Chapter 2150 Spider Body with a Human Head <TOC> Chapter 2152 Ominous Signs
Translator: SumTLMan
Three days later, at midnight.
In the most dilapidated building of the orphanage, inside the office filled with the Death Aura.
Angel and Freud stand before a window, gazing at the only lit room in the opposite building. This room, originally the orphanage’s library housing a vast collection of fairytales and picture books from the Tyson family, was now abandoned and its contents burnt.
The reason the light still shines there is due to its temporary conversion into a Soul School Bookroom.
Angel, having reviewed all the magazines, scrolls, and basic training methods related to the soul, displayed them in the bookroom through an illusion.
“How long has Little Seim been in there?” Angel asks softly.
Freud replies, “Ever since Little Seim discovered that bookroom two days ago, he has stayed inside, never leaving.”
After speaking, Freud’s face shows confusion: “Why did you place soul-related books there, Lord?”
“They are for him to read,” Angel’s gaze fixed on the figure reflected in the opposite window.
“But why didn’t you tell him about the books from the beginning, instead letting him find the bookroom himself?” Freud still doesn’t understand.
“Active discovery and passive reception yield entirely different benefits,” Angel pauses, “Moreover, this concerns a test for taking a disciple.”
“A test for taking a disciple?”
“Nisi intends to take Little Seim as a disciple. Before Little Seim truly enters the Savage Grottoes, he asked me to prepare this test,” explains Angel.
Now Freud understands that this Disciple Test is akin to a trial by a guide for a talented individual.
The ‘Dawn of Saughter: Orphanage’ illusion that Freud currently manages is also a similar trial.
Despite understanding, Freud still wonders: “I recall that Nisi isn’t from an academic background, right?”
Since he isn’t an academic wizard, why would a disciple test involve reading?
“Do you think the test is just about reading?” Angel chuckles, “The real test hasn’t started yet. Reading is just a preliminary step, a necessary condition.”
“What is the real test, then?”
Before Freud could get an answer from Angel, the candlelight in the opposite bookroom dims. Little Seim, after spending two days and nights there, finally steps out.
Seeing Little Seim leave, a glint flashes in Angel’s eyes. Simultaneously, the illusion of books he created in the bookroom vanishes, returning the room to its dilapidated state.
“The test is about to begin,” Angel mutters, then quickly changes the subject, “How are your preparations coming along?”
Freud responds, “I’ve understood the learning method for Soul Trickery, and I’ve met the conditions for initial practice.”
“I remember, to formally learn Soul Trickery, one needs to choose a place with a strong presence of Death Aura?” Angel recalls.
“Yes, the Death Aura in the orphanage should suffice for learning Soul Trickery,” Freud nods.
“It may suffice, but don’t forget, after you, there are Alda and Sunny who also need to learn. Moreover, if the Death Aura in the orphanage is depleted, the ‘Dawn of Slaughter’ trial here won’t achieve its best effect.”
“What do you suggest, Lord?”
“Let’s change the location. I know just the place, suitable for the practice of Soul Trickery,” Angel paused, whispering, “And, it’s also where Little Seim undergoes his tests.”
As he spoke, Angel’s gaze drifted away from the opposite building, looking towards the dark horizon and the undulating mountains at its end.
“Star Lake Castle.”
…
Standing by the shimmering lakeshore, Little Seim gazed at the castle in the distance, its appearance mottled in the morning light, feeling sentimental.
In less than a week, he had returned to Star Lake Castle.
Lost in thought, Little Seim felt a cold hand touch his wrist. “Brother Seim, I heard from Master Tyson that this is your family’s ancestral land?”
“Just in the past, it’s been abandoned now,” Little Seim said, taking Alda’s hand.
“Our orphanage was abandoned too.” Alda seemed unfazed by the notion of abandonment, even looking forward to the distant grand castle. “Brother Seim, can I stay in a big room later?”
Little Seim hesitated, looking towards Angel on the other side.
Angel spoke, “This is your territory, you arrange the living quarters for Alda and Sunny.”
Nodding, Little Seim agreed and then turned his attention to the girl in red next to Alda. She glanced coldly at him, sending a chill through his heart.
