Deep in Wanshan Ridge.
In a hidden valley sat an utterly ordinary mountain village.
In a courtyard in the village, several people were passing around the Martial Promotion Decree.
If Luo Jinsong were here, he would definitely recognize these people.
Because this was the base of Star Moon Sect's Tianquan Star Hall.
The four people in front of them were Cui Kai, hall master of Tianquan Star Hall; Deng Maoqi, the adviser; Ding Xuan, from the accounting office; and Kou Rong, the patrol inspector.
Back then, it had been Kou Rong who brought Gu Yunjian sneaking into Chongshan Pass, intending to get rid of Luo Jinsong, that traitor. Unfortunately, Gu Yunjian's strength had fallen short, and Yang Zhengshan had stabbed him to death with a single spear thrust.
Did the Martial Promotion Decree affect Star Moon Sect's Seven Star Hall?
Of course it did!
And the effect was huge.
Star Moon Sect's Seven Star Hall had originally belonged to the gray-zone powers within Da Rong.
Their main purpose was amassing wealth. They won over bandits, local tyrants, village gentry, and wealthy merchants as their tools for making money—blocking roads to collect tolls, opening brothels and forcing decent women into prostitution, running gambling dens and lending at usurious rates, and so on.
Though their methods could not be called utterly ruthless, no one knew how many common people had been harmed by them.
Once they accepted the Martial Temple's supervision, they would no longer be able to do these wicked things in the future, nor would they be able to continue sending silver to the main hall.
Moreover, in recent years, they had also suffered suppression from the Imperial Court, and the pressure they faced was even harsher than the Nanshan Sect's.
Because the ones suppressing them were the Ministry of