Time had no meaning for Xuelei as he recovered from his wounds. It was blurred into a never ending stream of pain and discomfort.

The first few days were the worst. Breathing was difficult. Every breath had to be manoeuvred carefully into his protesting lungs. He kept coughing up blood, the strong taste of iron fouling his mouth and made everything taste like rust.

Xuelei drifted between consciousness and hazy violent dreams. Each time he woke up, he would hear the comforting sounds of the man practicing his sword. Xuelei would watch his fluid motions until he fell asleep again. The man's graceful and precise movements were a balm to his restless mind.

Xuelei wondered that the man didn't mind him watching him practice. The man's acute senses made him aware every time Xuelei woke up. He was aware of Xuelei's eyes following his deadly dance. Some fighters were secretive of their moves and special martial arts. It was usually passed down from father to son in a family. Outsiders were forbidden to use the family's arts.

Yet this man kept practicing in front of Xuelei. At first it seemed like random jumps and attacks but later he found a pattern to it. It made use of all the body's muscles, it needed balance, precision and concentration. Xuelei had learnt the moves unconsciously after watching them man repeat it a few times. He would mentally follow every stance and when he had memorized it, he would anticipate the moves.

It was a brilliant set of deadly attacks and defence. Once it had been learnt, it could be broken down into parts and used as the situation required. Mastered, and it became a lethal combination that was difficult to counter.

Xuelei was certain that he was meant to learn it. Why else would the man practice in front of him? Or maybe the man underestimated his capabilities or thought he was too dense to learn just by watching. Anyhow, it was too late. The moves were ingrained in his mind. If only he could get well enough to try it out. He wanted so badly to practice the new sequence.

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

"Boy, this is going to hurt but it has to be done."

Xuelei nodded understanding as the man cut away the bandages on his chest. The wound was closing nicely.

"The lining of your lungs should have healed by now. Your breathing is better but not good enough. You are not breathing right yet, I can tell just by the wheezing sounds you make."

"I do not wheeze."

The man's mouth quirked upwards. "Yes you do, like an old man."

Xuelei clenched his jaw, biting off a retort. Better not piss him off, he was holding a sharp knife.

"Okay, all off." He threw the soiled bandages to one side. "Lie down. I am going to cut open the wound and insert this thin bamboo reed into your chest. When I say so, breathe in deeply. Understand?"

Xuelei nodded, preparing himself mentally.

"There is air trapped between your lungs and chest cavity. I am going to make a small hole to let the air out."

As he spoke, the man inserted his knife into the healing wound, making a small hole. Xuelei hissed with pain and gripped the sides of the cot. Bright red blood leaked out.

"Steady boy."

"Just hurry up and get it over with," Xuelei said through gritted teeth. "You have done this before haven't you?"

"Umm, maybe."

The man's vague answer made Xuelei alarmed but it was already too late. The man had already sliced him open.

"What does that mean? You have right?"

"Well ... not exactly."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I have read about the procedure. I just have to put into practice the theories I've read about," the man muttered.

"What?! Are you crazy? I'm not going to let you experiment on me!"

"Shush boy. I'm concentrating."

"I am going to kill you!" Xuelei groaned.

"Bamboo reed going in ..." the man muttered absentmindedly as he nudged the thin flexible reed into the flesh. The boy immediately shut up, his grip tightening on the cot. The man poked until he felt the end break through healing skin. Good, he had gotten the reed into the pleural space between the lung and chest cavity. The boy had paled, his eyes squeezed shut.

"Okay, now breathe in as deeply as possible. Expand your lungs and push out the trapped air."

Xuelei inhaled slowly, pulling in as much air as he could. Acute pain assaulted his chest. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as he did what he was told.

The man nodded as air and blood was pushed out through the reed. Small bubbles formed in the water where the other end of the flexible reed was placed. The water turned a dirty red.

"More. There is blood too."

"I, ugh, I can't."

"More! Breathe in boy! We need to expand your lungs."

Xuelei cursed the man and inhaled, shoving the excruciating pain into the back of his mind. Control. Endurance. Perseverance. He was going to get through this ... and then he was going to kill the man.

"Breathe," the man commanded.

Xuelei had no choice but to obey. Breath after painful breath was pulled into his damaged lungs. The exercise expanding and relaxing the organ's muscles until the pain became bearable. Air and blood was purged from his chest cavity.

When the man finally pulled the reed from his body and slathered a healing gel on the puncture, Xuelei sighed in relief.

"Good. Now breathing will be easier. More oxygen will be circulated throughout your body and you will heal faster. We will do this again later."

