Gu Mang's disciples all showed fear and alarm. The way they looked at Chen Zhu now held disdain, disgust, and even a measure of malicious delight.
Someone immediately said in a low voice, "Master abandoned us and Celestial Xia brought us here. It must be because she angered Celestial Xia that day and was entered into the inspection covenant. We were implicated because of her."
The disciples all felt this explanation made sense, and their gazes toward Chen Zhu became even more loathsome and resentful. Yet among the hundred or so people, not one showed her any sympathy.
Although Gu Mang had taken many disciples, he did not regard them as people to whom he imparted the Dao. He merely treated them as slaves he could command at will.
Under such circumstances, there was naturally no teacher-disciple or fellow-disciples' affection to speak of. Having lived in such an environment for so long, these disciples had each become skilled at currying favor and heaping praise upon others, while also liking to attach themselves to the powerful. In truth, they had been driven to it by necessity.
Without someone to cling to, or without skill in fawning flattery, one simply could not survive within the sect. Chen Zhu was an example. Her aptitude was among the finest of her fellow disciples, yet precisely because she refused to attach herself to anyone and would not engage in flattering sycophancy, she had been pushed out that day to serve as bait to lure Celestial Xia into taking action.
Chen Zhu's face turned deathly pale in an instant. She too believed that this was why they had come for her, but she had no strength to resist. Silent, she followed the Daoist out.
Yet once they saw them leave, the remaining disciples became restless and