"I succeeded! Sister, I succeeded!" Haimier jumped excitedly a couple of times, loosening her stiff neck.
Ao Zihua quickly called out, "Hehehe, little sister, good sister, hurry over and help Brother undo these shackles."
Haimier said "Oh" and busied herself to help him.
Haimianyi was displeased, "Mi'er! Are you siding with outsiders? I'm your sister! Come help me first!"
Ao Zihua said with a chuckle, "Good sister, don't listen to her, help me first."
Haimianyi fumed, "Help me first!"
"Help me undo."
"Help me first!"
"Help me undo... help me first! ...Help me undo... help me first!"
The two were locked in a stalemate, Haimier was being called back and forth, her head spinning, "Sigh! Alright, alright, stop arguing, one at a time."
"Clang." While speaking, Haimier had already freed Ao Zihua from the chains.
Haimianyi stomped her foot in anger, glaring at Haimier, who pretended not to see her.
Haimianyi said, "Aren't you coming over?"
Ao Zihua's expression suddenly changed, and he quickly whispered, "Quick, quick! The madman is back! Sister, to your positions!"
Seeing Ao Zihua quickly lean against a pillar and wrap the chains around his hands himself, Haimier followed suit. Haimianyi thought he was bluffing and was disdainful, but the next moment, the madman truly returned.
Seeing the madman holding a strange black herb in his hand, he scanned the surroundings, "You didn't play any tricks, did you? Don't try anything, or you'll regret it."
With that, he began to fiddle with the herb...
After a while, he had concocted two bowls of dark, murky poison. Just smelling it released a foul, peculiar odor.
The madman carefully picked up a bowl and brought it to the four of them, "Who wants to go first? This is a rare treasure."
As he approached, the four of them felt a stinging sensation in their eyes. Haimier immediately closed her eyes, presenting herself as ready to be slaughtered.
Haimianyi scorned her, "No guts."
Ao Zihua, accustomed to it, said, "I'll go first."
Ming Zhitian glanced at him. The madman brought the poison to Ming Zhitian's face, "Heh, do you want it?"
Ming Zhitian shook his head. The madman snorted, "You don't know quality. I'll give it to Zihua first."
Saying that, Ao Zihua offered no resistance, and under the madman's feeding, he drank down the large bowl of dark poison in one gulp!
The madman laughed to the sky, "Good, very good, Zihua, this is your last dose. Afterwards, you will become the strongest 'medicine person' in the history of this madman! Aren't you honored? Hahaha..."
Ao Zihua coughed twice, his face turning visibly paler. His current appearance was eerily similar to a corpse, indistinguishable.
The madman then brought over the second bowl of dark poison, and suddenly let out a sinister laugh, "Hehehe... it's your turn, my rare genius 'medicine person'..."
As the bowl was brought to Ming Zhitian's mouth, he felt a wave of nausea and gagged, "I... I don't want it! I won't drink it!"
Seeing this, Haimianyi also dry-heaved. Her face was contorted with disgust, and she wanted to cover her mouth and nose, but her hands were shackled, leaving her helpless.
The madman grabbed Ming Zhitian's chin, forced his mouth open, and violently poured the poison in, drop by drop.
Afterward, Ming Zhitian coughed... it was too bitter, too astringent, too foul. He couldn't imagine what sort of ghastly concoction it was.
The madman put down the empty bowl and looked at Haimianyi and the other girl with a smile, "Don't worry, I'll go prepare the medicine now. Just wait, alright."
Haimianyi's heart ached with a desire to skin this mad old man, break his bones, and then roast his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and stomach over a bonfire for forty-nine days. Only then would she feel appeased.
After the madman left, Haimianyi quickly called out, "Mi'er, quick! Untie me!"
Haimier said "Oh" and busied herself to free her from the chains.