Chapter 42 - Miniature Mings

Xinyi stood in front of the black ball and called the Hutyuns out. "I've decided. I accept to become your queen."

With that announcement, the black dots yelled tiny sounds of "Hooray! Yippee! Yes!" and more while bouncing and flying around. Ming thought they were like a horde of flies flying and buzzing around them which was bizarre in an outsider's eyes. Good thing no one could see them since Nianshi cloaked them in an illusion spell.

"What should I do to make that happen?" asked Xinyi.

The Hutyuns began glowing and fused into a shiny cup floating in front of Xinyi. "Drop your blood here and think of something you want us to appear," multiple voices spoke.

"Why? Is this not your real appearance?"

"Yes, this is not! We took shape on how you wish us to look like. This is also part of the ritual, Sorceress."

Xinyi didn't think more and was about to bite her finger when Ming held her hand. "Allow me to do it for you," said Ming. She had no time to refuse because he already pricked the tip of his dagger on her finger and blood oozed out. He gently tapped her finger on the floating cup and the red liquid dropped… and Ming placed the finger to his mouth. This last action surprised Xinyi and pulled her finger from his lips when the cup lighted.

Then the cup separated into tiny shining dots, and… hundreds of a finger-sized Ming appeared before them complete with duplicate clothes.

"What the...? How come you turned into…," and pointed a finger at Ming, "...him?" the blushing Xinyi said while sucking her pricked finger.

Ming also never expected this and shocked to see the multiple miniature him. While Nianshi knew of the possible outcome but hadn't thought it would turn out this way. The lion dragon just shook his head looking at the swarming mini Mings.

A miniature Ming flew in front of her and answered with his tiny voice, "You were thinking of him when we started transforming so we look like him for now."

"What?" Xinyi's face crumpled with the thought. To think, his sucking of her finger was the reason for their copied appearance. "No!" She hated this and covered her face in shame for thinking about him and turning them to look like Ming. How could she bear talking and living with multiple Mings daily? This would make her crazy.

Then a thought came. She was about to ask if they could change into another image when another Hutyun faced her, saying, "I just want to remind you, my queen. That finger in your mouth came from his mouth and his saliva are on it.

"Ah! Nooo! Puh! Puh! Puh!" Xinyi spat and wiped the finger on her dress. "Yuck! Eww!"

"Pffft!" Ming chuckled with her overreaction but controlled its sounds and looked away as not to anger her. He saw her putting her finger into her mouth but too late to stop her, so he kept silent to keep her from embarrassment. Who would have thought the Hutyun would say it aloud? Also, to see his copies boosted his pride to make his wife think of him.

Nianshi giggled thinking of the Hutyun's innocent reminder but swallowed the bubbling laughter when Xinyi glared at him. Thus, only Ming was left smirking while his back was on her. Xinyi wished to punish him and asked a Hutyun, "Can I command you to spank him?" Ming heard that and turned around, waiting and listening for the reply.

"Sorry, my Queen but a part of you is with him, so we can't hurt him," said the sad Hutyun.

"What do you mean a part of me is with him?"

The Ming Hutyun pointed the necklace. "The other half of that pendant is with him."

"Huh? The other half…" And she looked at Ming who brought out his lucky charm which was also his great grandfather's charm. He placed the cut stone he got and placed it near her pendant and the two would form an oblong-shaped stone if attached together.

"Does this mean this is also yours?" asked Ming to Xinyi but the latter couldn't answer him and looked up to the towering Nianshi.

"Yes, it is but also not," replied Nianshi. The two was at a loss with the cryptic answer. "But I won't explain that here. This is not a safe place. Let's go back to the cave first. The night is coming and all of you need to eat to replenish your strength."

Xinyi's stomach agreed with the reminder.

----- o -----

Xinyi and Nianshi arrived outside the cave first with the tiny Mings and Ming with Kuaisu followed.

"Mistress, please place the ring first on me so I can transform into a human."

"Really? That's great." Xinyi did so and they heard a glass broke. And suddenly, Xinyi saw herself touching a handsome man's firm and n.a.k.e.d chest. Xinyi jumped back and went silent for a while... giving him a once-over. "Are you really Nianshi?" What she saw was a blond-haired man with golden round eyes, curly long eyelashes, and aquiline nose.

"Yes, it's me, mistress," Nianshi said with his thin red lips as he bowed.

Suddenly, Ming jumped in between Xinyi and Nianshi and pointed a finger on the haired chest. "Close your robe properly. You have no decency facing your mistress like this."

Nianshi stared at eye-level at Ming with their same height and snickered while arranging his robe. "Don't need to be jealous, Governor. My type of girl is another dragon like me, not my human mistress." He continued to chuckle as he entered the cave ahead of them. Ming turned red listening to Nianshi and the miniature Mings chuckling.

Xinyi covered her mouth as she giggled in silence with Nianshi's joke and ran after Nianshi but in her mind, 'Was he really jealous of Nianshi now?'