Limitless Evolution: I Have Infinite Potential.

"What's going on here?"

"Did I do something?"

"From start to finish, all I did was play a few melodies. I haven't even seen a single ghost!"

"So where did this talk about me defeating a ghost army come from?"

Ye Junlin raised an eyebrow, jokingly, "Tongzi, are you malfunctioning?"

[Ding! The ghost army invading Great Zhou was wiped out by the tune played by the host. This system is highly professional, so please don't question its judgment! If you keep doubting, I'll cry for real—waaah waaah~]

The system's voice rang out crisply in his mind.

Ye Junlin's expression shifted in realization. "So that's what happened."

At that moment, he felt a strange transformation occur within him—he had acquired an extremely rare Immortal-grade Five Elements Spiritual Root.

With this kind of spiritual root, manipulating elemental techniques would come as naturally as breathing. The power released would be devastating.

Take the Five Extremes Reincarnation Destruction Technique, for example. If he continued to use it, its lethality would be magnified to an unimaginable degree.

One strike, and it would be like invoking a natural disaster.

"What an incredible sound! Master, that was amazing!" Bai Xiaoxi was the first to break the silence, cheering excitedly.

Ye Junlin gave a dry cough and replied nonchalantly, "I told you, as long as you have hands, you can play."

Swish—

The zither shimmered, floating back in front of Nangong Changfeng.

At that moment, Nangong Changfeng began to tremble all over. Tears of regret streamed from his reddened eyes. He muttered, "What a divine composition… utterly breathtaking!"

It felt as though his entire soul had been cleansed. His mind was clearer than ever, his spirit elevated beyond measure.

Compared to that heavenly performance, his own so-called skills were simply laughable.

He had foolishly thought of himself as a master—someone worthy of admiration—when in truth, he was merely a frog at the bottom of a well.

"The senior is right. My playing really is mediocre," he murmured, overwhelmed with shame. "How ridiculous that I ever assumed he lacked musical knowledge. I deserve every bit of this embarrassment!"

Overcome with guilt, Nangong Changfeng dropped to his knees, hugging his cherished ancient zither and sobbing uncontrollably.

The sorrow in his cries filled the hall.

"Nangong Master…" the Crown Prince was stunned.

"No! I don't deserve the title 'Master'! The true Master is the senior. I'm just a clown—a complete joke!" Nangong Changfeng cried out, his voice hoarse with humiliation.

[Ding! Congratulations, host. You've completed the optional task and earned ten bags of top-grade pet feed!]

The system's cheerful voice echoed in Ye Junlin's mind, confirming the reward.

"Ye—Ye Virtual Immortal, what should we do with him?" The Crown Prince asked cautiously, fully aware that Ye Junlin was now a Tribulation Stage powerhouse.

Ye Junlin waved his hand casually. "Let him go."

He had already made his point; there was no need to pursue it further.

The Crown Prince looked on in admiration. Cupping his hands respectfully, he said, "Ye Virtual Immortal's magnanimity is admirable!"

Turning to the dazed Nangong Changfeng, he sighed and commanded, "Someone, escort Master Nangong out."

Two guards entered, weapons at their sides, and quickly carried the weeping musician away.

Li Wujie snorted. "That old fool got lucky! If not for Master's mercy, I would've sliced him up myself!"

Then he turned to Ye Junlin, his face glowing with excitement. "Master, your melody helped me break through to Great Ascension!"

"Mm," Ye Junlin nodded.

His gaze flickered toward Hong Qianye and lingered for a moment. Sensing that Hong Qianye had reached peak Great Ascension, Ye Junlin was slightly surprised.

"People who've become Immortals really are different," he thought. "He's already on the verge of entering the Tribulation Stage."

Hong Qianye kept a calm expression, but inside, his emotions churned wildly.

He hadn't expected Ye Junlin to wield such power—that a single piece of music could accelerate his cultivation by thousands of years.

Is this the power of someone blessed by immense fortune?

Terrifying.

But then another thought crossed his mind.

Wait... isn't this a good thing?

I can use him to recover my strength faster!

A surge of confidence returned, and he vowed silently, "Ye Junlin, just wait. I'll surpass you soon enough."

"A guy like you—lazy, carefree, and undeserving of such fortune—won't stay ahead of me for long. The humiliation you've caused me... I'll repay double!"

In his mind, Hong Qianye began to imagine all sorts of methods to get back at Ye Junlin—making him wash his feet and drink the water, then thank him for it afterward...

Just thinking about it sent a shiver of delight down his spine. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly in anticipation.

Swish!

Suddenly, a figure clad in dragon robes appeared in the hall, exuding the unmistakable aura of a Tribulation Stage cultivator.

