Chapter 2004 - 77: Ni Yang’s Master? (2)

In his eyes, the woman in white merely touched lightly, and he didn’t even feel any powerful spiritual energy fluctuations. Yet both he and Ni Yang were completely recovered, which was simply astonishing.

For himself, he wasn’t too concerned, as he had only exhausted his spiritual energy and hadn’t sustained any injuries. If it was merely a means to replenish spiritual energy, he had ways to achieve that.

But Ni Yang was different. It had been searching the outskirts of the Demon Realm for the other party for a long time, constantly encountering battles without time to rest, and had encountered quite a few Wild Beasts. Recovering from its injuries wasn’t easy.

However, now, the woman merely treated Ni Yang with a light touch, and miraculously healed it. How could such methods not be astonishing?

Zhang Xiaoman looked at the woman, and she appeared to have no spiritual energy fluctuations at all, as if she were an ordinary person.

This made him even more surprised. Typically, there are only two possibilities for this kind of situation: either the person truly is an ordinary person with no spiritual cultivation, or their strength far surpasses his, making it normal that he couldn’t perceive it—unless he possessed the Holy Angel Clan’s talent.

Clearly, the first situation was impossible; it could only be the second possibility.

To far surpass his strength and easily heal Ni Yang, these factors combined could only point to one possibility: the woman in front of him is likely an Upper Transcendent, Dominator Level, having surpassed Middle-Level Transcendent and reached the pinnacle of power in this world.

Zhang Xiaoman suddenly felt his scalp tingle.

This was the first time in his life he encountered a Dominator Level powerhouse in person. He had imagined such a scenario as something he’d face when reaching the peak against the Demon Lord later, but didn’t expect to meet a Dominator here prematurely.

What surprised him even more was that, according to legends, there was only one Dominator Level powerhouse left in the world, the Demon Lord, who supposedly suppressed other Dominator Level powerhouses with absolute strength. Thus, the highest people could see was the Middle-Level Transcendent, and no one had seen other Upper Transcendents.

Yet now, Zhang Xiaoman claimed to have successfully met one.

This was the fabled Upper Transcendent, a rarity even in the universe.

Suddenly, he became more curious about everything happening here.

For a Dominator Level powerhouse to be bound here, what has really happened? What is the situation with the outside world? Is there any connection between them?

Zhang Xiaoman had a belly full of questions he wanted answered, but since he wasn’t familiar with the other party, he had to rely on Ni Yang to speak.

However, at this moment, the woman’s gaze shifted from Ni Yang and rested on him.

"You came too... Didn’t expect we’d meet in this way."

"Me?"

Zhang Xiaoman froze.

Her words were surprising; judging from her tone, it seemed as if she was familiar with him.

However, he clearly hadn’t met her before. Could it be because of Ni Yang’s relationship? But that wouldn’t make sense; he had only known Ni Yang for dozens of years, during which this woman should have been trapped here. How would she know?

"You...know me?"

Zhang Xiaoman voiced his confusion, though the answer he received left him a bit puzzled.

"I don’t know either, maybe we’re not supposed to be acquainted."

Zhang Xiaoman found himself puzzled, unsure of the meaning in her words.

"Uh...then have we met?"

The woman in white smiled after hearing his question, her smile as mesmerizing as a garden in full bloom, and it wasn’t an exaggeration to say so. If they weren’t in the Chaotic Void, her smile would indeed achieve this effect.

"Of course, we’ve met. You demolished several of my Divine Statues down in the Abyss of Erin Star."

Once these words were spoken, the atmosphere instantly froze. Zhang Xiaoman suddenly turned petrified, his mind recalling him and Ziwei dismantling statues together in the abyss on Erin Star.

"You... you’re the Demon Lord!?"

A look of shock and disbelief was written all over Zhang Xiaoman’s face.

Simultaneously, star light suddenly burst forth from the woman’s eyes, and a cold Divine Thought swept over him and Ni Yang, causing them to shiver involuntarily.

It was familiar, too familiar! This Divine Thought, this gaze, she truly was the Demon Lord!

Zhang Xiaoman wouldn’t forget the scene he witnessed atop the tower on Extinction Star, when the Extinction Commander presented the Chaos Spirit Flower, that chilling intent from the void—it was the same as now, identical, they were indeed the same person!

Instantly, Zhang Xiaoman completely believed her words. This feeling couldn’t be faked, she wasn’t lying; she truly was the Demon Lord!

But...why here, why is it her? How could she be the Demon Lord? And the Demon Lord was actually a woman?

Zhang Xiaoman suddenly came to his senses.

No, why couldn’t the Demon Lord be a woman?

He had previously been shackled by preconceived impressions; the first time he saw the Demon Lord’s statues was beneath the abyss, where the statues were male. He later encountered several more, generally male representations, or other beast-like forms.

However, Ziwei clearly told him the Demon Lord manifests in countless forms, appearing differently to diverse races. The forms Zhang Xiaoman saw were merely those imagined by different clans; they couldn’t be regarded as real.

But...if she were the Demon Lord, meeting her in such circumstances, wouldn’t it mean...

"Are you afraid?"

The woman in white had withdrawn the previous Divine Thought, assuming a cold and unaffected manner once more. If one weren’t aware of the terrifying power she possessed, her appearance would make her indistinguishable from an average person.

Facing her inquiry, Zhang Xiaoman instinctively clenched his fists, spiritual energy surging within. He was prepared to defend at any moment and even started counting down for Unlimited Teleportation, the only method he had available to escape from her.

However, her next words left him bewildered, and his actions halted.

"You’re Ji Xing, correct? I don’t understand why you think I would harm you? Is there any conflict of interest between us?"

Zhang Xiaoman paused, frowned deeply, and felt confused, unable to immediately provide an answer.

Indeed, why would he presume the Demon Lord must be his adversary?

He recalled the various incidents along the way, particularly upon acquiring the System and embarking on the Transcendent path, when due to the Great Fusion, many from the Demon Clan began appearing on Water Blue Star.

From that time onwards, Zhang Xiaoman consistently faced these monsters on the front lines.

The antagonist perception of the Demon Lord developed during that period.

Much like in web novels and movies, one first encounters various lesser monsters until finally the ’Boss’ emerges, and the Demon Lord served as the final antagonist of that narrative.

Zhang Xiaoman sensed this was likely his subconscious view.

Thus, over the years, he’d often consider the Demon Lord as a hypothetical enemy, contemplating after acquiring certain powerful abilities whether he could utilize them against that entity, be it for combat or escape.

Yet, upon truly meeting the Demon Lord now and hearing her words, he was bewildered.

Had he been wrong all along, as if trapped in a misconception?

Just as she said, it seemed they truly had no irreconcilable conflict.