Little Seim quickly looked away, not daring to stare any longer.
This girl named Sunny… she was terrifying.
Avoiding further glances at Sunny, Little Seim led the group to Star Lake Castle, arranging rooms for both Alda and Sunny with views of the lake.
After settling Alda and Sunny, Little Seim turned to Angel and Freud.
“You don’t need to worry about our rooms. We are here to aid Freud in his soul practice. We’ll be looking for the best place around and won’t stay in the castle,” Angel paused. “As for you, just stay in the castle for the next few days and take good care of Alda and Sunny.”
Freud added with a smile, “To be precise, take care of Alda. Sunny will be asleep these few days; you don’t need to bother about her.”
Sunny was at the peak of her power with an abundance of Death Aura, and her nature was volatile and impulsive. It was safer for her to stay in the Wilderness of Dreams for a while.
“Alright,” Little Seim nodded.
“We’ll be off then. Be careful. If there’s danger, remember not to act rashly; think through your solutions,” Angel said meaningfully, patting Little Seim’s shoulder, then bypassed him and left with Freud, disappearing into the woods.
Little Seim felt a sense of unease, muttering, “Danger? What danger?”
Alda casually said, “He must be talking about thieves. I heard from the master that this castle has many valuable paintings that attract thieves. People break in from time to time.”
“Really just thieves?” Little Seim had a nagging feeling that something was off. Angel’s last look seemed to convey an ominous message.
“No matter if it’s thieves or wild beasts, it doesn’t matter,” Alda confidently assured, “I might not be as strong as Sunny, but I can handle them. Don’t worry, I’ll protect Brother Seim.”
Reassured by Alda’s adorable and confident demeanor, Little Seim’s worries momentarily faded.
Little Seim patted Alda on the head with a smile: “You can stay here at ease. There are some mechanisms in the castle. I’ll go and repair them later. If thieves and wild beasts break in, relying on these mechanisms should be enough to handle them.”
……
Angel and Freud stood on the hill behind the lake.
Gazing at the distant Star Lake Castle, Freud whispered, “Due to a large number of ghosts having once occupied this place, the Death Aura is indeed very strong here, making it a suitable place for practicing Soul Trickery. However, I don’t feel the presence of the Human Face Spider Ghost that the Lord mentioned. Although the Death Aura here is dense, it’s unusually clean.”
“Could it be that the Human Face Spider Ghost seen in Little Seim’s talent test was just an illusion? She might not be here, or perhaps she doesn’t even exist.”
Angel indifferently said, “It doesn’t matter if she doesn’t exist.”
“But Lord, didn’t you say that Wizard Nisi planned to test Little Seim through the Human Face Spider Ghost?”
Nisi and Sanders being close friends implies that they share similar values. Sanders’ method of testing talents was brutal, leading to a bloodbath with countless casualties. As Sanders’ friend, how could Nisi’s test for accepting disciples be as simple as just reading a book?
Nisi’s test for accepting disciples involves Little Seim confronting, and even… killing the Human Face Spider Ghost.
As difficult as it sounds, it indeed is.
Even if Freud still had his physical body, facing a ghost head-on might end up with him fleeing; and against a special ghost like the Human Face Spider Ghost, Freud would undoubtedly lose.
However, though Freud might not be capable, Little Seim might have a chance.
According to Little Seim’s own account, the ghost with a human head and spider body is his relative, Lady Sheila.
Because of their kinship, Lady Sheila would harbor a more intense and powerful desire to kill Little Seim; however, at the same time, Little Seim also has a chance to counterattack.
And this chance lies in his blood.
Blood has a mysterious connection. Lady Sheila can ignite her killing intent towards Little Seim through their blood relationship, and similarly, Little Seim can also inflict severe damage on Lady Sheila with his blood, a level of harm that even extraordinary beings would struggle to cause, potentially leading to Lady Sheila’s complete annihilation.
It is precisely because Little Seim has such an opportunity to counter-kill that Nisi devised this special test for accepting him as a disciple.
The previous instruction to Little Seim to read books was also to let him know the method to resolve the Human Face Spider Ghost through the records in the books.
