After all, a Divine-growth Dragon Blood Demon Spirit was not something that could be obtained easily.
What brought Gu Tianlong,
The council meeting concluded.
Several hours later, the decision of the Gu Family Elder Council had spread throughout the entire clan.
Every disciple of the Gu Family was stunned. They had assumed that Gu Bei would be established as the second heir to the Gu Family. What they hadn't expected was for Gu Bei to be named the first heir — a development that caught every single Gu Family disciple completely off guard.
Some of the disciples vaguely sensed the implications, but none of them spoke up. After all, this matter was essentially a family scandal.
No one had expected the Family Head's decision to come so swiftly, and the news quickly reached the martial arts arena.
Earlier, when Gu Ya and the others had departed, Gu Heng had felt somewhat sullen but hadn't been overly concerned. He had figured that having the Family Head appoint Gu Bei as second heir was acceptable — his own position as first heir remained secure. But when he received the actual news, he could no longer maintain his composure.
The Gu Family had directly stripped him of his first heir status! And Gu Bei hadn't even established any power base in the Greater World!
What qualifications did Gu Bei have?
Gu Heng was so furious his lungs felt ready to explode. Blood rushed through his entire body, and he wanted nothing more than to go confront the Family Head. But after a long moment, reason gradually returned. It seemed the Family Head had learned about certain matters — this was a warning to him. Gu Heng seethed inside. He cast a glance toward Gu Bei in the distance. That brat was probably feeling pretty pleased with himself now.
But so what if Gu Bei had become the next Gu Lan?
Gu Heng narrowed his eyes slightly. Back then, he had helped that person bring Gu Lan down. This time, that person would surely step in to help him as well. There was absolutely no chance of Gu Bei rising to power!
Meanwhile,
"I can't believe the Family Head actually appointed me as first heir!" Gu Bei said, a mixture of surprise and puzzlement on his face. A faint smile crept across his lips, tinged with a hint of self-satisfaction. "Could it be that the old man saw that I'm a once-in-a-lifetime genius — the only man capable of saving the Gu Family?"
Hearing Gu Bei's words, Nie Li rolled his eyes. "You're overthinking it. The Family Head propping you up is secondary. No matter how talented you are, there's no reason to jump you straight to first heir. It's most likely about keeping Gu Heng in line. What Gu Heng did to your sister back then — the Family Head probably found out about it long ago. But since Gu Heng was the only person in the Gu Family with a Divine-growth Dragon Blood Demon Spirit, the Family Head couldn't easily move against him. Now that you've risen and become the second person in the family to possess a Divine-growth Dragon Blood Demon Spirit, they're worried Gu Heng will pull the same tricks he used against your sister before. That's why they're using this method to give Gu Heng a warning — to make him think twice!"
Gu Bei chuckled. "Gu Heng deserves it! Losing the first heir position should keep him miserable for a while!"
Gu Lan looked at Gu Bei and said, "Gu Heng may have lost his position as first heir, but he still commands deep influence in the Greater World. You haven't built up any power base there. When the time truly comes to pass on the Family Head's seat, Gu Heng will still be first in line — because the position can't be given to someone with no foundations whatsoever!"
Gu Lan was cautioning Gu Bei not to let his guard down simply because he had obtained the first heir title.
"I understand, Sister," Gu Bei nodded. Although they now had some leverage to compete with Gu Heng, their foundations were still far too shallow. Only by building up his own power in the Greater World would he truly secure his footing.
In Gu Bei's heart, a sense of urgency was building!
Nie Li, Ning'er, and
Gu Heng watched Nie Li and the others leave, his gaze fixed on Nie Li's retreating back. His expression was dark and gloomy. That brat Nie Li had refused a toast only to drink a forfeit — from early on, he had been running around with Gu Bei and Gu Lan. Gu Heng couldn't deal with Gu Bei and Gu Lan just yet, but dealing with Nie Li shouldn't be a problem at all.
Gu Heng let out a cold snort. "Let's go!"
He departed with his entourage in tow.
"Nie Li, dawn is approaching. I need to go back with the sisters from the Heavenly Melody Divine Sect."
"Mm. Take care of yourself at the Heavenly Melody Divine Sect," Nie Li said with a smile, patting Ning'er on the shoulder. Although he felt his own tinge of melancholy at their parting, after having endured so many long years, he had grown to accept many things with equanimity.
Xiao Ning'er gazed at Nie Li, rose on her tiptoes, and planted a light kiss on his cheek. Her face flushed scarlet, and she turned to run — but Nie Li caught her hand and pulled her back, pressing a Space Ring into her palm. "There are some spirit stones in here, along with an Exceptional-grade growth-type Dragon Blood Demon Spirit and a few other things. Share them among yourselves!"