Huo Hai slowly walked to the door, the two youngsters following close behind. As he emerged, the people outside began to surround them. These people had the swagger of street thugs; one glance was enough to tell they were no good.
"Look, those thugs are trying to bully someone again. Honestly, now the apothecary's in trouble. If they scare him away, what are we supposed to do?" In the year since Huo Hai had arrived, pain and suffering in the town had decreased considerably. Many who fell ill or suffered injuries no longer had to grit their teeth and endure it. His medicines were cheap and effective.
Besides, Huo Hai was the only person in the entire town who knew how to compound medicines, with perhaps Lin Ying as an exception. The other physicians knew, at most, how to use a few common medicinal herbs. Compounding medicines was beyond them.
"Don't talk nonsense. The apothecary must be very powerful. These petty thugs are no match for him."
Someone immediately objected, "What if the apothecary can't beat them? Are we just going to stand here and watch? I don't care. If he turns out to be no match for them, I'm going to help. Without him, I might have lost the use of this arm when I was injured." A burly man glared angrily at the person who had just spoken.
"Exactly! We only have one apothecary here. If he leaves, the other towns will probably laugh us to death." The people around them argued back and forth, growing increasingly chaotic.
While they were discussing this, Huo Hai stepped outside. "What do you want? Why have you surrounded my home?" His voice was icy, and the force of his presence made the thugs involuntarily retreat a step.
He was a Spirit