Emperor's Reckoning

The time before the man arrived at Deo. He was visiting a certain famous fortuneteller that was regarded for its one hundred percent accuracy of reading the near future.

The fortuneteller was an avid traveler. She never stayed put in one place and always moving to the next world. It was by chance coincidence that the man stumbled upon her great presence.

Her face was always hidden under her hood but one could see her beautiful red lips. She didn't use a catalyst such as a crystal ball to read their fortune, instead, she will just answer her costumer's question without much-needed thinking.

Wherever she went, the ruler of the land would greet her personally, not daring to offend her. With one piece of information coming out of her mouth, their land might face imminent destruction or endless joy.

Many powerful cultivators wanted to seek audience with her but rarely one could and even if they somehow had the chance, paying her exorbitant price was another matter.

It was in a distant world from Deo did they meet. On a cliff staring at the horizon, the fortune teller calmly sat down and meditated. Though the wind blows brazenly, her face was still hidden under her hood as her cloak fluttered against it.

The sound of footsteps was heard before the man knelt a few spaces behind her.

"I'm here to request your aid," asked the man humbly.

The fortuneteller chuckled, "They all do."

The man continued, "I need your grace to read me about the whereabouts of a woman."

The fortuneteller stood up before facing him. Her lips curved to a smile before she said, "I know where she is, but it would cost you."

The man raised his eyebrows in astonishment, she didn't even ask the name but with only a single glance at him, she knew the answer. Her extraordinary ability was truly revered by the multi-worlds.

He cupped his hands, "May I know the price for such information."

The fortuneteller chuckled once more, "Give me half your spatial ring along with the item contained within, also part with your sentient weapon."

The man opened his eyes wide. This was blatant robbery, not even an evil merchant would give such price. A sentient weapon was hard to get, let alone to be partnered with and she just told him to part with it like it was any other day in the business.

He nervously pleaded, "Y-your grace, can you lower the price?"

Though the hope was slim, it was still there. Everything in this world was flexible, including this occasion.

The fortuneteller amused by his request, "You dare to ask for a lower price? Not even your ruler dares to do so."

The mention of his ruler got his body to stiffen. How could she not know who was his leader, not even him would dare to ask that, what a mere ant like him could possibly achieve.

"The decision is up to you, whether you want the information or not-? HM?!"

A piece of an image suddenly interrupted her vision as her entire figure lit up. Her cloak was fluttering wildly as she mildly floated in the air.

The piece of the image was like a torn paper. Slowly but surely the pieces connected to one another forming a drawing.

It was a scene where many corpses were laid waste to the bones. Piling up like a mountain, sustaining a patch of land, no, a kingdom on top of it. The magnificent design of the palace in the center was a delight to her eyes. (A metaphor?).

She never got a metaphor reading since the first time she learned fortunetelling. (Why now? Am I still not powerful enough to understand?). The further she pondered the further the view went on.

She was now in front of the palace, but before she could knock the door. The door opened by itself as if welcoming her presence in this metaphor. Her eyes immediately opened wide as the view in front of her was too majestic to be described.

Red carpet greeted her feet as she walked inside the throne room. There were shadowy individuals sitting on the stairs leading up to the throne. Each and every one of them could easily slap the sun into tears.

She furrowed her eyebrows as the shadows seemed to not know her existence. She climbed the stairs before her eyes were filled with kingdom toppling beauties that danced around the throne, covering the figure who was sitting on it. Every single one of them could even make the heavens descend and the hell froze. (Are they the ruler's consorts?).

Her curiosity grew even bigger as she wondered about the ruler's identity. What kind of ruler managed to invite such powerful figures and so many beauties as his wives?

As the consorts fluttered away, she opened her eyes wide. The identity of the ruler of such grandeur of a kingdom was.

(Empty?).

However, before she could contemplate, an arm suddenly coiled around her shoulder. Her figure froze as she never had a man this close before. She could feel warm breath was getting in and out of his nostrils and hitting her flushed cheek.

"Boo!" said the man to her ear before she was sent back to reality.

The fortuneteller abruptly fell to the ground as she was catching for breath. That was the most bizarre fortune-telling she ever experienced. She couldn't understand the meaning at all.

"Y-Your grace are you okay?" asked the man.

"I-I'm fine, just give me your sentient weapon for this service," said the fortuneteller.

"Eh?" The man was surprised by her generosity. Maybe this was the only time she would give a discount to someone.

"Gah, you took too long!" The fortune-teller forcefully retracted the sentient weapon out of his soul with just a flick of her finger before she disappeared from the spot.

The man was dumbfounded as to what just happen. Her power was beyond his comprehension. How could someone forcefully break the pack between the sentient weapon and its master with just a flick of a finger?

He couldn't come up with an answer as a piece of paper hit his face.