78: The ultimate illusion! The Emperor of Man, after a century of depravity, finally reached annihilation in 'happiness'!

Facing Su Ke Ke's finger pointed at Gu Yanci.

That slender hand, declaring "purification."

In the eyes of the newborn Xi Xi, divine fire erupted.

The ring of wrathful divinity surrounding her.

Transformed into a golden-red spear of light piercing through heaven and earth.

She was about to unleash her first attack after becoming a god!

However, Su Ke Ke's movements.

Were faster than her anger, and more bizarre.

No destructive rays shot from her fingertips.

Instead, her fingertip trembled slightly.

A drop of liquid, pure to the extreme.

As if it had condensed all the happiness in the world, golden in color.

Silently slipped from her fingertip.

It had no speed, yet it traversed space.

It had no temperature, yet it contained the warmest sunlight.

This drop of the essence of "joy," before Xi Xi's spear of wrath arrived.

Gently, irresistibly, landed on Gu Yanci's brow.

Om—

There was no explosion, no impact.

Gu Yanci's body, which had been lifeless, suddenly trembled.

The grotesque wound on his chest stopped dissipating energy.

All the pain, unwillingness, and resolve on his face.

Were instantly replaced by an incomparable peace and profound contentment.

A smile of genuine happiness slowly bloomed at the corner of his mouth.

He seemed not to be heading towards death.

But rather, after a thoroughly exhilarating battle.

Had sunk into the sweetest, most peaceful slumber.

Xi Xi's attack came to an abrupt halt.

She stared at this scene in astonishment.

Completely unable to comprehend what had happened.

The others in the Joint Squad felt a chill run through their bodies.

This bizarre change.

Was even more terrifying than direct annihilation.

Only Gu Jianghan in the Sea of Concepts.

Curled his lips into a truly appreciative arc.

So that's it... For a 9th-tier powerhouse, physical destruction.

Is not the end; the divine soul still exists.

Therefore, what she chose was not 'annihilation,' but 'imprisonment.'

Using the most perfect happiness, to forge an unbreakable tomb for his divine soul... [Illusion of Joy]

Gu Yanci's consciousness awakened from endless darkness.

He felt no physical pain.

Instead.

There was an unprecedented sense of completeness and power, controlling everything.

His divine soul perfectly integrated with the laws of heaven and earth.

His will was the will of the universe.

He knew this was the power of the 10th-tier.

"Ding! Congratulations, Last Human Emperor - Gu Yanci, you have successfully cleared all seven emotion dungeons, the Humanity God Lord's laws are complete, and the power of the 10th-tier 'Humanity God Lord' has been enhanced!"

The cold system prompt, at this moment, sounded like heavenly music.

He opened his eyes.

Before him was no longer a collapsing square.

But a vast blue sky.

He stood atop a skyscraper, looking down.

New cities rose from the ground.

Bustling with traffic, teeming with people.

Countless vibrant humans thrived within them.

This was... Blue Star!

His homeland, which should have been destroyed and empty!

He had succeeded.

He had not only saved himself.

But also, with supreme power, reversed causality and rebuilt human civilization!

His lifelong regrets and obsessions.

Were perfectly compensated at this moment.

"Yanci."

Two familiar, gentle voices sounded from behind him.

Gu Yanci turned and saw Ye Liuli and Ling Xi.

The Shadow Empress had shed her coldness.

On her beautiful face, there was a hint of shyness shown only to him.

The Stargazing Goddess had laid down all her burdens.

Her clear eyes were filled with unreserved adoration and love.

"You did it," Ye Liuli said softly, "You saved everyone, and you saved us."

"From now on, we will always be with you, watching this new world you created."

Ling Xi stepped forward and naturally tidied his collar, her eyes full of affection.

Supreme power, homeland reborn, civilization revived, beauties in his arms... Everything he sought, regretted, and desired in his life was fulfilled at this moment.

Gu Yanci stared blankly.

Looking at this perfectly unreal scene before him.

Slowly, slowly reached out his hand, wanting to embrace all of it... In the real world.

Su Ke Ke looked at Gu Yanci's face.

That deepening smile of happiness, and nodded in satisfaction.

Like a mother watching her mischievous child finally fall asleep peacefully.

She turned her head, looking back at the stagnant anger of Xi Xi.

Her voice was still gentle, but with an undeniable tone of command:

"See, Mom helped you isolate the biggest 'virus.' Now, it's your turn, my child."

