Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1110: Karma

"Impossible? How?" Robin furrowed his brows slightly, his golden eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Didn't you just say that someone in the Nexus-state Realm could destroy a planet without even stepping foot on it? I've angered that woman a lot… Oh heavens, I even called her a bitch multiple times!"

A shiver ran down his spine at the realization. He had witnessed firsthand the devastation that mere remnants of Fifth-stage Laws could bring when that shadow attacked. And that wasn't even a fraction of what a true Sixth-Stage Law wielder could unleash. If not for the planet's spirit fighting desperately to defend itself, Nehari would have been reduced to cosmic dust, its very existence erased!

Evergreen, however, remained calm. She shook her head lightly and replied, "(That is true—according to the rules, a Nexus state cultivator is indeed given certain privileges… and planetary destruction is one of them. But any of them would think a million times before actually committing to such an act.)"

Robin's breath caught for a moment. "And why is that?"

Evergreen's voice carried an air of solemnity as she explained, "(Because if they do, they will have to face two things: First, the Law of Retribution, also known as Karma. And second, the relentless pursuit of the Star Academies.)"

Robin's lips parted slightly, but he remained silent, listening with complete focus.

This wasn't the first time he had heard about Karma. In fact, it was the very last thing Pythor had spoken about before his demise!

Evergreen continued, her voice steady. "(First, the Law of Retribution, or Karma— it is exactly what its name implies. When you do something evil, you must expect evil to come back to you. Betray a friend? Expect betrayal in return. Do good? Good fortune will eventually find its way to you.)"

She waved her hand, and a faint green glow flickered through the air.

"(Like all heavenly laws, Karma has matured significantly among the inhabitants of the Middle Planetary Belt and has become a force to be truly feared. Those who commit too many crimes accumulate a heavy aura of negative karma, which in turn attracts misfortunes to them constantly.)"

Her expression darkened slightly as she added, "(It is one of the most feared laws in the Middle Belt, especially among the powerful. Even though every Nexus State cultivator has reached a level where they own at least one planet and have nearly achieved immortality, there is not a single true immortal in the Middle Belt. Sooner or later, every one of them dies. And do you know what they blame for their downfall? The Law of Karma itself. Every person who reaches that level of power has committed countless atrocities, sins that cannot be forgiven… and in the end, Karma always catches up with them.)"

Robin nodded thoughtfully, digesting every word.

"Pythor… he mentioned that the negative karma he had accumulated from committing genocide is what ultimately led him to me and resulted in his death. I thought he was just rambling nonsense in his final moments… but this…?"

Evergreen smirked slightly. "(Hmm… Maybe he was rambling. After all, the effect of Karma in the Young Belt is weak. If he had truly gathered enough negative karma to be hunted down by it, then his crimes must have been immeasurable.)"

She tilted her head slightly before continuing.

"(In the Middle Belt, Karma builds up rapidly. Whether good or bad, it takes shape around a person like an aura, influencing their fate in tangible ways. At first, it starts small—spoiled food, mechanical failures in spaceships… But as it intensifies, it begins affecting one's very cultivation progress, causing bottlenecks, regression… and eventually, even death.)"

A dry gulp slid down Robin's throat. His expression stiffened slightly.

He had never stopped to think about it before, but… directly or indirectly, he had caused the deaths of billions.

Evergreen's laughter chimed in his mind, playful yet strangely reassuring.

"(Hehehe~ No need to panic, Owner! Even Karma has loopholes you can take advantage of. You can always counterbalance bad karma by doing good deeds. I'm sure you'll come up with something eventually~)"

Then, her voice took on an edge of seriousness.

"(But let me make this very clear, Robin —never, never even think about destroying a planet, especially an innocent one in the Young Planetary Belt. The sheer amount of negative karma you would accumulate from such an act would incite the wrath of everything beneath the heavens! The word disaster would not even begin to describe the misfortunes that would consume you!)"

