Lord of the Truth-Chapter 1233: Soul borrowing

Chapter 1233: Soul borrowing

"It's… the Curse of Eternal Stillness!" Rinara's voice rose slightly, her pupils dilating as an unmistakable look of shock and realization took over her elegant features. She stared at the incomplete pattern, lips parting ever so slightly as if trying to breathe in what the mind had just processed.

Robin blinked. "…That name doesn't exactly sound like something I'd want cast on someone I care about," he said with a sarcastic smirk, though his tone betrayed genuine concern. He leaned further into the plush cushions of the sofa and waved vaguely at the floating sketch in front of him. "Still, I had a feeling from the start—it didn't look like some random technique. That aura… that pressure… it didn't belong to an ordinary soul technique."

He paused, allowing a beat to pass, then asked, "Alright. You seem to know what this thing is. Tell me everything you know."

"You said it was the Empress of the Pit of Destruction who cast this curse on your subordinate?" Rinara asked, eyes still fixed on the shimmering remnants of the drawing, now fading. After a few more seconds of tense silence, she slowly lifted her head, her gaze locking firmly with Robin's. "Are you absolutely sure it was her? There's no chance you've made a mistake? Could it be… another powerful adversary?"

Robin scoffed, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "Do I look like the kind of guy who walks around planetary sectors picking fights with celestial titans for fun? Of course not! Where in hell am I supposed to find another enemy that can casually toss around Royal Soul Energy?!"

He gestured wildly, frustration growing. "Besides you and her, I haven't even exchanged names with any other powerful soul users!"

Rinara exhaled a long breath, her voice low. "Then it sounds like… you simply don't know anyone who could have done this. Because neither I nor the Empress of the Pit of Destruction can use Royal Purple Soul Force. That's a certainty."

"What?!" Robin straightened sharply, his voice nearly rising in disbelief. "What are you talking about? Are you saying that she wasn't the one who did this to Jabba? That doesn't make any sense at all…"

He rubbed his temple, trying to process. "Jabba said it himself that this woman tampered with his soul domain. There's no way it wasn't her…"

"Before we continue," Rinara said with a touch of diplomacy, "May I ask—who exactly is this 'Jabba'? And more importantly, why would someone go so far as to cast the Curse of Eternal Stillness on him of all people?"

Robin's gaze sharpened. "He's… someone of great importance to me," he said quietly, offering nothing more. There was no need to give away more than he already had. This woman had already dug deep enough into matters she shouldn't be aware of.

"Hmm… Then he must be very important indeed. Not just to you, but apparently to the Empress of the Pit of Destruction as well," Rinara replied, a sly smile forming on her lips. "Otherwise, she wouldn't have wasted such a precious, rare curse on him."

Robin narrowed his eyes. "Didn't you just tell me she can't even use Royal Soul Energy?"

"I did," Rinara answered, tone calm and patient. "And it's still true. If she were a Royal Soul Master, her war against the Ghassan Multi-Empire would have proceeded very differently. There's not a single confirmed record of her using that level of soul power on any battlefield, and she plenty of chances."

She lifted her hand with regal elegance. "Trust me, if such a power had been unleashed, it would've been known far and wide. There aren't many who wield that kind of force. News like that doesn't stay quiet."

Robin remained still, frowning slightly.

"But," she continued, "just because her own soul hasn't reached that level… doesn't mean she can't acquire a technique or artifact that contains it."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "…You mean she could've bought it?"

Rinara smiled faintly, clearly amused. "That reaction tells me two very interesting things, Lord Robin. First, despite your massive soul units reserves, you're not a true expert in the intricacies of soul force. A curious contradiction. Second, you know almost nothing about the soul society that spans hundreds of sectors."

Robin's face remained neutral, though his silence said plenty.

She was right—unfortunately. Despite his domain having the absurd capacity to house over 250,000 soul units, his actual techniques were limited, all experimental, and none perfected. He was a juggernaut… built on raw potential, not refined expertise.

"As for the first point," Rinara said, clasping her hands together gently, "the field of soul-specialists is vast—endless, even. It has so many paths, so many uses, that even I haven't seen a fraction of it. But let's talk about your situation."

She leaned forward, posture graceful. "Tell me something, Lord Robin: If one of your children came to you and asked you to plant a soul shard inside their mind to protect them during a dangerous journey… would you do it?"

"Without hesitation," Robin replied immediately, his voice steady and sincere.

