Xu Shengnan smiled and introduced,
"Three days ago, we captured Han San, and in just these three days, we have completely gained control over him."
She spoke as if introducing a prized work of art, her tone filled with pride.
Yan Shouyi understood that Xu Shengnan was a disciple brought out by Hu Chai, who also took pleasure in tormenting others.
To test Han San's obedience, Hu Chai deliberately walked up to him and forcefully twisted his head, forcing him to look at Yan Shouyi.
"Heh heh, Han San, do you recognize who this is?"
Han San stared at Yan Shouyi, his eyes still vacant.
Yan Shouyi's lips moved, wanting to remind Han San, but if Han San didn't even recognize him, what use would a reminder be?
In the end, Han San shook his head blankly, "No... recognition..."
The inhuman torture had nearly rendered Han San's soul incomplete. The pain forced him to bury his reason and memories deep within his consciousness. What controlled him now was merely his subconscious.
Many ordinary people, when subjected to immense trauma, would hide their primary personality and develop a secondary personality to endure the suffering, but their ultimate fate was often schizophrenia.
Hu Chai seemed unconvinced by Han San's answer. He continued to support Han San's head and said with a smile,
"This is your good brother, Yan Shouyi! But he's now Chairman Yan of the Folklore Research Association. He's like me. We just poisoned your fellow disciples. In seven days, their guts will rot, and they will die in terror!"
However, Han San still showed no reaction.
Xu Shengnan seemed to have anticipated this. After all, Han San had watched his junior disciples being killed without any reaction; what reaction could be expected now?
"Well trained!"
Hu Chai praised Xu Shengnan a few times, then suddenly stuffed a sharp little knife into Han San's hand.
Yan Shouyi couldn't help but frown, wondering what evil deed Hu Chai intended to order Han San to perform next.
Then, Hu Chai brought over a lounge chair, lay down on it, and beckoned to Han San, "Come, shave me."
Han San silently walked over to Hu Chai, holding the little knife with his blood-stained hand, trembling, and carefully shaved Hu Chai's chin.
Anyone witnessing this scene would hold their breath.
If Han San still possessed even a shred of consciousness, this would be the perfect moment to kill Hu Chai and avenge himself!
All he needed to do was move the knife down a tiny bit and apply a slight pressure...
But Han San made no move. He was like a tormented puppy, obediently shaving the stubble from Hu Chai's chin.
Xu Shengnan, holding the chain, watched quietly from the side.
Yan Shouyi closed his eyes.
Bastard...
Sooner or later, I will tear you, Hu Chai, limb from limb!
He took a deep breath, reopened his eyes, and said to Hu Chai, "Let's not delay, let's begin."
Hu Chai took back the knife and began to shave himself, while with his other hand, he took out a small blue porcelain bottle from his pocket.
"Extend your hand," he commanded.
Han San immediately extended his hand.
Hu Chai poured a poison into Han San's palm. He ordered Han San to eat the poison, and Han San unhesitatingly put it into his mouth and swallowed, seeming even eager.
He was in too much pain. If this was poison, he wished he could have taken it sooner, so he could die sooner and find release...
But Han San's wish was not granted. The poison was indeed poison, but it was a slow-acting one. It did not take Han San's life immediately; instead, it began to torment his body.
Han San's mouth began to twitch. The pain made him slowly kneel on the ground, and finally, he fell to his side, arching his back like a shrimp!
Large beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. The intense pain finally made Han San unable to bear it, and he let out a shrill cry!
"Ah—"
Hu Chai put down the knife and smiled at Old Jin, "The first round has begun. Time it for one stick of incense."
Within the time it took for one stick of incense to burn, either Old Jin would successfully save Han San, or... Han San would die!
As if in a race, Old Jin rushed to Han San's side to examine his condition.
But Han San, in too much pain, was not cooperating with Old Jin. He kept rolling on the ground.
Seeing this, Yan Shouyi called Chang Shan to help hold down Han San's limbs, while Yan Shouyi leaned close to Han San's ear and whispered,
"Han Gouwang! It's Yan Shouyi! Don't be afraid, we will save you, we will definitely save you...!"
Old Jin was finally able to examine Han San's condition.
Ancient medicine diagnoses patients by observing, listening, questioning, and palpating, requiring a relatively complex procedure.
But at this moment, this procedure clearly could not be completed. Every second that passed meant Han San was one step closer to the King of Hell.
So, Old Jin could only rely on his lifelong knowledge to diagnose Han San's condition as quickly as possible.
He tightly held Han San's head and noticed that Han San's face had turned dark.
There were many reasons for facial darkening, but the most common was liver and kidney poisoning. After forming a preliminary diagnosis, Old Jin quickly grasped Han San's pulse and felt it carefully, confirming his suspicion.
Han San's liver and kidneys were poisoned!
Old Jin's mind worked like a high-speed computer, recalling all sorts of poisoning methods from the Hanshang Sect, quickly filtering out irrelevant poisons, and finally locking onto one specific potent substance.
Liver and Intestine Rupture Powder, a highly toxic concoction made from cocklebur seeds, castor beans, tung seeds, dragon's blood plant, Trichosanthes kirilowii, centipedes, viper venom, viper, kudzu root...
Just as Hu Chai had said, if Han San did not take the antidote within the time of one stick of incense, he would surely die!
And to counter Liver and Intestine Rupture Powder, the inheritance of the Qihuang School of Ancient Medicine had precisely the antidote!
Rehmannia glutinosa, Chinese yam, Cornus officinalis, Angelica sinensis, Lycium barbarum, Cuscuta chinensis, Eucommia ulmoides, Spatholobus suberectus, Polygonum multiflorum, Epimedium, Morus alba, Paeonia lactiflora, Donkey-hide gelatin, Dimocarpus longan, Achyranthes bidentata, Viscum album – a total of seventeen types of medicinal herbs, refined into Seventeen-Ingredient Rehmannia Pills, which were perfect for neutralizing Liver and Intestine Rupture Powder!
What made Old Jin even more excited was that he had once refined Seventeen-Ingredient Rehmannia Pills for Yan Shouyi!
"Old Yan, is your Eastern King Gourd still there? Bring three Seventeen-Ingredient Rehmannia Pills!" Old Jin shouted.
Yan Shouyi immediately took out the Eastern King Gourd from his satchel and retrieved the fresh Seventeen-Ingredient Rehmannia Pills stored within.
Without any wasted words, Old Jin directly put the antidote into Han San's mouth.
With the antidote down, Old Jin breathed a sigh of relief.
He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and watched Han San's complexion gradually improve.
Meanwhile, Hu Chai's expression turned increasingly grim.
"The poison is gone?" Long Feicheng asked, surprised and pleased. He had expected the detoxification process to be lengthy, but the poison was resolved in less than a minute.
Old Jin sat on the ground and said with a proud tone,
"One may know how to make poison but not how to detoxify it, but one who knows how to detoxify will certainly know how to make poison! The Qihuang School of Ancient Medicine embraces all knowledge. There are no difficult illnesses in this world that we cannot overcome!"