He cannot go alone, that much is obvious - the order Elder Chu has given him provides him with the authority to commandeer and enlist his fellow Disciples for this very reason.

The issue is that he does not know who to bring - Tian Mingfei is an obvious choice, but of those he used to call companions, he has not seen hide or hair of any of them since his… demotion. Shan Guojin, at least, has an excuse in being away entirely, but that does little to soothe the sting.

Tian Mingfei assures him brightly, eyes glimmering, that it will be no issue, just to trust in her, and he doesn't really have much of a choice - so he does.

That doesn't stop him from being indignant when Kong Meiling strides onto the Cloud Boat.

"You dare…?!" he shouts, anger flaring brightly in him, strangling the words he wants to say. He thought long and hard about what he might say if he ever faced them - but the frustration and anger drowns them so swiftly, all he's left with is bitter recriminations.

Kong Meiling matches his stare with a defiant look, head held high. Unrepentant. "Zhou Cheng," she greets, bowing politely. "This one has been enlisted to assist with your errand."

He snaps over to glare at Tian Mingfei, who looks equally unrepentant. What is she playing at?!

"I would be better served by anyone else, instead of this… betrayer!"

Kong Meiling bristles slightly, but she restrains herself with the control and acting he now knows she possesses. "I did not betray you-"

"You abandoned me!" he shouts, making his voice heard over her feeble excuses, "The moment things got difficult-"

"-there is a reason, do you think I would escape unscathed if I-"

"-you just forgot all that Hei Lian and I did for you-"

"-I cannot be of any-"

A sound like thunder snaps both of them over to Tian Mingfei, who has her hands raised to clap again. "Zhou Cheng," she begins simply but firmly, "I believe we can trust Kong Meiling - if you will allow her to speak?"

He opens his mouth to retort - how can they trust someone like this? Someone who dismantled the bridge after crossing it is not worthy of trust! But... he has chosen to place his trust in Tian Mingfei. He had chosen to put his trust in Kong Meiling as well. He will listen, but he will not pretend to do so happily.

Kong Meiling takes a slow, calming breath and meets Zhou Cheng's gaze. There is as much determination there as there is in his own. It's impressive to muster it up for so wretched a reason. "Think of me as a coward, if you must, but I cannot be seen to be aiding you, Zhou Cheng. Lei Ming is content to ignore me because he believes I have abandoned you."

You have abandoned me.

"If that changes, then… I will suffer consequences. Song Ren is shielded by his Master. You are protected by your talent."

"Protected? Do I seem protected-"

"You are still in the Sect!" she counters harshly, "That is protection offered to you that would not be offered to others!"

How can he see that as protection? If he is still here, it is only because Lei Ming enjoys looking down at him!

"The only reason I can assist you now is because of the order. If it is because an Elder ordered it, then that is just the way of things and I cannot be expected to refuse." She takes another slow breath and straightens herself. "Do not think me ungrateful - but I cannot afford to suffer Lei Ming's ire."

The one who cannot afford it is paying the price even as they argue, but Zhou Cheng lets himself simmer in that thought rather than express it. He does not like it. He does not like a great many things he has been forced to accept lately - in comparison, one more bitter pill is hardly going to kill him. "I do not forgive you," he declares, trying to keep the heat from boiling over, "And I do not trust you. But if Tian Mingfei will vouch for you…"

Just one person helping them is not really enough. Zhou Cheng has never really embarked on a mission with just three people – whether it was a hunt or a quest or anything. He's used to relying on their general formation.

Shan Guojin providing defense and physical presence, Song Ren preying on moments of weakness and vulnerability, Kong Meiling providing ranged support whilst he tried to bring the firepower…

But he cannot dwell on that. "Is there no one else you could find?"

"If it is just a question of quantity, then there is no shortage of disciples. If it is a question of quality…" Tian Mingfei shrugs lightly. "Zhou Cheng, I am not saying you should forget what has been done - but if we want to build a fire, then we must all provide the firewood."

"And what firewood can she even bring?" he bites out, even though she is right there.

Kong Meiling meets his defiant gaze. "Do you think you can manage alone?"

Zhou Cheng cannot say whether he can do it alone - he knows he would rather not do it relying on someone who has already betrayed him before. Once burned twice shy was something Hei Lian had once said. He would not call himself 'shy', but he cannot help but feel that putting his trust in her again is a mistake he should've already learned.