"Don't you find that... astonishing?" Rinara's voice dropped into a reverent tone, as though speaking of something sacred. "After you grant him a shard of your soul, your child's soul domain remains exactly as it is. His core essence doesn't change, nor does he gain any artificial strength. He continues to operate using his own natural soul force, unaffected in his day-to-day life. But the moment he's in danger—or when a pre-set condition is met—the embedded soul shard will awaken. It'll respond instinctively, acting as a guardian. It doesn't require conscious control. It simply activates. This concept is known as spiritual hosting, or more specifically, soul borrowing. A miraculous method, really—one that many overlook."

She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in, before giving Robin a measured glance. "And if this principle can be used to protect, then by extension, it can also be weaponized. Which brings us back to what happened with the Curse of Eternal Stillness."

Robin's expression grew tense, his brow furrowed. "What exactly are you implying with all of this?" He leaned forward suddenly, voice sharp, "Wait... are you saying...?"

"Yes," Rinara replied without hesitation. "What I'm suggesting is quite simple, really. A Royal Soul Master implanted the Curse of Eternal Stillness into the soul domain of the Empress of the Pit of Destruction. She was merely the vessel that deployed it. Then she activated it when she used it against this 'Jabba' of yours."

She leaned back slightly, arms folding as she pondered the implications. "How did she got it? It could be anything. Maybe she has ties to a Royal Soul Master. Maybe she once completed a rare favor for one of them, and this was their way of repaying her. Or perhaps… she simply bought the curse."

Robin blinked, startled. "Bought it?! You can purchase something like that? Something so intangible, something directly bound to the soul?! That doesn't even sound remotely plausible."

"To those unfamiliar with the intricacies of the soul society, I suppose it does sound bizarre," Rinara admitted, "but such exchanges are not only possible, they're fairly routine. In fact, nearly everything soul-related technique can be bought, sold, or exchanged—assuming, of course, you have the means and the status."

Her fingers moved gently in the air, as though drawing symbols only she could see. "There's a tiered classification system used to identify the rarity and value of every item in Soul Society: E, D, C, B, A… and then S, the highest and most coveted. The Curse of Eternal Stillness, based on all known records and testimonies, is almost always classified as an A-tier. And that's only when it does show up—which is exceedingly rare."

Robin's jaw tensed. "That high? That kind of value… and it was used on one of my people?" His mind raced, struggling to grasp the magnitude of what Rinara was describing.

Rinara offered a slow, measured nod. "Indeed. And I'm not exaggerating in the slightest. Anything crafted or refined by a Royal Soul Master automatically ranks as A-tier at minimum—sometimes even S-tier, depending on its uniqueness and potency. These individuals are impossibly wealthy. Their time is precious, and they have no need to produce or sell anything unless they feel like it. When one of them does happen to create something—say a curse, a protective soul shard, or a defensive ward—the entire soul society goes into a frenzy. Buyers compete viciously to acquire it. Even if they have no current need for it, they store it in their soul domains as long-term safeguards or investments."

She tapped her chest gently. "I myself am one of those buyers. I once spent a significant portion of my personal fortune to acquire a defensive ward—a shield crafted by a Royal Soul Master. It serves as a protective wall, one that safeguards my soul domain. Despite the fact that my current soul strength is only about 170,000 units, I can still stand my ground against many of those beneath the royal ceiling. Even against the Royals, at the very least, I'm not helpless against attacks aimed directly at the soul domain."

Then, with deliberate grace, Rinara placed her hand on Robin's, her touch light yet grounded in intention. "Typically, defensive barriers and healing spills are the most commonly circulated items to come from the hands of Royal Soul Masters—if you can call anything they produce common. Offensive curses or aggressive enchantments, on the other hand, are rarely seen on the open market. When one does appear, it sparks a ferocious bidding war. Everyone wants it. Everyone needs it. It's the kind of power people kill for."

She paused, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "And that… is why I'm puzzled. The Empress of the Pit of Destruction has a reputation that precedes her—she's notorious for her financial struggles. Her army lacks even a standardized uniform. Her empire's infrastructure is unstable at best. How could she, of all people, afford something as rare and expensive as the Curse of Eternal Stillness?"

Then Rinara leaned back, her expression softening into something more contemplative, almost amused. "Which is why I said it was most likely gifted to her. Maybe it was a token of gratitude. Maybe it was an act of manipulation. Or maybe—just maybe—she was simply lucky."