And they're trading an information-path Immortal Gu of equal transformation level? What kind of fool would do that?"
The "fool" Su Shangshu spoke of was none other than Fang Yuan.
Li Xiaobai's situation had always been under Fang Yuan's attention and observation. Although Du Zhixiao and the Heaven's Jealousy Immortal Gu were beyond Fang Yuan's expectations, and Fang Yuan had never intended to interfere too much with Li Xiaobai's development, a single Immortal Gu was truly of immense importance to Li Xiaobai.