Not the eyes
The fire was real because Hao Xuan had said it was. The pain was real because it had to be. How else would it make any sense?
Hao Xuan watched the silver warrior scream until his lungs gave out. And just when it was about to be too much he took away the pain with a single thought.
"Stand," he decreed and the Silver Warrior's body obeyed.
He was pulled up to his feet like a puppet while his simple mind tried to comprehend what form of hell he had just been put through.
"Follow."
Hao Xuan turned around and walked back up the stairs.
"Open the cells, all of them."
The silver warrior got to work while Hao Xuan continued on his way towards the exit. But when he was about to pass through the stone doors a barrier sprung up and blocked his path.