From the top floor of the Treehouse Bar, he quickly descended to the first-floor hall.
In contrast to the quiet of the top floor, the atmosphere here was much livelier. Many idle residents came here to have a few drinks and chat.
Angel’s gaze wandered for a moment, finally settling on a corner.
He hadn’t even reached it yet and could already hear bursts of coquettish laughter.
Two beautiful ladies, one holding a glass of freshly brewed flower wine, the other a feather fan covering their continuously laughing mouths, had their eyes fixed intently on a gray-haired old man in their midst.
The sound of the beauties’ laughter made the old man even more excited, and he continued recounting his experiences filled with fantastical events, drawing even shyer giggles.
In Angel’s view, this scene was nothing short of a lecherous old man deceiving naïve young girls.
However, these "young girls" appeared quite experienced, with sharp eyes. Yet even so, they were allured enough by the old man’s tales to reveal delightful smiles, indicating that the old man, despite his lechery, was highly skilled.
Angel originally intended to wait until the old man finished before approaching. But he seemed like a tireless story machine, churning out one vivid tale after another, seemingly endless.
Angel thought it over and decided not to wait any longer. He stepped forward and lightly tapped on the table.
"Mr. Nis." Angel nodded slightly in greeting.
The gray-haired old man was none other than Sanders’ dear friend, Soul Wizard Nis Byron.
"Ladies, I have something to ask Mr. Nis, if you wouldn’t mind sparing us some time?" Angel paused and looked at the two ladies.
Though Angel’s identity wasn’t publicly announced in Originheart City, it was no secret in private discussions. Upon seeing Angel’s face, the two ladies had already made guesses and didn’t hesitate to nod: "Of course."
With that, they linked arms and moved to another table.
Angel then sat beside Nis, blinking as he remarked, "Wizard Nis, it seems you’ve been doing well lately?"
Nis offered a subtle smile: "Not bad."
Though his reply was understated, there was a hint of pride in Nis’s eyes, a look that invited Angel to probe further, promising more details.
No doubt, Nis’s intended disclosures were far from research explorations.
Angel disregarded Nis’s veiled invitations to gossip and stated directly, "I came with a small question to ask Wizard Nis."
Nis looked up at Angel, signaling him to continue.
"I wonder if Wizard Nis has ever heard of a talent called the Near-Spirit Body?"
The primary purpose of Angel’s visit to the Wilderness of Dreams this time was to consult Nis about the Near-Spirit Body.
Angel had never heard of such a talent before.
Since this talent was termed "Near-Spirit," Angel speculated it might relate to souls, leading him straight to Soul Wizard Nis.
"Near-Spirit Body?" Nis’s expression stiffened, his previously relaxed demeanor turning a touch solemn: "What prompts you to ask this now?"
"I just happened to hear about the Near-Spirit Body, and I’m a bit curious."
Nis scrutinized Angel’s expression carefully, and after a long moment, he spoke with a dubious tone: "I heard from Lord Tree Spirit that you left the Barbarian Cave. You didn’t happen to encounter someone with a Near-Spirit Body outside, did you?"
Angel smiled slightly: "Kind of, but the Near-Spirit Body in them is latent."
"You really encountered one?" Nis exclaimed in surprise: "Latent... seems like it’s a deficiency in bloodline concentration. That’s a pity; if the Near-Spirit Body manifests, it would be quite an excellent prospect."
"Why do you say that?"
Nis: "The Near-Spirit Body is an extraordinarily rare soul talent. Souls with this talent are naturally dominant in the realm of souls."
As Nis explained, Angel formed a conception of the Near-Spirit Body.
As he previously surmised, the Near-Spirit Body indeed related to souls. Those with this talent naturally attract various souls and can exert some influence over them.
The effects might seem insignificant at first but actually harbor immense potential.
Firstly, the Near-Spirit Body naturally gathers numerous souls around it. These souls are inherently attracted, and without any contract, they gradually become the best allies of the Near-Spirit Body.
Furthermore, if the Near-Spirit Body engages in soul cultivation, it serves as the purest soul source, continually providing empowering energy to strengthen the soul. It might even attract or nurture special souls.
Finally, when advanced to a certain level, the Near-Spirit Body can, to some extent, command undead driven only by chaotic thoughts and the urge to kill.
This talent is among the top-tier talents within the Soul Sect.
Nis: "However, while this talent is marvelous, the majority only benefit post-cultivation. Without embarking on the path of wizardry, this talent can easily backfire."
"Why would it backfire?" Angel inquired perplexedly.
"If you have read ’The Widow’ penned by the Twilight King Isabel of Black Castle, you’ll understand what I mean. This book explicitly states why the Near-Spirit Body is cherished—not due to rarity, but because once this talent awakens, the mortality rate exceeds ninety percent."
"It’s not awakening that kills them but the influence of spiritual bodies post-awakening. The leading cause of death is attacks from the undead."
The Near-Spirit Body doesn’t only naturally attract souls but also draws in a large number of undead.
If the Near-Spirit Body’s owner has undergone cultivation, they can, to a degree, influence or even control the undead. But lacking cultivation methods, if an ordinary mortal awakens the talent and is besieged by undead... the consequences are conceivable.
"The Near-Spirit Body attracts hordes of undead..." Angel reflected, recalling the scene at Star Lake Castle, where more than thirty undead swarmed around.
At that time, Angel couldn’t fathom why so many undead gathered?
Though Star Lake Castle lay on death-laden land, favorable to undead, it had been the Saint Sam family’s summer retreat, never attracting undead, suggesting the land wasn’t originally steeped in death.
This implies the undead likely brought the death aura to Star Lake Castle, not its natural state.
So, why had such a multitude of undead congregated at Star Lake Castle?