"What!" Xuelei exclaimed incredulously. "Again?" he gulped.

"Of course. You didn't expect to be done in one session did you?" The man heroically kept from laughing at the chagrined expression on the boy's face.

"I am seriously going to get you for this."

"If you can, that would be good because it will prove that you are much better."

Xuelei sighed.

"We will keep doing this until all the air and blood had been expelled and your lung is fully functioning again. The lacerations on your neck are healing nicely and so is the slash on your back."

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

Several days later, Shuren came onto the room to find Xuelei sitting up. He was staring worriedly into space. He turned as Shuren approached.

"Feeling better?"

"Senior, thank you for saving my life." He gave a fist palm salute and bowed his head at Shuren. His voice was hoarse and scratchy from disuse.

Shuren nodded, acknowledging the gesture of respect.

"I mean no disrespect but I have to leave."

The older man sat down the tray he was holding on the bedside table. The tempting aroma rose from the two bowls of spicy fish broth the man had been feeding him. The fatty acids from the choice fish boiled in spices, ginger, pepper and other natural plants was helping with his healing.

"Tell me, what do they call you?" This was the first time they were able to talk properly.

"Xuelei."

Shuren's eyebrows shot up. Xue ... Xuelei?! Tears of blood? It could be defined as extreme suffering. Did she mean the boy to live a life of suffering by her hand as revenge against him or did she mean something else? That evil woman! She dared to name him so. She will pay a thousand fold if she had made the boy suffer in any way.

"Is that the name your parents gave you?"

"The Mistress named me. I have no parents ... and no family name." Xuelei lowered his head, embarrassed.

Bitch! Shuren cursed. What has she been telling him all his life? Now he had a lead, he was going to track her down and kill her.

"Do you remember your parents?"

Xuelei narrowed his eyes. Why was this man asking him so much about his background. He became suspicious. Maybe the man had saved him for information on the jade too.

"If you are after the jade, I don't have it," Xuelei said bluntly.

"Jade?" Shuren cocked his head. After a while, he smiled. "Ah, yes, the broken piece of jade."

Xuelei's guard went up. He knew about the jade. Although this man had saved his life, he was not to be trusted. Xuelei could sense that he was keeping something from him.

"The valuable jade that was hanging around a baby boy's neck and broken when he was taken forcibly from his parents. Amazingly, the one who took the boy was considered a close friend to his parents. Did you know that?"

"I was not kidnapped, if that is what you are implying. The Mistress found me and saved me from a fire that killed my whole family."

"Your Mistress? So you admit it was you then?"

"Is this a trick to get the jade?"

"No, boy ... Xuelei. The jade was just a present from loving parents to their only son. It has served it's purpose. It brought you here didn't it?"

"I don't understand. Lady Ching said it was a key to Master Shuren's treasures."

Shuren laughed. "Is that so?"

"It's not?" Xuelei asked in surprise.

"Don't believe everything you hear, boy. Not even if it is want you want to hear."

"So it's not a key?"

"No boy. Rumours to that end were purposely spread so that people foolish and greedy enough will help find the one who wore the jade. And perhaps if the fates were kind enough, bring him back to Zhen Shuren's house."

"Why?"

"Because Zhen Shuren is looking for his son."

"Zhen Shuren?! Really? He is not dead?"

"Well, no one has ever found his body." The man paused then stated calmly, "You are Zhen Shuren's missing son."

Xuelei's eyes widened at the revelation than narrowed in suspicion. "You don't know that."

The man stated confidently. "Yes I do."

"I told you, I don't have the jade."

"You know of it, that suffices. You were led by your nose to Shuren's place because of it."

Xuelei clenched his jaw in embarrassment. He had been foolish to have believed Lady Ching so easily. He should have been more cautious.

The man continued talking.

"The jade itself does not matter. You are the right age and you have your parent's features and character. You are him."

"Then it's true? Did you know them?" Xuelei asked in a shakey voice, a thousand questions whirling in his mind.

"I knew them both intimately. Where is your Mistress? What is her name?"

Xuelei snapped back to the present situation.

"I have to get back."

"Young man, you are not a prisoner here. You can go when you are well enough ... and when you have proven you can beat me."

"What?"

Shuren grinned. "I want to see how skilled you are. If you can beat me, you are free to go."

Xuelei got up in agitation. The sudden movement brought a searing pain in his ribs. He doubled up in pain, clutching his chest. Shuren just look on in amusement.

"Like I said, beat me in a fight and you are free to go." With that he walked out of the room, leaving Xuelei seething.