Xiao Jie lay quietly in the darkness, the pain enveloping him relentlessly. Yet, even in such agony, it brought him unprecedented comfort. Compared to the terrifying torture of daylight, it felt almost like being in Heaven.
Two lifetimes as an ordinary man, he had never endured such suffering or hardship.
He couldn’t even fathom how he managed to hold on.
Though he survived the first day, could he continue to endure the coming ones?
Xiao Jie never considered himself a so-called tough guy. This day’s perseverance was sustained merely by his desire to become an Immortal and the determination to resurrect his companions.
If such interrogation continues indefinitely, Xiao Jie feels he will eventually collapse.
Once he opens his mouth, it’s game over.
No, there is still hope! Xiao Jie whispered to himself. Based on his understanding of the game, the system would never play him to death in this manner.
The game designers wouldn’t design an impossible task. Though the Taixu Illusion Realm is a method of the Immortals, it is ultimately part of the game, so it must follow game rules.
Therefore, if he can endure for a certain period, a turning point will surely appear.
The only question is—how long must he endure?
A solution must be found...
On the second day, the brutal interrogation arrived as expected.
The whip tore open the scabs from the previous day’s wounds, and the hot iron once again seared sensitive nerves. Amidst boundless pain, Xiao Jie’s consciousness operated with startling clarity.
He was thinking, pondering over the key to breaking the situation.
A thought suddenly flashed through his mind like lightning: Clearly, forcing a hand seal could end the ordeal, why do these guards insist on his "admission"?
He suddenly realized! This trial was not merely about torturing him to death but was an extreme tempering of his temperament by the system! Its purpose wasn’t to kill him for the sake of killing. If the system truly wanted to obliterate him, it could simply conjure a peerless master to strike him into dust with a single blow. Why go through such elaborate procedures?
Since this Taixu Illusion Realm is a "device" used by immortals for leisure and entertainment, its core logic must be "service"—or rather, guided by the experiencer’s "will"! To enable the experiencer to achieve a certain goal. Find the newest release on NoveI(F)ire.net
In other words, as long as Xiao Jie himself refuses to give up, clenching his teeth and relentlessly persevering, theoretically, he can continue to survive! Unless... he chooses to give up.
Though it’s just a conjecture, a feeling, his years of gaming experience make him nearly certain this is the case.
The fundamental purpose of these guards’ tortures is to crush his will, forcing him to "give up"!
"Whip!" Another strike lashed out like a poisoned blade, ruthlessly tearing the flesh on his back, and blood gushed out instantly.
"Sizzle..." The red-hot iron branded his scarred shoulder again, filling the air with a scorching smell.
Initially, Xiao Jie only bit down hard, mustering all his strength to endure. It’s false! All false! He yelled in his heart that this is merely a game! The real him is comfortably sitting in front of a computer, unscathed!
Yet, the pain repeatedly assaulted his nerves like tidal waves.
He continued to repeat this phrase, and amidst extreme pain, his thoughts gradually became erratic, his mind blank. Even so, he kept repeating this phrase.
False—it’s all false.
In this constant repetition and enduring, a bizarre sensation emerged unexpectedly. That piercing, heart-wrenching pain seemed to gradually dissociate from "him" personally. He felt as if he was a detached observer, hovering above the cell, watching the guards torture a bloodied and mangled body named "Xiao Jie" below.
For a brief moment, he even felt an impulse to sneer.
What is going on? He questioned uncertainly within, clearly feeling every bit of pain, yet it seemed as though the pain fell upon someone else? Instantly, he forgot to "scream" and was plunged into this eerie, transcendent state of "stupor".
"Whip!" Another whip lashed brutally. The guard noticed the prisoner stopped screaming again and thought he had fainted from the pain. Grabbing a ladle of cold water to splash him awake, Xiao Jie unexpectedly snapped his head up.
His cold eyes, half-smiling, half-glaring at him.
The guard felt a shiver run down his spine, and then his fury surged.
"Still daring to stare at me" he grabbed a branding iron from the furnace beside him and pressed it against Xiao Jie’s chest.
Based on his past experiences, anyone subjected to this would surely scream out in agony, yet Xiao Jie merely watched him indifferently, his expression serene like that of an observer...
The guard felt a strong sense of dread, but immediately showed an even fiercer expression.
A tough guy, huh, resilient, huh, let’s see how long you can hold out, increased torment met Xiao Jie.
Late at night, Xiao Jie was thrown back into the ordinary cell, like a shredded ragdoll lying on the cold, damp ground. His body was scarcely intact, wounds ghastly and horrifying, deep enough to reveal bones, blood mixed with grime congealing into scabs. Only those bright eyes in the darkness proved that this "corpse" was still alive and... frighteningly lucid.
(So that’s how it is, it all makes sense now.)