When he actually encounters the Human Face Spider Ghost, Little Seim can turn his knowledge into a sword in his hand.
Of course, there could be oversights in any plan.
If Little Seim hadn’t discovered the library, or hadn’t come across the method to deal with the Human Face Spider Ghost, he naturally wouldn’t be able to confront Lady Sheila.
Even if he found the method, Little Seim might not have the courage or the wisdom to kill the Human Face Spider Ghost.
Therefore, Little Seim’s own efforts and a bit of luck are needed in this matter.
Certainly, Nisi wouldn’t really let a Near Spirit Body talent like Little Seim die. He asked Angel to save Little Seim at the brink of death.
However, if Angel really had to step in to rescue, then Little Seim’s test score would plummet.
Angel said lightly, “This is just a test formulated by Nisi based on the current situation. If the Human Face Spider Ghost really appears, the test will continue; if it doesn’t appear, then we’ll proceed as usual. Once we return to the Savage Grottoes, Nisi will naturally design a new test specifically for Little Seim.”
“I see,” Freud said, “The difficulty of this test is truly terrifying.”
Freud’s eyes showed a hint of pity: “I still hope that Little Seim does not encounter the Human Face Spider Ghost. He is still a mortal now, and even if he really knows the method to kill the Human Face Spider Ghost, it may not be useful.”
For example, if the Human Face Spider Ghost does not give Little Seim any preparation time and directly launches an attack, even if there is a good method, Little Seim cannot use it.
However, this situation is relatively rare. The Human Face Spider Ghost, when dealing with ordinary people, may kill them at first sight; but when dealing with blood relatives, her resentment will reach the highest point. She probably will use a method of gradual consumption and torture, which gives Little Seim a lot of time to buffer.
Angel looked at Freud quite surprisingly: “At this time, you are still considering the danger that Little Seim might encounter… Indeed, even though the Near Spirit Body is still recessive, it has already begun to influence the souls.”
It seems that both Freud and Alda care a lot about Little Seim.
The only exception is Sunny. However, Sunny is just outwardly indifferent, and what she really thinks inside is hard to say.
Freud was stunned for a moment. If someone else had said this, Freud would definitely have retorted; but Angel, as his master, would naturally not speak without a basis.
Freud reflected on his recent emotions and indeed, he had an unusual concern for Little Seim, and he had begun to approach him subtly.
Initially, he thought that since Little Seim was brought back by Angel, it was harmless to get close; but recalling Drew, whom Angel had brought before, he definitely did not have this kind of feeling.
Is this the power of the Near Spirit Body?
Freud was greatly shocked and fear flashed in his eyes.
Angel just smiled: “You don’t need to be so alarmed. When you don’t know, your subconscious will control your closeness and distance; when you truly realize it, you will naturally become clear and not be influenced by the Near Spirit Body.”
Despite saying so, Freud was still somewhat frightened.
Angel shook his head and changed the topic: “Now let’s talk about you. Which Soul Trickery do you plan to start practicing first?”
Soul Trickery encompasses a lot of content, from skill-based, to defensive, to offensive types, covering everything.
That’s why Angel asked this question.
Freud pondered for a moment: “My original plan was to first practice Death Aura Transformation, as it is the most direct way I can affect the physical world. However, since there might be a Human Face Spider Ghost here, I plan to reconsider.”
The reason Freud said this is because when initially learning Soul Trickery, although there is a great drawback——the likelihood of being influenced by Death Aura and falling into corruption, requiring someone to safeguard, there is also a huge advantage.
The first Soul Trickery, boosted by Death Aura, can be mastered in a very short time.
However, learning the second type of Soul Trickery takes a very long time, requiring gradual and steady effort. Most ghosts outside only know one type of Soul Trickery for this reason, and those who know multiple types are usually old ghosts accumulated over many years.
Because of such a mechanism, the initial choice is very important.
Freud hopes to maximize his own improvement.
Death Aura Transformation was his previous consideration. But now, with a special ghost suspected to be nearby, he has a new idea.
Chapter 2150 Spider Body with a Human Head <TOC> Chapter 2152 Ominous Signs