"Hoo... A fated partner, huh... You mean a lifelong mate?"
"Not necessarily a mate, no. Sometimes it's a friend you'll spend your life with, a lord you'll serve, or a comrade you can fight shoulder-to-shoulder with. That said, more than half the time, it turns out to be a mate."
"Quite intriguing."
What, you think I haven't seen couples shatter after coming for a reading, only to find out they're not each other's fated partners? Best not mention that.
"In cases like this, I can't pinpoint exact personal details. I can describe their appearance, notable traits, and the location from the future I glimpse. But if you ask who exactly... well, that's tricky. Even I don't know."
"Your abilities come with so many quirks."
"Would reading the future be easy if they didn't?"
I responded to the Heavenly Demon as I drew a fist-sized orb from within my robes.
This was, without a doubt, the most crucial tool for divination.
The wooden plaques and other items could be replaced somehow, but this? Irreplaceable.
"Ah, and if it's not too rude... might I have a single strand of your hair?"
"Here."
"Please wait just a moment..."
-Whummm
Placing the hair atop the orb and activating it, the sphere began to glow.
"...A Night-Luminous Pearl?"
"No, it's not."
This was why I rarely brought it out.
Night-Luminous Pearls were incredibly valuable in the martial world.
Especially before I gained any fame—I'd kept it hidden deep in my robes and used it in secret, which was a real hassle.
No way the Heavenly Demon would covet a pearl this small, right?
Her Demonic Cult's underground vaults were probably stacked with them.
-Whoooosshh
The orb emanated light and began releasing energy.
Energy unlike inner force. I just called it heavenly qi.
A faint, barely visible strand of qi stretched down from the clouds above, pouring into this tiny orb and forming a vortex within.
"Alright then... let's take a look."
Feeling my consciousness pulled into the orb, I closed my eyes.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
-Tweet tweet
The surroundings were remarkably peaceful.
Flowers bloomed vibrantly, sunlight bathed the scene, and an elegant estate complete with a garden came into view.
[The warm breeze and blooming flowers suggest spring. What a beautiful estate.]
[An estate, is it...]
Come to think of it, did the Heavenly Demon even have a home?
I was curious but decided not to ask.
Where a martial artist lived was a pretty sensitive topic.
"I'll keep looking around for now. We've got plenty of time."
Moving this new body formed in the space, I entered the estate.
This realm was a virtual space conjured by heavenly qi.
Here, I was invisible and imperceptible to others—like a ghost.
Stepping inside, I heard voices.
Following them, I found four children resembling the Heavenly Demon, quarreling fiercely.
"Little sister! Did you eat the snacks I hid in the teacup?!"
"N-No, I didn't! It was you, brother Jeong-un!"
"Why drag me into this?!"
"Don't fight, brothers..."
'...'
Siblings gonna sibling, even if they're the Heavenly Demon's kids, huh.
Surprisingly ordinary for her brood.
"Yeah, I ate them. What're you gonna do? Hit me?"
"You...! Follow me to the training hall! I'll pay you back for last time!"
'Kids, alright.'
Her parenting style was so very Heavenly Demon.
[Two sons and two daughters. You two must get along wonderfully.]
[Hoo. Me, building a family? What an amusing future. I wonder what kind of man...]
Now that I thought about it, I was curious too.
What kind of guy could settle down with her?
And have four kids? Their marriage must be rock-solid.
'Whoever you are, please, no domestic spats...'
The Central Plains might erupt if they ever had a lovers' quarrel.
All I could do was pray for peace.
[Now, let's find that man.]
[Yes, I'm curious too.]
Leaving the kids behind, I wandered the estate.
-Boom!
While searching, a vibration reached me.
The ongoing rumbles suggested that sparring match was underway.
'...Those kids are stronger than me, probably.'
Idly thinking that, I kept searching, but oddly, I saw the children's rooms and the Heavenly Demon's—yet no husband's quarters.
'Doesn't stay home much?'
But four kids meant their relationship wasn't bad.
Maybe they were close once but split for some reason—though this space was created to find the Heavenly Demon's fated partner, so they had to be here, husband or not.
[Haven't found him yet?]
[...It's proving difficult.]
[Hmm...]
