80: The world is fake, but love is real! The Emperor weeps blood, his heart of Taoism collapses!

Illusion of Joy.

That true memory, disguised as a “nightmare”...

It was like a red-hot branding iron...

Piercing fiercely into his warm and peaceful Soul!

The earlier familial bliss instantly faded, collapsing!

His wife’s gentle touch transformed into the cold, sticky blood of his comrades.

The joyful laughter of his children and grandchildren twisted into the violent gasps of the Joint Squad members as they neared death!

He “saw” it!

He saw that world consumed by rage.

Ye Liuli’s Eternal Night Divine Kingdom plunged into nothingness; she coughed up blood, yet still shielded him behind her.

Ling Xi’s starry eyes were dim and lifeless; she burned all her future, just to secure a sliver of hope for him!

There were no happy smiles on their faces.

Only determination, pain, and a loyalty that would last until death!

Gu Yanci awoke with a start from his dream.

His chest heaved violently.

The dazzling blood from the dream, his teammates’ resolute eyes...

And the deafening sounds of battle...

Formed an incredibly absurd contrast with the tranquil and peaceful bedroom before him.

“Husband, did you have a nightmare?”

Ye Liuli and Ling Xi, who were beside him, were startled awake.

They lovingly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

Their voices were so gentle they could melt hearts.

Looking at their flawless faces, filled only with love...

Gu Yanci suppressed the tremor in his heart.

He shook his head, attributing it to a “heart demon.”

But the sense of reality was too strong.

In the days that followed...

He began to frantically, greedily, confirm the “reality” of this world.

He embraced his wives, feeling their warm bodies and steady heartbeats.

He traveled through the kingdom he had personally rebuilt, seeing the genuine, heartfelt smiles on the faces of every citizen.

He held his already white-haired son, listening to him recount his achievements in governing the Starfield... All of this was real!

How could this touch, this warmth, this emotional connection, be fake?!

Even if it were fake, what of it?

A voice cried out in his heart.

Haven’t I fought my entire life for all of this?

I’m tired, weary of endless battles and sacrifices... What’s wrong with letting me sleep forever in this perfect dream?

He refused to believe that “nightmare” anymore.

He only wanted to protect this warmth he had loved for ten thousand years.

Until he reviewed all his experiences within this Illusion...

That “hint” subtly planted by Gu Jianghan...

Finally allowed him to find the most fatal flaw...

The one he had deliberately ignored all along.

Ten thousand years had passed.

His wives had never shown him even a trace of “disappointment.”

His children had never once been “rebellious” towards him.

His citizens had never harbored even a hint of “doubt” about him.

They always worshipped him, always adored him, always understood him unconditionally... This was not “people” at all.

These were programs set to “perfection”!

True love must be accompanied by arguments, disappointments, tears, and reconciliation.

True civilization must be filled with contradictions, conflicts, progress, and growing pains!

This flawless “love” was precisely the most damning proof of its falsehood!

When he understood this point...

Gu Yanci felt his Soul collapsing.

He staggered back a few steps, looking at everything before him.

His Dao Heart, which had long been smoothed by happiness, the Dao Heart of a Chain Breaker...

Regathered and reignited from endless pain!

He knew that the weapon to break this Illusion was not elsewhere, but within himself.

It was his will as a warrior, his belief in protecting true humanity.

Buzz—

An ancient longsword...

Carrying the blood and fire of the outside world, carrying the unyielding shouts of his comrades, appeared out of thin air before him.

That was his Human Emperor Sword.

It was his responsibility and destiny as a Chain Breaker.

It was the only path to that cruel and real world.

That longsword, forged from pure will, radiating a cold light...

Slowly emerged before him.

It represented reality, responsibility, pain, and truth.

“Husband, what’s wrong? You look terrible.”

Ye Liuli and Ling Xi noticed his abnormality.

They walked up to him, one on each side.

Their eyes were filled with worry and affection.

They reached out, wanting to smooth the wrinkles on his brow, just as they had every day for the past ten thousand years.

Gu Yanci froze in place.

Before him was the weapon that could cut through all illusions, and also the instrument of torture that could sever his ten thousand years of warmth.

Behind him were his wives, whom he had loved for ten thousand years, and who had loved him for ten thousand years.

It was his accessible, warm harbor, all he had ever sought in life.

The Illusion was fake.

But... this love...

This love he had truly felt for ten thousand years...

Was it... also fake?

He slowly, tremblingly, raised his hand.

Unsure whether to grasp the sword or embrace the people behind him.

“Husband... what’s wrong? Are you... about to cry?”

Ye Liuli looked at the tears in his eyes.

A hint of confusion and bewilderment appeared on her perfect smiling face.

Gu Yanci turned to look at her, at a loss for words.

He stood at the crossroads of fate.

On one side were his wives and children, their faces filled with worry and confusion, reaching out to him.

They represented his ten thousand years of love and belonging, the softest, warmest harbor in his heart.

On the other side was the humming Human Emperor Sword, stained with the blood of his comrades.

It represented cruel reality, an unfinished mission.

It represented that heavy, mountain-like love that protected him in despair.

Thump—

Gu Yanci clutched his head and fell to his knees.

He remembered his daughter’s first wobbly steps, stumbling into his arms.

When she called out “Father” in the sweetest voice in the world...

Was that melting warmth in his heart fake?

After his daughter grew up, she failed countless times, finally unleashing her first qualified sword qi.

That excited, flushed face, rushing over to hug his leg and act spoiled...

Ling Xi stood in the distance, her eyes full of pride and relief, handing towels to the father and daughter.

Was this joy of inheritance, this pride in watching his descendant grow, also fake?

He remembered the day his daughter married; he personally placed the veil on her.

Watching her walk towards her happy ending, he secretly wiped away tears of joy in a corner.

Was that reluctance and blessing fake?

He remembered, over these ten thousand years...

Countless nights, he gazed at the stars with Ye Liuli and Ling Xi.

They draped cloaks over him, nestled by his side, affectionately calling him husband.

Was that love and unspoken understanding, already ingrained in his bones and deep in his Soul, also fake?!

We watched our children grow up together, saw them start families and careers.

Was that parental pride also fake?

These ten thousand years of mutual support, these ten thousand years of family warmth...

Were they all fake?!

He cried.

If all of this was fake...

Then what was every single second, every single moment of love he had truly felt over these ten thousand years?

A self-deceiving joke?

No, absolutely not!

Gu Yanci’s heart cried out!

The Illusion could be fake, the world could be fake.

But the love he had given, the happiness he had felt during these years, was real!

He loved this Ye Liuli, who had borne his children and accompanied him for ten thousand years!

He loved this Ling Xi, who had cooked for him and spent her twilight years with him!

He loved these descendants who carried his blood!

To make him admit that all of this was false...

Was equivalent to making him personally deny his own existence for ten thousand years!

To personally kill the only family he had ever loved!

Gu Yanci looked at the longsword, so close, which would return him to reality if he grasped it.

His eyes streamed with endless pain and struggle.

His hand remained frozen there for a long, long time.