"Father! You broke through!" The Crown Prince exclaimed joyfully.

With a true Virtual Immortal now ruling the empire, Great Zhou's status in Cangzhou would rise significantly. Their overwhelming national luck made the Emperor nearly unbeatable among his peers.

But to everyone's shock, the Great Zhou Emperor didn't speak. Instead, he turned to the silver-haired youth seated in the main hall, dropped to his knees, and bowed deeply.

"With all my heart, I thank Ye Virtual Immortal on behalf of the people of Great Zhou for bestowing a divine melody that blessed all living beings!"

The Crown Prince was stunned.

A monarch, a Tribulation Stage expert… kneeling?

Then just how powerful was this member of the Xuantian Sect?

"Rise. Breaking through to the Tribulation Stage is your own accomplishment," Ye Junlin replied calmly.

The Great Zhou Emperor stood, his tone respectful. "Ye Virtual Immortal must be joking. Without your divine music raising the fortune of Great Zhou, I would never have broken through."

Before, he had reached the peak of Great Ascension. Though he held some reservations about Ye Junlin, he'd believed that with the support of national destiny, he could still assert control.

After all, this was Great Zhou—his home turf, not some remote wasteland.

But now, having glimpsed the Dao within Ye Junlin's melody, the Emperor realized just how naive he had been.

What he had seen before was merely the tip of the iceberg.

The difference in strength wasn't something national luck could bridge.

Understanding this, the Great Zhou Emperor immediately humbled himself. The façade of royalty meant nothing now.

Better to seize the chance and hold tightly to this connection.

Ye Junlin gave a faint nod. "So you really are grateful."

"Yes. As long as it's within our ability, Great Zhou will cooperate with anything Ye Virtual Immortal asks," the Emperor pledged solemnly.

"Good. Then take me to the Ancestor Tomb."

"At once. This way, please. I'll personally guide you."

The Crown Prince: "…"

—

At the Ancestor Tomb

The tomb was the most sacred and heavily guarded location in the entire imperial palace—the final resting place of Great Zhou's past rulers.

With a wave of his hand, the Emperor lifted the restrictions protecting the area and led Ye Junlin and the others inside.

A powerful ancient aura permeated the air, the space vast and solemn.

"Besides the burial items that might attract tomb raiders, the rest of the tomb is rather ordinary," the Emperor said. "I still don't understand why someone would target this place… or why they'd mobilize the ghost clan to occupy it."

"This era really is full of strange events," Li Wujie added, clicking his tongue.

The group continued until they reached the end of the passage.

Ye Junlin frowned, seeing nothing of interest.

Looks like this was a waste of time.

He turned to leave—but just then, Hong Qianye narrowed his eyes and made a subtle gesture, casting a spell forward.

Boom!

A grinding sound echoed through the air.

Slowly, a grand and ancient Star Gate emerged from the void, shrouded in mystery.

"Huh?!" The Great Zhou Emperor was stunned. "What is this…?"

He was completely caught off guard.

Why would such a structure exist in the Ancestor Tomb? Even as Emperor, he'd never heard of it.

Ye Junlin turned to Hong Qianye, who looked just as surprised.

"Wow! This gate looks incredible!" Bai Xiaoxi said, eyes wide as she skipped around the gate. She reached out to touch it, but her hand passed straight through—it was like an illusion.

But Ye Junlin knew it was no illusion. The gate existed—it just hadn't fully manifested yet.

Activating it would require a cost.

"Great Zhou Emperor, how long has this dynasty existed?" Ye Junlin asked.

The Emperor straightened. "In answer to Ye Virtual Immortal, our Great Zhou has stood for one hundred and twenty thousand years."

In the cultivation world, any sect or dynasty lasting more than a million years qualified as an Undying Dao Tradition. That required an unbroken chain of Great Ascension cultivators holding the line. Once broken, their status would fall.

And now, with the Emperor at the Tribulation Stage, he was the only Virtual Immortal ruler among Cangzhou's major dynasties.

"Were there any nations here before Great Zhou?" Ye Junlin asked again.

The Emperor paused, then answered honestly. "According to existing records, dozens—though most are lost to history."

In the endless span of time, a hundred-thousand-year-old empire like Great Zhou was just a blip.

Ye Junlin narrowed his eyes.

So this Star Gate must have originated from a far older civilization. Perhaps there had been records once, but over countless generations, they were buried under the weight of time.

The tomb's construction at this location had merely been coincidental.

Past rulers likely believed it was good feng shui—completely unaware of what lay beneath.

Ye Junlin turned to Hong Qianye and gave him a long look.

"Little Hong," he said with meaning, "tell your master—do you know something?"

---

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