91: Chapter 91: Official Seclusion

"No time? Yang Bai, do you know what you've missed?"

Hearing Yang Bai's response, Huai Li was taken aback for a moment, her expression gradually turning cold as she said in a deep voice.

Yang Bai pressed his palms together and said sincerely, "I'm sorry, Ma'am, but I really don't have the time; I truly cannot get away. Once I'm done with this busy period, I will definitely bring gifts and come over to apologize in person."

Veins bulged on Huai Li's hand, and just as she was about to flare up, Zhou Zheli, who had been watching the show, walked over and grabbed her wrist.

"Huai Li, your brother was just calling for you. You should go over there quickly."

Zhou Zheli said earnestly, while simultaneously giving Yang Bai a look, signaling him to leave quickly. Zhou Qingyu also walked over quickly, grabbed Yang Bai's arm, and led him out.

Once the two reached the other side of the banquet hall.

Zhou Qingyu breathed a sigh of relief and said awkwardly, "Yang Bai, I'm sorry. My mommy is a bit overbearing, but she actually likes you quite a bit. Plus, she reviewed your combat footage and thinks very highly of you."

Yang Bai shook his head and said lightly, "I'm not angry. People who are stricter with others are often the ones who care about them the most."

"You also know that I'm an orphan. Auntie Huai Li's reprimands actually gave me a long-lost feeling of having family."

Seeing that Yang Bai was not upset, Zhou Qingyu opened her handbag, took out a small blue card, and handed it to Yang Bai.

Zhou Qingyu smiled and said, "Breaking through to the first rank requires many materials. Although you received quite a few rewards from the [God War Tournament], that's not enough. There are 250,000 star coins in here; buy more [Divine Source Crystal Essence]."

Looking at the bank card Zhou Qingyu handed over, Yang Bai suddenly had the urge to slap himself twice. Such a beautiful, kind-hearted, gentle, and virtuous girl—how could he have been so ruthless back then?

Yang Bai was stunned for a moment, then returned the bank card, "Qingyu, I appreciate your kindness, but I'm not short on money. Ten days ago, I already took out a loan of 300,000 star coins from your father. I'm currently starting a business, and the income is quite considerable."

"You're actually starting a business? Really?"

Zhou Qingyu covered her small mouth, disbelievingly, "What kind of work are you doing? Do you need investment? I have plenty of money; being a major shareholder wouldn't be bad."

"Haha, well, it seems I don't need investment for the time being."

Yang Bai still had a yellow wanted notice hanging over his head; this was definitely not the time to look for partners.

Just as the two were chatting, Gu Sichao walked over, accompanied by a girl wearing a blue evening gown.

"You two are having a pleasant chat. Would you mind if I joined in?" Gu Sichao said politely.

Happy times always pass quickly. In the blink of an eye, this wealthy banquet came to an end.

The three young masters of the Gu Family, along with a little princess, stood at the entrance, bidding farewell to the guests one by one.

Zhou Qingyu was dragged out of the banquet hall by her ear by Huai Li.

Before leaving, Zhou Zheli patted Yang Bai's shoulder and smiled, "Next time you come to pay taxes, just make an appointment with me in advance. The fewer people who know about this stuff, the better."

Yang Bai responded with a smile, "Uncle, what are you talking about? This is just personal income tax on artwork."

Smart people see through things without exposing them.

Zhou Zheli didn't say anything more, simply turning around and leaving behind the silhouette of a gang boss.

Yang Bai watched Zhou Zheli leave, then stood in place, waiting for something.

"Yang Bai!"

Gu Sichao's voice came from behind. Yang Bai turned around, and a gift box wrapped in silk ribbons flew toward his face with a whistling sound.

Yang Bai reached out his hand, used soft force to neutralize the momentum, and caught the gift box steadily.

"The item is yours now; make good use of it."

Gu Sichao waved his hand, draped his arm around the shoulder of the girl in the blue evening gown, and walked off to the side.

Yang Bai opened the gift box. A crystal heart glowing with a dark blue light lay inside. Just by glancing at it twice, Yang Bai felt his mind drift, and at the same time, he could feel the terrifying sensation of suffocating in the deep sea.

"So this is the third-rank [Divine Remains Material], the heart of the [Phantom Demon Great Thief]."

Yang Bai sighed with emotion, then placed it into his subspace bracelet.

Leaving the banquet hall, Yang Bai took the keys from the valet, stepped on the gas, and quickly drove away from the club.

After driving for half an hour, Yang Bai arrived at the entrance of a secluded and high-end residential complex. After showing his pass, the guard quickly let Yang Bai into the complex.

Ever since Yang Bai was able to explore the Star Sea, he had moved out of the dorms at Linchuan No. 4 Middle School and bought a small villa in this high-end complex to serve as his own little base.

Parking the [Guofeng Jiaolong] in the basement, Yang Bai took the elevator up into the villa, casually messed up his hair that was caked with hair gel, and took off his white suit and diamond watch, tossing them onto the sofa.

Arriving in the bathroom, he turned on the shower head, and feeling the warm water slide over his body, Yang Bai let out a breath of relief, feeling comfortable.

After washing up, Yang Bai changed into pajamas and went to the villa's cultivation room.

Yang Bai sat cross-legged in meditation, sank his consciousness into his spiritual sea, and entered the Baiyujing Divine Domain.

On the square of White Jade Capital.

Yang Bai, in his true form as a deity, flew in mid-air, with 100 Cultivators standing below.

After the replenishment of massive resources and nearly a year of cultivation, the strength of this group of Cultivators had all leveled up, reaching the level of Foundation Establishment for everyone.

The strongest among them, Chen Jianfeng, Zhou Yanlie, and Chu Gehang, had even touched the threshold of the third level of Foundation Establishment.

Yang Bai radiated a faint divine aura, his expression serious, causing the Cultivators below to whisper among themselves.

"Everyone, I will be entering seclusion for a period of time. When my seclusion ends, more Human Cultivators will ascend to White Jade Capital, and we will face even stronger enemies together."

"Seekers of the Dao, I hope that in the coming years, you will cultivate diligently, strive to improve yourselves, and then create the glory of our Human Cultivators!!!"

Yang Bai said loudly.

Hearing that Yang Bai was going into seclusion to cultivate, the Cultivators below were also stunned. In their view, ascending to immortality was already the pinnacle for a cultivator.

Yet, Lord Immortal Monarch, who was at the pinnacle of human Cultivators, could actually still go into seclusion to break through.

"Lord Immortal Monarch, please rest assured. With us here at White Jade Capital, there will be absolutely no problems."

"Lord Immortal Monarch, please cultivate in peace; don't worry about us."

"The Human Cultivators are expanding; wouldn't that make me an elder of White Jade Capital? Oh no, I need to cultivate quickly."

"New people are coming; I can't fall behind."

...

The Cultivators laughed and shouted, expressing their determination to Yang Bai one after another.

After giving his instructions, Yang Bai flew to the top cultivation room of the [Ten Thousand Immortals Tower]. He lit a stick of Concentration Incense, chugged a liter of Enlightenment Tea, and then took out a palm-sized [Divine Source Crystal Essence].

Yang Bai sat cross-legged, formed a seal with his hands, and muttered to himself, "White Jade transforms into great freedom of heaven, my heart holds the divine, dancing freely in the void, moving as the heart desires..."