Zhu Feng's expression turned solemn when she heard that Zhang Yu had sent a letter. She no longer rebuked those disciples, merely waving her sleeve and saying, "You may withdraw first."
The disciples felt instantly released from a burden. Letting out long sighs of relief, they exited the hall and followed the corridor outside the palace walls back toward their residences.
One female disciple, still puzzled, stepped forward a few paces and whispered to the charming female disciple, "Senior Sister Ling, who was that Guardian Zhang just now? Even when Guardian Mei came before, Teacher was never this solemn."
Senior Sister Ling cast her a sidelong glance before saying, "This Guardian Zhang became a Guardian of Rectitude before Teacher did. I hear he has repeatedly distinguished himself in battle..."
She looked around and lowered her voice. "I heard that in one unexpected encounter, Teacher was only able to repel the foreign enemy smoothly with this Guardian Zhang's help. That was how she later became a Guardian of Rectitude."
The female disciple came to a realization. "So that was it." She took the chance to flatter her. "Senior Sister Ling really knows so much." At the same time, she turned her mind into the Heaven-Training Dao Canon, only to discover there was no record whatsoever of this Guardian Zhang. Her eyes shifted, and she asked, "Senior Sister Ling, does this Guardian Zhang have any disciples?"
Senior Sister Ling looked at her suspiciously. "Why are you asking that?"
The female disciple hurriedly said, "Senior Sister, think about it. We are all disciples under the Guardians of Rectitude Palace, and Teacher has received a favor from that Guardian Zhang, so she must repay it, mustn't she? As disciples, we should share some of Teacher's burden. If we happen to encounter Guardian Zhang's disciples,