He shoots Tian Mingfei another look, but she remains unrepentant. Is this really the best he has to rely on…?

"Fine," he bites out. There is no point in continuing to argue, and time is of the essence. "Then has Tian Mingfei already briefed you on our destination?"

"She has. The Many Coloured Desert?"

"Aye. We leave in an hour."

----------------------------------------

The journey on the Cloud Boat is nothing like the trip he remembers years ago - a memory he still clings to even now - but it is at least fast. The skies are clear, the wind is on their side (and when it isn't, he reminds it to be), and nobody says anything until they begin to approach their destination.

The Many Coloured Desert is… not the most creatively named place. Admittedly, few places really are. The Heavenly Misty Peak is close to the heavens, and misty. The Forest of Wandering Phantoms is full of ghosts and spiritual creatures. Plum Town is famous for its plums. The Many Coloured Desert is many colours.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

A small part of Zhou Cheng wonders if it is simply that whoever decides on the names of places - and surely someone must decide on a name? - is not very creative, or whether the straight forward and descriptive names are some kind of policy or choice. At the very least, one is unlikely to ever get confused.

It is, at least, a pretty sight - what they see of it as they cross from the forest to the edges of the desert at least. True to its name, the sands are a riot of colour, streaks and streams like a painter's brushstrokes blending into each other at times and remaining starkly distinct at others.

"We'll be docking soon in Dust Town," Tian Mingfei declares, and quite frankly, Zhou Cheng has never heard of a less appealing place to be in than that.

"Why are we not continuing?" he asks instead of voicing those thoughts, "It is not as though we need to rest and we will make better time in the Cloud Boat."

Kong Meiling sighs, as though this is something she has any input in. "It is too risky to proceed further by air - the sandstorms in the Desert are infamous."

"I would not lose to a sandstorm."

Tian Mingfei shakes her head. "To these you would. The Sect almost lost a whole squad ten years ago according to one of the Seniors - they managed to get out on foot, but they lost the Boat."

He remains defiant regardless - as a Cultivator, he cannot admit defeat to the natural world. He bows to no-one! Not the Earth, not the Heavens, and not a Sandstorm!

… of course, immediately after he has that thought, he remembers he's done a lot of bowing - and he himself has said there's no shame in bowing to a stronger cultivator. He bows to the Elders after all. So… he bows to many people but only if they're stronger than him? But then he doesn't want to be the kind of person who only respects strength…

… and now is not really the time to be super concerned about that kind of thing. He has a duty to fulfill so he can rescue his precious Junior - more than anything, he wants to be-no, he is the kind of person who will always be there for Hei Lian, just as Hei Lian has always been there for him, even when it was abundantly clear he'd rather be anywhere else.

Tian Mingfei brings them into one of the docking towers, and he notes they're not the only Cloud Boat here. A number of them are scattered, tethered to the towers although he cannot say he recognises any of the flags they fly.

"If we are going to the Desert, then we have a destination within it?" Kong Meiling asks.

He is not in a mood to speak with her, so he just gives her a stiff nod and leaps from the prow, not bothering with the gangplank. The Dock Guard doesn't seem the slightest bit startled by that, but he seems to be a Cultivator himself - at the very cusp of breaking through to Foundation Establishment by the feel of his Qi. He has a slightly earthy scent to him that reminds him of old rooms and caves, and a weathered face that speaks of spending plenty of time standing here, in the sandy winds.

Given he seems to be middle aged by his appearance, Zhou Cheng doubts he will ever manage to breakthrough. A pity, but such is the way of things.

"I-we are on official business from the Heavenly Misty Peak Sect," he declares, holding out the scroll that proves that very fact.

The Guard takes the scroll and skims it with a practiced eye. "I see. Welcome to Dust Town, Honoured Cultivators. The docking fee will be charged to the Heavenly Misty Peak account as authorised. Heavens bless your journey."

He doesn't want for the others, simply leaping off the edge of the tower and allowing his breath to slow his descent appropriately. Even with his winds blowing, most people barely take notice, save for a few stares, mostly from the wagon he lands next to. Dust Town is a riot of scents to his nose, and what he smells most of all is spice and… something stinging. Not quite spice itself, but something similar to it. Then of course there is the myriad animals and people themselves.

He cannot help but think Hei Lian would like this place.

He's annoyed enough that he almost sets out alone, but he waits for the other two to follow. They burst out of the tower door with a not-quite-breathless air. "Our destination is Greenwater Oasis," he announces, ignoring the looks they shoot him as they straighten.