Even from outside, I sensed impatience in the Heavenly Demon's voice.
No helping it, then.
It'd be a shame, but I had no choice.
'These are a pain to make.'
I pulled a talisman from my robes.
In this orb-space brimming with heavenly qi, activating it was effortless.
Infusing it with energy, I tossed it—the talisman shot off in one direction.
[Should find him soon.]
Telling her that, I hurried after it.
The talisman led straight to the Heavenly Demon's room.
The one I'd confirmed empty earlier.
'Something inside?'
Following it in, it veered behind the bookshelf.
Secret chamber, apparently.
Ghost-like as I was, I passed through—the stairs led underground.
'...'
-Gulp
Something felt ominous.
Off.
Why go to a basement to find a fated partner?
Was he some heinous criminal in hiding?
[Just a moment... please wait.]
I'd visited battlefields in these visions before, but this was a first.
'A basement? Why?'
Instinct screamed not to descend those foreboding stairs, but I had to.
Couldn't just bail empty-handed.
Steel myself, go check, and hopefully it's nothing.
'Hoo... calm down.'
Patting my chest, I descended deep—another heavily locked door blocked the way.
I phased through, but anyone else would've turned back.
Was it really for intruders? Escaping from inside looked tough.
'...'
Sinister thoughts flashed, but I pushed on.
More locks later, I finally spotted it.
A figure bound by chains thicker than their own limbs.
'...Urk.'
I'd seen all sorts in visions, but this revulsion was new.
Perfectly normal-looking guy, too. Who'd do this?
'Ha...'
Small mercy: this was just virtual.
Whoever he was, I prayed this future never came.
Sorry I can't help, but duty calls—I need to see his face.
'Pardon me...'
Approaching, the man began trembling violently.
'...?'
Shouldn't sense me?
Imagination?
"Ahh... ugh..."
A hoarse, cracked groan escaped him—barely a voice.
Suppressing my rising disgust, I carefully checked his face.
-Thud!
"Gasp...! Heok...!"
I recoiled in shock.
Dim light hid it at first, but the face was intimately familiar.
My own.
-Clank clank!
"Uwaa... uwaaa..."
The man—no, I—stared straight at me, flailing chained arms.
Terrifying.
Unbearable.
Disheveled hair, emaciated body, skin deathly pale from no sun.
'What?! What is this?!'
Why was I here?!
Why was I in this state?!
Was I the Heavenly Demon's fated partner?
To end up like that?
"W-What do you want with me?"
"Ahh... aahhh..."
I shed tears.
Mouth gaping, unable to speak properly.
"Es... cape...?"
"Ugh! Uughhh!"
"Yeah...?"
I nodded frantically.
Escape?
Why?
In this space, I was—
-Chill!
Sudden goosebumps over my whole body.
Something descended from above.
I should be invincible here, untouchable—yet that certainty cracked.
-Shiver shiver
My body shook uncontrollably, rooted in place.
Couldn't move.
As it approached, overwhelming terror crawled over me in real time.
"Ugh! Uuugh!!"
I thrashed desperately, saying something—but I couldn't make it out.
And it reached the final door.
As it opened—
-Flash!
"Heok...! Heok...! Gasp...!"
"You alright? Your face went pale, so I touched you—did I err?"
The Heavenly Demon's face filled my vision.
My body still trembled.
.
.
.
"Calmed down?"
"Y-Yes. Sorry for the unsightly display."
"No need. Reading heavenly secrets can't be easy. Don't apologize."
Hand on my racing heart, I steadied my breath.
Then came the mind-numbing question.
"So, did you see my husband's appearance?"
"Ah..."
My mouth gaped stupidly, mind blank.
The chained me in the basement resurfaced.
Now I noticed—the four kids resembled the Heavenly Demon, but also me.
"Ahh..."
Thoughts frozen, instinct took over.
"Tall and handsome, with long white hair. Muscular build from martial arts training."
Utterly unlike me.
"Hmm... White hair... Northern Sea Ice Palace, perhaps."
"I-I'm just describing the appearance."
Sorry, Ice Palace.
Survival first.
I didn't mean to throw you under.
.
.
.
Sensing my poor state, the Heavenly Demon soon let me go.
And later I learned:
This was when my life truly began to unravel.