The Tao Wu, witnessing the Taotie's transformation, no longer hesitated. Its body convulsed violently, swelling with corrupted power as it threw itself fully into madness.
"ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"
Even in the vacuum of space, where sound could not travel, the roar exploded outward like a psychic shockwave. Fractured asteroids nearby shattered into dust as ripples of deranged energy pulsed from its body.
The Taotie, now towering and monstrous with a Yin-Yang patterned hide, cracked his neck lazily.
"Oh? You finally look worth eating."
Tao Wu's response was immediate and savage.
Its massive tail shot forward, bending space in its wake as though slicing reality itself. Taotie raised a paw casually—
BOOOM!
The impact shook the asteroid beneath them, splitting it into dozens of floating fragments. Even so, Taotie didn't budge. Black-and-white energy coiled around his claws like miniature devouring galaxies.
