Chapter 21

Danfeng’s weak voice reached my ears, and his dazed expression finally showed a hint of clarity. "You dare!" he shouted, his eyes wide in disbelief. "You are my spiritual beast! How can you betray me?!" With that, the formation finally broke open, and Xiao Hei and I rushed out into the chaos. The sky above was filled with endless darkness, as if the blackness would never end, suffocating all hope. On the righteous side, people were already starting to fall, unable to withstand the overwhelming pressure of the demonic forces. Xiao Hei, connected to me in thought, transformed back into his original form. One glance was all I needed to understand his intent. "No!" I cried out. "You'll explode from the strain!" "Of course not. Your spiritual beast is a Taotie," he said, puffing out his chest in pride. With a defiant tilt of his head, he charged toward the highest point of the darkened sky. It was the first time I witnessed Taotie feeding. The countless demons were forced to move toward Xiao Hei, lining up to enter his mouth. As he devoured them, his body expanded uncontrollably, growing larger and larger. The indescribable pain he felt echoed deep within me. I didn’t know how to help him. All I could do was wildly slay more demons, hoping to lessen his suffering. The cold light sword in my hand was surrounded by dark energy, and despair spread like a disease across the battlefield, creeping into the hearts of all. "Look!" someone shouted, their voice filled with awe and fear. The pain within me faded, and Xiao Hei’s form began to change again. As the change became more evident, a voice from the crowd called out in realization. "It's Taotie!"