That alone was enough to stir trouble but the old man wasn't finished.
"As such…" he continued, his voice growing weaker, "the Pavilion demands that you compensate for the damages… or obtain an official certification from them, granting you the right to practice legitimate healing within the Golden Lotus Empire."
By the time he finished, his back was already damp with cold sweat.
Silence fell.
The old man shut his eyes tightly, his body stiffening as if turned to stone.
His breathing became shallow, almost nonexistent, as he stood there waiting… no, bracing for what would come next.
In his mind, countless possibilities flashed by, none of them good.
He had seen powerful figures lose their lives over far less.
And the man standing before him… was not someone ordinary.
The mere fact that flying boats had begun arriving one after another for him was enough to prove that.
The crowd, too, seemed to realize the gravity of the situation.
