The six men trotted right into Zhen Shuren's burnt home. The sound of their horses hoofs echoed on the cobblestones. Jin led the way. The place was huge.

"First the ghost town, now this wretched place," Dao muttered.

"Shh, the walls have ears," Li cautioned.

Dao sniffed. "What walls? Even if they have ears, they would be stone deaf after all this time."

Ren snorted. "You are not making any sense brother."

"No talking. Look around, search for any signs of Xuelei. Jin?"

"This way."

They followed the handsome youth through a maze of buildings until they came to a small clearing.

"Here. This was where I found them. There were bodies everywhere and a pool of blood that I told you all about."

"There are no bodies." Shan threw Jin an inquiring look. "They couldn't have gotten up and walked off."

"I saw them!"

Jin dismounted and walked around. "Someone has taken them away. Look, there are faint traces of blood stains where they fell." Jin pointed triumphantly.

Li crouched by the fading blood spot. Wind and rain had diminished the dark spot, it had almost blended with the natural dark earth around it. The hole that the saber had made when it was plunged into the earth had been covered by dirt. There was only a slight dent which Jin pointed out.

"Someone was here and has cleared the place. Be alert."

The brothers split up searching the area for any clues but it was useless. They could find nothing, not even the grave of the dead men, if they had been buried. It was as if the legend was true, that the vengeful ghost of Zhen Shuren had gobbled them up and left nothing for a decent burial. They were not going to the afterlife for reincarnation. Their souls were lost forever.

Shan shuddered. Qian slapped his brother on the shoulder.

"Owww!!" Shan jumped in fright.

"Snap out of it. There are no such things as ghosts."

"You didn't have to do that," Shan grumbled.

"Nothing."

"We found nothing here too."

All reported back to Li. Their search of the area proved fruitless. There were no traces of Xuelei or the dead mercenaries.

"We will camp here for the night. Maybe the ghost only comes out after dark."

Shuren crouched in the shadows observing the four men talking in low voices around their camp. He grinned. None could sleep. He stayed low and out of sight, his experience cautioning him. He watched for half an hour before he found the other two. They were hidden from view, carefully guarding the group. One was flat on a nearby roof and the other behind a broken wall.

So these were Xuelei's 'brothers'. Not bad. They had sense to put two guards instead of the usual one. Shuren could tell that they were not 'normal' fighters, they moved too quietly.

Maybe he should let the boy go back. They would lead him to the boy's 'Mistress'. Shuren would ascertain of she was the one he was looking for. the one who had taken everything away from him.

He crept back noiselessly, merging with the shadows around him.

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

When Shuren entered, Xuelei was at the far end of the room. He was holding onto the walls for support as he made his way unsteadily around the room.

"You shouldn't be up yet."

"I have to get better. I need to get out of here."

"Come to me and I may reconsider."

Xuelei's eyes narrowed in determination. The man was standing in the middle of the open-spaced practice area, where there was no support. No chairs, no tables that could help him should he fall, nothing. He knew the man was smirking at him behind his usual black mask.

"Well? Do you think you can?" His voice has taken a taunting lilt.

That did it, if only to wipe the smug expression off his face that Xuelei knew was there.

Xuelei gritted his teeth and took a tentative step into open space. His heart sped up, beating wildly in his chest. One step, than two, each was filled with anxiety and pain. His hand clutched his healing side, it was acting up again. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as he concentrated on making it to the middle of the room without falling down on his face.

Everything else faded into insignificance as he concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other. His eyes were glued to the ground, focusing on where to put his feet. He concentrated on keeping his balance and his guts inside where it belonged. Xuelei was surprised when the man's booted feet appeared. He looked up in relief and jubilance, "I did it."

"Yes, you did. Well done. I will keep my promise and let you go."

Upon hearing those words, Xuelei promptly collapsed at the physical and mental strain. Shuren caught the unconscious boy deftly. Tsk, tsk, tsk, stubborn and strong-willed, just like his beloved Xiuying. When she had set her heart and mind on something, nothing could sway her from it, not threats nor sweet words. She had the patience of a monk and would usually get what she wanted sooner or later. It has been thirteen years but Oh! How he missed her!

Shuren closed his eyes and hugged Xuelei tightly.

He carried the boy to the wall and lowered him onto the floor. The man arranged his limbs so that Xuelei was sitting crossed-legged on the floor, his back supported by the wall. Shuren then sat on the floor opposite Xuelei, mirroring his pose.

