Time passed.
In the blink of an eye, Xie Shen had spent nearly three years inside this prison called "The Tower."
As a Nascent Soul stage cultivator who had been reborn, Xie Shen considered himself quite patient.
During these three years, he had been searching for an opportunity almost every moment, all for the sake of escaping to the outside of "The Tower."
However, not to mention "The Tower," he hadn't even been able to leave the current alloy room he was in.
The reason was simple.
Throughout the entire time Xie Shen had been imprisoned, there had been no variables or changes within "The Tower."
There were no prisoner riots.
No outsiders came for visits.
Not even the management personnel of "The Tower" had made contact with Xie Shen or Deng Bin.
The door of the alloy room hadn't been opened once in these three years.
It was an utterly hopeless situation...
Besides looking for chances to escape, Xie Shen had also managed to extract some useful information from Deng Bin through various indirect inquiries.
First, it could be confirmed that this was indeed Earth.
In other words, after crossing over to the cultivation world, Xie Shen had returned to Earth due to the "Resurrection Art."
Xie Shen had crossed over in 2025 AD.
When he was 26 years old.
According to Deng Bin's account: Humans on Earth discovered the incantation known as the "Resurrection Art" in 2030 AD.
Initially, this art was only controlled by governments of various countries, used solely to resurrect great historical figures and scientists who had made monumental achievements.
As a result, human technology underwent leaps in development during those years.
But soon, the "Resurrection Art" began to be abused.
First, it was important figures in business and politics, then the middle class in society... until insurance companies launched "resurrection insurance" policies, promising users who purchased this insurance that they would be resurrected after death. That was when the entire world began to descend into chaos.
From then on, Earth's population began to increase at an unbelievable rate... by 2133 AD, it had approached the staggering mark of 50 billion.
The rising population led to wars, famines, and riots gradually sweeping across the world.
To end this chaos, the leaders of various countries gathered and signed the famous "33 Convention" at the end of 2133 AD.
This convention stipulated that no one was allowed to have offspring anymore; reproduction was considered illegal.
Violators could even face the death penalty.
Additionally.
Once a person died, they had to wait 50 years before being resurrected by the "Resurrection Art."
This way, the ever-increasing population on Earth was finally somewhat contained.
According to Deng Bin, he had died due to an accident shortly after the "33 Convention" was signed.
So, according to the newly revised laws, he could not be resurrected immediately after death.
Thus, an unknown number of years passed.
When Deng Bin finally waited to be resurrected by the "Resurrection Art," he found himself inexplicably inside this prison called "The Tower."
As for what happened to humanity after the "33 Convention" was signed, and exactly how many years had passed in between, Deng Bin no longer knew.
He had only heard in the prison that some people had been there for over two thousand years.
In other words, this prison called "The Tower" had existed for at least over two thousand years...
...
Inside the room.
As usual.
Seeing the value on the electronic display gradually increase from [56%] to [90%], Deng Bin finally stopped tormenting Xie Shen.
"That's about enough."
Exhausted, Deng Bin slumped to the floor.
He looked at the half-dead Xie Shen with an expression of envy and said, "Seriously, bro, your ability to not feel pain is really something."
"Normally, people like you who are tortured here in 'The Tower' have to suffer unbearable agony almost every day."
"But 'death' is a luxury for those being tortured."
"After all, people in 'The Tower' are constantly resurrected; they can't even wish for death, never finding peace."
"But you're different."
Deng Bin found a comfortable position, leaning against the wall half-lying down.
He continued, "I have to torture you like this every day, tired like a dog, yet you're completely fine."
"Sigh..."
At this point, Deng Bin couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
His tone carried a hint of weariness: "Bro, I'm a bit worn out. I'm going to sleep for a while."
He added as an afterthought, "Same as always: if the number on that screen drops to [50%] and I haven't woken up yet, be sure to call me."
"Don't worry," said Xie Shen, restrained against the wall by the mechanical arm. "You sleep; I'll keep an eye on that screen for you."
"Good bro!"
Perhaps he really was tired.
Hearing Xie Shen's response, Deng Bin lay down on the floor at ease, closed his eyes, and soon fell into a deep sleep...
About three hours passed like this.
Xie Shen, tortured until his entire body was covered in wounds, finally couldn't hold on any longer due to his severe injuries.
His vision went dark, and he lost consciousness completely.
Not long after Xie Shen died, an electronic synthesized voice suddenly rang out in the room:
[Resurrectee, surname: Xie, born at 1:13 AM, February 23, 1999.]
Immediately after, the geometric pattern on the floor began to emit a faint glow, and a black silhouette appeared above it.
The black silhouette transformed from intangible to solid, gradually taking the form of Xie Shen.
Inside the room.
The resurrected Xie Shen scanned his surroundings, first glancing at Deng Bin in the corner.
Confirming the other was still in a deep sleep, he then looked up at the mechanical arm on the ceiling.
Through his observations over these three years, Xie Shen had gradually discerned a pattern:
As the one being tortured, every time he died and was resurrected, he would be restrained against the wall again by the mechanical arm.
However, this process took time.
The mechanical arm wasn't very fast.
During this period, there was a gap of about one or two minutes where Xie Shen could move freely.
—And this was the only opportunity he could currently exploit.
Before the mechanical arm could react, Xie Shen swiftly pressed his fingers against various major acupoints all over his body.
Under the stimulation of the finger-pressing method, the skin on his body began to writhe in an eerie rhythm, and red mist continuously seeped out.
—This finger-pressing method was a secret art Xie Shen had obtained from an enemy's hands by chance after crossing over to the cultivation world.
The art was called "Blood-Burning Art."
By stimulating acupoints throughout the body, the practitioner could burn their internal qi and blood, gaining extremely powerful explosive force in a short period.
Because this art required burning qi and blood, red mist would continuously seep from the practitioner's body.
At this very moment.
Under the enhancement of the "Blood-Burning Art," Xie Shen felt as if his entire body was filled with inexhaustible strength.
He looked toward the room's exit and vanished from his spot in an instant.
The next moment, a metallic crashing sound echoed through the room... the alloy-made door was shattered into pieces by Xie Shen's single punch.