"Congrats on becoming my property." Little Xuan Jing's silver eyes gleamed mischievously as he tilted his head, scrutinizing the colossal figure now kneeling before him. The serpent-like wraiths he summoned earlier coiled protectively around him, their smoky forms pulsing with latent energy. His tiny frame exuded an undeniable authority, and the figure before him, towering and ominous, seemed almost… obedient.
The figure chuckled, its voice reverberating like a deep drum in a hollow cave. "Your property, you say?" it mused, a faint smirk gracing its shadowy face. "You may have inherited power, child, but possession requires dominance. Do you truly have the strength to claim me?"
Xuan Jing raised a brow, unbothered by the veiled challenge. He glanced down at the blackened ground beneath his small bare feet, the pulsing energy from the serpent still resonating around him. A sly grin tugged at his lips.
"Strength?" His voice was calm, almost playful. "You think I need to prove my strength to someone like you?"
Without waiting for a response, Xuan Jing extended his left hand, palm up, and the Soul Lantern on the ground beside him flared to life. The spirit flame within twisted and expanded, casting long, flickering shadows that danced across the clearing.
"Minimize yourself," Xuan Jing ordered again, his voice unwavering. "Or I'll show you exactly how much stronger I am than you think."
The figure hesitated for a moment, then laughed—deep and resonant, but no longer mocking. There was a hint of respect in its tone now, a recognition of the child's will.
"As you wish, Master," it finally said, bowing its massive form. Its body began to shift, shrinking and condensing as though the darkness itself was folding in on itself. The towering figure's colossal presence dissolved, coalescing into a smaller form—a sleek, humanoid figure about the height of a teenager. Its body remained dark and shadowy, but its edges were more defined, its features refined. The silver eyes still glowed, but now they held an intelligence that bordered on sly amusement.
The transformed entity knelt before Xuan Jing, its movements fluid and deliberate. "Is this more to your taste?" it asked, its voice now smoother, carrying an almost sarcastic edge.
Xuan Jing walked in a slow circle around the figure, scrutinizing it with the air of a connoisseur examining fine art. "Closer," he said, folding his arms. "But I like something a little… flashier."
The shadow entity tilted its head, a smirk tugging at the corners of its mouth. "Flashier, you say?"
The air around them pulsed, and the figure shifted again. This time, its form solidified into something far more striking—a tall figure clad in a suit of sleek black armor that shimmered faintly like obsidian under moonlight. Its shoulders bore sharp, intricate designs resembling feathers, and its helmet split into two curved horns that gave it a regal yet dangerous appearance. The glowing silver eyes remained, but they now burned with a fierce intensity.
At its side hung a weapon—a curved, dark scythe that pulsed faintly with the same shadowy energy.
Xuan Jing's grin widened. "Now that's more like it." He glanced up at Wei Lin, who had been silently observing the interaction with his arms crossed, his garnet eyes betraying a mix of amusement and exasperation.
"You really know how to pick your toys, don't you?" Wei Lin muttered, shaking his head.
Xuan Jing ignored him, turning his attention back to the kneeling figure. "What's your name?"
"I have no name," it replied smoothly, its voice carrying a faint, almost melodic hum. "I am but an extension of you, Master. A fragment of your Eclipsed Essence."
"Hmm," Xuan Jing hummed thoughtfully. He tapped his chin, his silver eyes narrowing. "Then I'll name you… Yíng Yǐng (影影)—Shadow upon Shadow."
The newly named Yíng Yǐng inclined its head, the faintest trace of a smile playing on its lips. "As you command, Master Xuan Jing."