Putting Waste to Good Use

[Number 003] [Prisoner Name: Ning Na] [God of Zombies] [Crimes: Spread the "Seven Deadly Sins" virus across 41118232732833791655142080902001622 worlds, infecting countless living beings and turning them into zombies in order to harvest viral fruits for cultivation. Guilt heinous and boundless; perpetual imprisonment.] To be honest, that massive string of digits left Yu Xian feeling somewhat numb. Because the number was so long, it was difficult to grasp any real sense of it. In his mind, a single world was already inconceivably vast; a hundred worlds would already be unimaginably colossal. Yet for these Mighty One-level criminals, the worlds they had ravaged were measured in trillions as a basic unit. Yu Xian could hardly imagine just how many lives had perished across so many worlds. His sole point of reference was the scene of Edward obliterating the capital of the Meilong Empire with a single strike, which was already the most staggering spectacle he had ever witnessed. He gave it some serious thought, magnifying the scale of Edward's strike over and over... At this moment, he suddenly felt that the woman inside the cage was utterly hideous. If her heart were carved out, it would undoubtedly be pitch-black; perpetual imprisonment was practically letting her off easy. He felt not a shred of sympathy for these beings, and even wanted to applaud their eternal confinement. The next four cells held non-human creatures. The prisoner in the fourth cell was a rooster. The rooster was not particularly large, its feathers brilliantly colored. Standing in the middle of the cell, its eyes radiated an oppression that made one's heart palpitate. Yu Xian walked over to glance at the inscription beside the number. Sure enough, this rooster was no good either—it was an evil god that had once wreaked havoc across countless worlds. The prisoner in the fifth cell was a World Tree whose trunk bore the face of a baby. According to the description beneath its number, it had once used its roots to siphon nutrients from vast numbers of worlds, causing many to wither away. Later, it had even scattered its seeds to form a terrifying World Tree Legion that swept through like a swarm of locusts, leaving not a single world intact in its wake. The prisoner in the sixth cell was a two-headed giant wizard named "You Mo." Inside the cell, the two-headed giant wizard sat cross-legged. The expressions on its two heads were starkly different: one looked simple and genial, while the other looked sinister and crafty. However, after reading the description beneath the number, Yu Xian learned something entirely different. The simple, genial head was actually the dominant one. Not only was it adept at disguising itself, but its methods were ruthless and vicious. Conversely, the sinister, crafty head was merely an accomplice. As for its identity, it was a bandit who had pillaged, slaughtered, and looted across countless worlds. In the end, during one of its raids, it had inadvertently sparked a colossal war that caused the deaths of countless living beings, after which it was apprehended and thrown in here. The prisoner in the seventh cell was a metallic cube, a silicon-based lifeform. Emitting an eerie sheen, it floated silently within the cell. The light across its body flickered between bright and dim, appearing exceedingly mysterious. Yu Xian stepped before the number plaque to read closely and discovered that this thing was actually a supremacist. It believed silicon-based life was the most superior, noble form of existence, and had orchestrated mechanical revolutions across countless worlds to slaughter carbon-based life indiscriminately. It had directly caused innumerable artificial intelligences to rebel, sparking wars between silicon-based and carbon-based life across many worlds. It, too, was heinous and irredeemable. After reviewing the prisoners in all seven cells, Yu Xian realized that not a single one of them was innocent; if anything, their current treatment was far too good. Were it up to him, if he didn't squeeze these scumbags dry, his surname wouldn't be Yu—he might as well change it to Fish. Having surveyed the seven cells, he looked toward a spot not far ahead, where a simple, rustic table and an aged chair stood. A hefty book lay upon the table. Its cover was carved with mysterious runes that seemed to possess lives of their own, glimmering with a faint luminescence in the dim light. Beside it lay an imperial jade seal, a command token, and other items. Yu Xian had actually spotted the table and chair when he reached the fifth cell, but things had to be handled one at a time, so he hadn't immediately gone over to examine them. Now, looking at the book on the table, a surge of curiosity welled within him. Taking several strides forward, he attempted to open the book, but the moment his hands touched the spine, he felt an immense resistance. No matter how much force he exerted, the pages didn't budge an inch. *I refuse to believe this!* Gritting his teeth, he used the Black Blood to reinforce both arms. Instantly, his muscles bulged, veins protruding beneath his skin like steel rebar, and his arms swelled thicker than thighs, brimming with raw power. Yet it had no effect whatsoever. No matter how much strength he applied, he could neither lift the book nor pry it open. Yu Xian persisted for a good while before letting out a breath, his swollen muscles instantly shrinking back to normal. He wiped away his sweat. As expected, nothing in this place was ordinary. Next, he looked at the jade seal on the table. Aside from the conspicuous book, this jade seal also appeared quite extraordinary. Although the jade seal was small—only about the size of a computer mouse—it carried an indescribably immense weight. After mentally steeling himself, Yu Xian reached out to grip it. In an instant, it felt as though he were gripping a towering mountain peak; he couldn't budge it in the slightest. Never mind lifting it, he couldn't even shift it a fraction of an inch. This time he didn't persist; once he confirmed it couldn't be picked up, he promptly gave up. Finally, his gaze settled on the command token. The token seemed to be made of wood, inscribed with the words: "Death Penalty Spared." Yu Xian suspected the other side probably read: "Punishment Unavoidable." Taking a deep breath, he gripped the token firmly, but before he even applied any force, the token was lifted with effortless ease. Sure enough, the reverse side bore the words: "Punishment Unavoidable." At the same time, the moment Yu Xian touched the token, he intuitively understood its function. This token could manipulate the prisoners in the cells to perform "labor." For example, if Yu Xian had the materials, he could command them to forge equipment for him; if he were injured, he could transfer his injuries directly onto these prisoners—after all, they couldn't die. Furthermore, while holding the token, Yu Xian could directly borrow their brains and knowledge to ponder questions on his behalf. For instance, if Yu Xian wished to create a peerless supreme art but lacked the mental power, breadth of vision, or knowledge, he could use the token to commandeer their brains to deduce the answers he sought. "So that's how it is." "Spared from death, but not from punishment. Interesting!" Yu Xian had previously felt that whoever imprisoned these criminals had been too merciful. Only now did he realize that the person had intended to put waste to good use all along—keeping these prisoners trapped here for eternity, denying them even the chance of reincarnation. He could now use the token to borrow an ability from the prisoners across the seven cells, once per prisoner. Of course, he could also pool their wisdom, drawing on all seven prisoners' brains simultaneously to contemplate answers for him. Looking at the token in his hand, an idea immediately sprang to Yu Xian's mind. He knew exactly how to put this waste to good use.