The next morning, Old Jack set off with Tang San. They walked for half a day, stopping along the way for a simple meal of dry rations. By afternoon, the distant city walls had come into view.
Although Nuoding City was not a particularly large city, its walls were solidly built because it lay close to the border of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Like the other travelers passing through, Tang San and Old Jack underwent an inspection before entering Nuoding City and making their way to its central square.
The already bustling central square of Nuoding City was now packed with a dense sea of people, making it even more crowded.
At the edges of the square stood two rows of armored soldiers holding weapons and maintaining order. Every sword and saber in their hands gleamed coldly.
A long black table stood in the square, surrounded by six black chairs, all of which were still empty.
Four or five meters from the table stood several rows of black benches, with quite a few people already seated on them.
With considerable difficulty, Old Jack led Tang San slowly through the crowd from its outermost edge, then sat down with him on a bench in the fourth row.
"Look! The city lord, the heads of Nuoding City's four great families, and the dean of Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy have all come together!"
"Where?"
"It's true! Who would have thought even the heads of the four great families of Nuoding City-Zhou, Wu, Zheng, and Wang-would attend this little meeting?"
Shortly after Tang San and Old Jack took their seats, an elderly man behind them who looked about Old Jack's age cried out in surprise. The people beside him immediately began clamoring, all talking at once.
Old Jack and Tang San followed the