Idly, he notes that's another incredibly uncreative name. Were they merely running out of ideas?

"That is where our… recipient resides then?" Kong Meiling says stiffly, smoothing her robes out without actually smoothing them out. It's a graceful little trick he once admired, but now just makes him feel bitter. "We'll likely need a map or a guide then."

"I know just the thing," Tian Mingfei declares before he can say they'll manage fine on their own, "My mother and I once traveled this very Desert and the best way to do it is with a caravan!"

A… caravan? "... I'll defer to Senior Sister here."

Tian Mingfei nods vigorously. "There should be an inn in the town square - The Red Beetle. I remember it being quite nice. Wait for me there - I'll make the arrangements!"

He almost glances over at Kong Meiling. Almost.

Instead, he starts walking.

Whether she follows or not is not any of his concern.

Unfortunately for him, the scent of her floral mint is only a few steps behind him. "How long are you going to be like this, Zhou Cheng?"

And now she was trying to talk to him. "I do not know what you're asking. I am not being like anything except myself."

She lets out a small stifled noise. "You are being unreasonable. I have explained myself!"

"And?" he retorts, not even turning to face her or even stop moving, "Does this mean I must forgive you? Understand your position? You have given me reasons, but I do not accept them. If it were me, I would simply bear the consequences for being Righteous."

He can practically hear her seething. "Is that what you think Righteousness is, Zhou Cheng? Fighting every villain you see - even when you are severely outmatched?"

"I am not outmatched. I defeated Lei Ming once, I will do so again."

"You defeated Lei Ming in a tournament fight - this is is not a battle, it is a war."

"Wars are won by battles." All he has to do is get that one single fight and he can fix this. One single blow will be enough and this time, he will not make the same mistake. This time, he will go for the head of the snake - and cut it off.

Kong Meiling makes another frustrated noise. "But they still trample everyone else in the chaos - Zhou Cheng, I could not be seen with you. Do you think someone such as me can survive on my own?"

"Why not?" he retorts, "You are strong. Powerful."

"I am not powerful enough." Her voice, a cutting, desperate thing. "Only the strongest survive alone!"

Finally, he regarded her. "So you should not have abandoned us - if you had stayed with us, then we would've been with you."

"How?!" She is undeniably beautiful, even when frustrated enough that her perfect cold expressions have given way to a scowl that would be ugly on anyone else but somehow manages to remain refined on hers. It's a quality of hers he always found impressive and tried to mimic, in his own way. Not so much appearing beautiful, of course, but refined no matter what he was expressing. She was... much better at it. "You, rendered powerless? Hei Lian, sequestered away? Shan Guojin, off at war?"

"So you would rather betray us than just get your hands dirty?"

Kong Meiling draws herself up to retort, cheeks the reddest he's ever seen before someone slaps a hand on her shoulder. An incredibly and undeniably bold move.

"Pretty Sister," coaxes a rough voice belonging to a grinning man, "Do not bother with someone like him - little boys cannot understand a flower's feelings."

He does not like Kong Meiling - as a matter of fact, he would go so far as to say he very actively dislikes her at this moment. But he still knows her decently well. Well enough to know that one thing she has never tolerated is physical contact from others that does not happen on her own terms.

He knows this because Shan Guojin learned this fact the hard way - the same way this interloper is learning. It is a lesson that comes in the form of a harsh slap, a blow delivered with enough force to kill a mortal.

The interloper is not a mortal. That he is still standing is proof enough of that, and it is only now that Zhou Cheng gets the scent of him - metallic iron, with hints of burnt coal - that he recognises he is a fellow Cultivator, and one a step or two ahead of them by the feel.

"You…!" the man snarls, turning on Kong Meiling with a vicious look.

A man should not lay his hands on a lady so boldly - although Hei Lian would comment that nobody should really be grabbing anyone like that if they don't want to be grabbed, which has always sounded fair to Zhou Cheng. More then that, for all he doesn't like Kong Meiling, she is still under his umbrella, and this man - this Cultivator from another Sect - has offered offense to her and to the Heavenly Misty Peak with his actions.

He doesn't recognise his robes, or the emblem on them - a shining sun with seven rays - and he doesn't even like Kong Meiling. But for all that he doesn't like her, he understands implicitly what is the Righteous thing to do.

He punches him right in the face.