Limitless Evolution: I Have Infinite Potential.

Cold sweat trickled down the Crown Prince's forehead. How had things escalated so quickly—almost to the point of bloodshed?

He deeply regretted inviting Nangong Changfeng to perform live.

What a disaster.

Under the pressure of the terrifying killing intent, Nangong Changfeng's hair stood on end, and his expression turned grim. Yet, he didn't plead for mercy. Instead, he held his head high, glaring directly at Ye Junlin.

Clearly, he wasn't going to back down.

"Venerable Ye, Master Nangong has always been this way. He speaks bluntly but means no harm," the Crown Prince said hastily, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Your Highness, I refuse to tolerate this insult!" Nangong snapped. "Even if it costs me my life, I'll say it plainly—this man doesn't understand music at all!"

"He's just a brute who knows how to fight! And he dares to call my qin skills average?!"

Nangong Changfeng jabbed a finger toward Ye Junlin, his voice sharp with fury.

"You... sigh," the Crown Prince muttered under his breath, shaking his head. He had hoped Nangong would at least die with dignity when the time came. After all, this man was hailed as the greatest musician in all of Great Zhou.

Tension crackled in the air.

Li Wujie's expression darkened as he fixed his icy gaze on Nangong Changfeng.

Meanwhile, Hong Qianye remained motionless, eyes still closed, expression as calm as ever. But the faint smirk curling at the corner of his lips betrayed his true thoughts.

Well said. I'm rooting for you. Though, your performance really was average...

Having once trained in the Central Region, Hong Qianye had witnessed far greater talents. In that environment, someone like Nangong Changfeng would barely rank mid-tier.

Ye Junlin remained seated at the head table, silent.

Just as he was about to speak, a familiar mechanical chime rang out in his mind:

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for triggering an optional task.]

[Option One: Become enraged and order the execution of Nangong Changfeng. Reward: 10 high-grade spirit crystals.]

[Option Two: Personally perform a piece on the qin and humiliate Nangong Changfeng. Reward: 10 bags of Supreme Pet Food (milk flavor).]

[Supreme Pet Food]: Boosts growth speed and cultivation for spirit beasts. The more consumed, the faster the evolution.

Ye Junlin raised an eyebrow. "A side quest now?"

Option One was simple, but the reward was far too small. Ten high-grade spirit crystals? That wasn't even enough to cover a snack. Besides, executing Nangong Changfeng over this would just make him look unhinged.

It would ruin his refined and composed image.

Option Two, however, had potential.

If he could humiliate Nangong Changfeng by playing a piece himself, he'd earn ten bags of Supreme Pet Food. That would be a game changer for his mount.

Kunpeng was already a dominant force in the early stage of the Great Ascension Realm thanks to its ancient divine beast bloodline. But with the right push, its power would evolve even faster, letting him flaunt it even more effortlessly.

With the decision made, Ye Junlin rolled up his sleeves, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "What? Just playing a tune? I've got hands, don't I?"

His voice echoed confidently through the banquet hall, leaving everyone stunned.

Nangong Changfeng's face turned red with anger.

'I've got hands'?

What arrogant nonsense!

He had trained under a master since youth, devoted thousands of years to perfecting his craft. While not claiming to be unmatched, he was without doubt one of the most revered musicians in the entire Eastern Domain.

Yet this silver-haired youth dared to imply that just having hands was enough?

Ignorant brute.

The Crown Prince frowned. That's taking it too far...

If mastering the qin were that easy, what would become of all the other musical masters?

Even among cultivators, specialties mattered. No one could excel at everything. Surely, this was Ye Junlin getting carried away.

One wrong word could be dangerous.

Nangong Changfeng might be arrogant, but he was still a respected figure. This kind of humiliation—verbal or otherwise—risked bringing disgrace to everyone involved.

"Master is right! Hands are enough!" Li Wujie suddenly announced, puffing out his chest.

He wasn't sure what he was agreeing with, but whatever his Master said, he'd follow without question.

"Hmph! If you dare, I'll lend you the Fuyao Qin!" Nangong Changfeng sneered. "Let's see what kind of world-shaking music you can produce."

He tossed the instrument forward with contempt.

"What's wrong? Getting cold feet? I knew it—you were bluffing! If you manage to play it properly, pigs will start flying! You're nothing but a musclehead who only knows how to fight!"

The Crown Prince rubbed his temples, feeling a migraine coming on. He had thought this banquet would be a calm and refined gathering. Instead, it had become a minefield of escalating egos.

He shot a worried glance at Ye Junlin, dreading the possibility of a sudden outburst.

To his surprise, Ye Junlin didn't lose his temper. Instead, he calmly said, "Alright, I'll give it a try."

"Hmph, go ahead," Nangong replied, scoffing. He was already envisioning Ye Junlin's embarrassment.

The Fuyao Qin floated gently before Ye Junlin, its strings glimmering with ethereal light. The instrument itself radiated refined energy.

Ye Junlin ran a hand lightly across it and asked inwardly, System, what's my current qin skill level?

He remembered casually signing in and receiving a musical instrument mastery pack ages ago. He hadn't really thought about it since.

> [Ding! Host's qin mastery is currently at Peak Perfection.]

Skill levels: Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Mastery, and Peak Perfection.

Nangong Changfeng, after dedicating his life to the craft, had only reached the Intermediate level. Yet even that earned him fame and admiration throughout Cangzhou.

Now, Ye Junlin had unknowingly reached the pinnacle—and no one saw it coming.

"Quit stalling!" Nangong snapped. "If you're going to embarrass yourself, hurry up!"

"Shut up. Master's just getting a feel for the strings!" Li Wujie shot back without hesitation.

The Crown Prince covered his face, feeling secondhand embarrassment already.

He didn't dare imagine how awful this was about to sound.

But Ye Junlin paid them no mind. He pressed down on the strings with his left hand, plucking them with his right, fingers moving with relaxed confidence.

Zheng, zheng, zheng~!

The first notes echoed across the hall—clear, resounding, and sharp as lightning.

The melody surged with vitality, each note saturated with an overwhelming sense of power and intent.

It wasn't just music—it was a declaration. Bold and resolute, filled with pride and absolute dominance.

Swish!

Hong Qianye's eyes suddenly opened. Shock flashed in his usually calm gaze.

"This... this is..."

Zheng, zheng, zheng~!

Ye Junlin's presence expanded as he played, each note building in momentum, his aura merging seamlessly with the rhythm.

The piece he performed was something from his past life—a composition called Authority Over All.

It wasn't a melody designed to soothe the heart. It was one meant to conquer it.