Shuren calmed himself and found his equilibrium before attempting the complicated task. He gathered his inner forces and moulded it with purpose and will, then he lifted his hands and moved them in an intricate pattern in the air. When he completed the moves, he touched Xuelei's temples lightly, channelling his inner force from his mind through his fingertips. The boy winced at the mental pressure piercing his mind but did not wake.

"You will not teach what you have learnt here. It is only for you."

Shuren checked the boy. So far so good.

"You will seek the one called Shao Ling. When you find her, you will kill her in retribution for Xiuying. Do you understand?"

Xuelei nodded, eyes still closed. He frowned and started trembling.

"Do not fight it boy."

The boy was strong willed. It was a strain to maintain control and now he was fighting back mentally.

Shuren increased the pressure on Xuelei's mind. He could not afford to fail. He owed Xiuying revenge for her unjust death. She had not deserved to die, she was gentle and loving. She was innocent.

"KILL SHAO LING."

Just thinking of his precious dead wife brought back buried feelings of anger and hatred for the murderer. He wanted the revenge for Xiuying which he had been denied for thirteen years. He thought about it day and night. Revenge for his beloved dead wife consumed him. Now he would finally be able to avenge her. Anger made his power flare sharply. Xuelei cried out at the sudden increased assault to his mind and crumpled to the ground.

Quickly, Shuren checked Xuelei's pulse and pupils. He would be alright.

"Forgive me, son. If this Mistress of yours really is Shao Ling, then you will have to do what I am unable to do. Shao Ling knows me but will not expect you to strike her. This is the only way for me to obtain revenge for Xiuying. Then she can finally rest in peace."

"If I could challenge her and kill her in a fair fight, I would do so but she will never be foolish enough to agree. She knows that she cannot hope to win against me, and so I have to resort to this underhanded manner."

"I hope you will understand and maybe one day you will be able to forgive me."

"Come back to me," he whispered almost reverently into his ear before lifting Xuelei and carrying him out into the night.

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

The sky was lightening, the clouds transforming into a beautiful array of pink, orange and yellow against a gorgeous backdrop of fresh clear blue. The sun brightened the world before it actually made an appearance. It did not like the dark.

The four men were breaking camp when an arrow thudded near Qian's feet. He hopped back with a yelp.

"What the hell?"

Four swords were drawn simultaneously at the unseen threat. Six pairs of eyes searched the roof tops, the shadows of the ruins and the overgrown foliage in the nearby gardens but they found nothing. The two hidden assassins scanned the direction of the arrow.

They were all tense and alert, ready to leap out of danger should more arrows appear from the sky.

"Look!"

Qian pointed to the arrow in the ground. A string was attached to it. He motioned to Li.

"You two follow me, Dao break camp."

Li and two of his brothers followed the string, keeping a lookout in case it was a trap. The string led them to a nearby building, its wall had partially collapsed. They found the end of the innocent string tied to a hand.

"Xuelei!" Ren rushed in.

"Ren! Careful! It might be a trap."

Ren had abandoned all caution when he had seen his youngest brother. Xuelei was propped against the far wall in a sitting position. His eyes were closed. He was wearing only a stained white cotton under shirt, pants and boots. His saber had been placed across his lap.

"He is alive," Ren reported, his fingers touching Xuelei's neck where he could feel a weak pulse.

"Qian, check the area. Ren, get Xuelei. We are getting out of here."

"All clear."

They worked quickly, untying the string from Xuelei's hand and carrying him out. They others were ready, packed and mounted. The unconscious Xuelei was tied to Li. They wouldvride double. The others formed a loose circle around them. Before they moved out, Li turned his horse a full circle and shouted to the empty courtyard.

"Thank you, whoever you are. We owe you a life debt for saving our brother. Please show yourself."

They waited. No one came forward. Everything had gone eerily silent. Even the birds had stopped their morning song and the crickets their continuous noisy melody.

Li gave a signal. As one, the six assassins gave a fist palm salute, turning a full circle.

"Thank you, stranger. Should you ever need our assistance, drop a note into a bronze dragon mouth at the Bronze Dragon teahouse. It is on the mountain path six days ride west from here."

Li lowered his hands. His brothers followed his lead.

Smartly, they turned their mounts around and left the dissolute mansion.

Shuren watched them leave. He would give them a ten minute head start and follow them. He gave a grim smile. It was time to put an end to the crushing hate that had been burning in him for the past thirteen years.