"Will you choose to obediently return to the 'purification chamber,' or... will Mom have to personally extract all that dirty 'anger' that doesn't belong to you?"

... [Illusion of Joy - A Hundred Years]

Time within the illusion.

Flowed rapidly, enveloped by happiness.

The first decade.

Gu Yanci, with the power of the Humanity God Lord, protected the nascent human civilization.

The first infants born in the ruins let out their loud cries.

He personally held one of them in his arms.

That soft touch and pure life force.

Made him feel an unprecedented sense of fulfillment.

Ye Liuli and Ling Xi bore him children.

The warmth of family and the joy of being a father.

Completely filled all the voids in his heart that had been left by battles.

The first century.

Under his guidance, Blue Star civilization reached an unprecedented peak of prosperity.

Technology and cultivation advanced side by side.

Humanity's footsteps began to reach for the stars and the sea.

He was revered as "Holy Father," a living totem, the ultimate destination of faith for all humanity.

At every celebration, when he stood at the pinnacle of the holy temple.

Receiving the heartfelt, fervent adoration and cheers of billions of people.

That supreme sense of glory as a "savior" almost completely intoxicated him.

A thousand years passed in a blink of an eye.

At this moment, he was no longer the constantly warring Human Emperor.

But a benevolent father and devoted husband enjoying his twilight years.

He, Ye Liuli, and Ling Xi lived in semi-retirement on a beautiful, serene planet.

Watching their descendants spread throughout the universe, and the human path flourish.

Each day, he played chess and savored tea with his wives, taught his grandchildren to cultivate, and enjoyed an eternal, tranquil family bliss.

He had no more regrets, no more pursuits; he possessed everything and achieved everything.

His divine soul, in this sea of ultimate happiness.

Was soaked warm and soft, all its edges and sharpness quietly worn smooth... In the Sea of Concepts.

Gu Jianghan's gaze penetrated the boundary between reality and illusion.

Silently observing this "Hero in Twilight" scene.

What he saw was not a specific image.

But the intricate threads of law behind the illusion.

Countless golden threads representing "achievement," "kinship," "love," "worship," and "satisfaction."

Emanated from the depths of Gu Yanci's divine soul.

And in turn, wrapped his divine soul tightly.

Forming a perfect, self-restricting net from within, a snare from which there was no escape.

So that's it... The essence of the power of 'joy' is not attack, but 'filling' and 'assimilation.'

In Gu Jianghan's eyes.

Flashed the light of complete understanding, seeing through everything.

It will find all the 'gaps' in your divine soul — your regrets, your desires, your obsessions... Then it will fill them in the most perfect way, allowing you to reach 'completeness.'

A complete existence, having no more gaps, naturally loses the motivation to struggle and resist.

He looked at the peaceful old man in the illusion, the smile on his lips deepening.

Su Ke Ke's method was indeed brilliant.

But the 'joy' she constructed was an ending, a full stop.

When all wishes are fulfilled, all goals achieved.

Life loses its meaning of 'moving forward,' becoming a stagnant, happy dead water... This is a more advanced and hidden 'nirvana' than the withering of 'sorrow' and the burning of 'anger.'

Extreme joy is eternal death.

As this realization settled in his heart.

Gu Jianghan slowly raised his hand.

He gazed at the "World of Joy" woven by Su Ke Ke.

Analyzing its legal structure.

Like a top programmer decompiling an opponent's code.

The next moment, a faint golden light, originating from the same source as the illusion.

Yet fundamentally different in nature.

Containing "infinite possibilities."

Silently condensed at his fingertip.

This light was no longer about closure and ending.

But open and full of creativity.

It represented the joy of pursuing a new goal.

After achieving one.

It represented the eternal pleasure of life itself, constantly exploring, constantly surpassing.

Gu Jianghan succeeded.

He not only saw through Su Ke Ke's laws.

But even "sublimated" them, extracting his own, higher-level "Path of Joy."

He playfully looked at the flickering light at his fingertip.

Then glanced at Gu Yanci, who was about to sink into the illusion.

And Xi Xi, who was outside in the square.

Preparing to perish together with Su Ke Ke.

Since I've learned how to 'construct' a cage of happiness...

He murmured softly, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.

Then, 'dismantling' it should also not be difficult.

It's just...

His gaze moved back and forth between Xi Xi and Su Ke Ke, as if weighing something.

This good show has only just entered its climax.

Wouldn't it be too boring to end it now?