"Well… that's… reassuring, I suppose." Robin scratched his head, a complicated expression crossing his face. The very law that had terrified him moments ago was now the same one bringing him relief.

Perhaps that was the true intention behind its existence.

Still, he wasn't entirely satisfied. His gaze sharpened as he asked Evergreen, "That alone is already enough—no sane person would dare mess with a Heavenly Law. But what about the role of the Star Academies in all of this? I've heard about them a few times, but I don't fully understand their purpose."

Evergreen's voice remained steady and patient as she explained, "(They stand at the very peak of the Middle Planetary Belt. Some academies focus entirely on research, choosing seclusion as they strive to advance themselves and the world. Others, however, act as enforcers, carrying the heavy burden of protecting living beings from the forces of evil.)"

She paused briefly before continuing, "(And these forces of evil aren't just naturally malevolent beings like the Red Plague. They also include the intelligent races' evildoers, major criminal organizations, destructive cults, and individuals who have accumulated so much negative karma that it surpasses a certain threshold.)"

Robin blinked, his brows furrowing in thought.

"So… destroying a planet in the Young Belt would cause someone's negative karma to skyrocket… and that's what would put them on the Star Academies' radar? Not the act of planetary destruction itself?"

Evergreen let out a soft chuckle. "(Of course! How else do you think they would even find out about the destruction of a planet in the Young Belt? Do you have any idea how many planets are out there? Do you know how vast the planetary sectors of the Young Belt are?!)"

She shook her head. "(The elders of the Star Academies are not omnipresent gods. They don't possess an all-seeing gaze that detects every single crime the moment it happens. But…" she smirked, "they do have eyes and ears everywhere in the Middle Belt. The moment someone's negative karma reaches a dangerous threshold, they immediately become a target. From the academies' perspective, it's as if the Law of Karma itself is marking these individuals for elimination—as if they are carrying out justice on behalf of the Heavenly Laws.)"

Robin leaned back slightly, exhaling as he processed the information.

"I… I always thought that you planet spirits had some sort of direct connection with the Star Academies… like, I dunno, maybe you report things to them?"

A faint heat crept onto his cheeks as he scratched his head in mild embarrassment. "For a moment, I even wondered if they were the ones who made the rules…"

Evergreen's response was immediate. "(Don't let your thoughts drift too far, Owner. The Star Academies are just as bound by the rules as anyone else. In fact, they are probably the most fearful of them— they spend their entire lives avoiding any sort of transgression. After all… the more knowledge you gain, the more you realize just how terrifying the rules and laws truly are.)"

Robin nodded slowly, his expression darkening.

The stronger he became… the more he learned… the more he understood that the One Who Set the Cosmic Rules and Heanely Laws was not an entity to be taken lightly.

Evergreen's words made him reevaluate everything.

What were the true limits of the laws?

And more importantly… what lay beyond them?

BANG!

"Hm?"

Robin's thoughts were violently interrupted by a soft yet unexpected impact against his side.

Turning his head, he found himself staring at a twisted, half-burned corpse-like figure floating alongside him on the surface of the Magma Sea.

Well… unlike him, the extreme heat was visibly devouring this poor soul, worsening its already horrific state.

Robin's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. "…Holak?! You're still alive?!"

After everything that had happened… he was still here?!

A rough, hoarse voice rasped through the heated air.

"Oh… my apologies. Did I interrupt your weird conversation with yourself?" Holak's tone was dry, edged with a dark amusement.

"To be honest, I have quite the headache… and I could really use a nice, cold bath. Would you mind helping me out?"

His voice was grating, painful even, as if his very throat had been scorched from the inside.

Robin blinked before letting out a small chuckle. "No need to apologize. I was just thinking out loud about some things."

His voice was light, but he made no move to help Holak.

Instead, he gently pushed the man away, letting him continue drifting along the molten currents.

"I'll be staying here a while longer. You go on ahead. Safe travels."

He waved lazily as Holak slowly drifted into the distance.

"Don't forget to write!"