Adar, beside Little Sam, said casually: "He’s talking about thieves, right? I heard from young master, this castle has famous paintings hidden and is often targeted by thieves, with people intruding now and then."
"Really thieves?" Little Sam felt uneasy, sensing something was off with Angel’s last glance, as if it hinted at something ominous.
"It doesn’t matter if it’s thieves or beasts." Adar patted his chest: "Although I’m not as skilled as Shanni, I can still handle these. Don’t worry, with me around, I’ll protect Brother Sam."
Little Sam had some suspicions in his heart, but seeing Adar’s cute and adorable appearance, his attention was diverted.
Little Sam smiled and patted Adar’s head: "You can stay here at ease. There are some traps in the castle. I’ll repair them later. If thieves or beasts do break in, the traps should be sufficient to deal with them."
...
Angel and Frode stood on a hill behind the lake.
Frode looked at the distant Star Lake Castle and said softly: "Because a large number of undead once resided here, the death gas here is indeed very dense, making it suitable for practicing Soul Tricks. However, I don’t sense the spider undead you mentioned, Master. Although the death gas is thick, it’s unusually clean."
"Could it be that the spider undead seen in Little Sam’s Talent Test was just an illusion? It may not be here, or might not even exist."
Angel replied nonchalantly: "It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t exist."
"But didn’t you say, Master, that Wizard Nis wanted to test Little Sam through the spider undead?"
Nis being close friends with Sanders means they share similar values. Sanders tested Talented Ones directly by creating the Nine Chambers Bloodsport, causing countless deaths. As Sanders’ close friend, Nis’ apprentice test couldn’t just be as simple as reading books, could it?
Nis’ test for apprentices involves having Little Sam encounter the spider undead, and perhaps even... kill it.
It sounds difficult, and indeed it is.
Even if Frode still had a physical body, if he really had to face an undead, it’s uncertain who would end up running away; facing a Special Undead, Frode would undoubtedly lose.
However, while Frode might not be up to the task, Little Sam might be.
According to Little Sam’s own description, the spider undead with a human head is his kin, Lady Cilla.
Because of this familial connection, Lady Cilla would have an even stronger urge to kill Little Sam; but at the same time, Little Sam would also have a chance to fight back.
That opportunity lies in his blood.
Blood ties have mystical connections. Lady Cilla might ignite a killing intent towards Little Sam through their bloodline, yet Little Sam can also use his own blood to inflict severe harm on Lady Cilla, even more than ordinary Transcendents, possibly leading to her complete annihilation.
Because only Little Sam has this opportunity for counterattack, Nis seized the chance to design this special apprentice test for him.
The previous book reading was to let Little Sam learn the solution to the spider undead through the records.
At that time, if he does encounter the spider undead, Little Sam can transform knowledge into a sharp weapon in his hand.
Of course, there’s always room for error in anything.
If Little Sam doesn’t find the library, or doesn’t discover the solution to the spider undead, he naturally won’t be able to deal with Lady Cilla.
Even if he does find out how to solve the spider undead, Little Sam might not necessarily have the courage or wisdom to kill it.
Therefore, Little Sam’s own effort and a bit of luck are needed.
Of course, Nis wouldn’t truly let a Talented One like Little Sam die, so he asked Angel to rescue him if he were on the brink of death.
However, if Angel were to rescue him, Little Sam’s test score would plummet.
Angel said lightly: "This is just a test Nis devised according to current conditions. If the spider undead appears, the test continues; if it doesn’t, then we do what needs to be done, and once back at the Barbarian Cave, Nis will naturally come up with a new test tailored for Little Sam."
"I see." Frode said: "The difficulty of this test is simply terrifying."
Frode’s eyes showed a hint of pity: "I still hope Little Sam doesn’t encounter the spider undead. He’s still a mortal, and even if he learns how to kill it, it might not be useful."
For instance, if the spider undead doesn’t give Little Sam any preparation time and strikes immediately, no matter how good the plan is, Little Sam won’t have a chance to use it.
However, this situation is relatively rare. When dealing with ordinary people, the spider undead might kill with one glance; but when dealing with blood relatives, her Resentment Energy will peak, likely using methods of devouring and torturing, which would give Little Sam a significant time buffer.
Angel looked at Frode with some surprise: "You are considering the dangers Little Sam might face at this moment... It seems that the near-Spirit body is already influencing the undead, albeit subtly."
Both Frode and Adar seem quite concerned about Little Sam.
The only exception is Shanni, though Shanni is cold on the surface, her true feelings are hard to judge.
Frode was startled for a moment. If someone else had said this, he would undoubtedly refute it; however, with Angel as his master, it’s impossible for the words to be baseless.
Reflecting on his recent emotions, Frode indeed had an unusual focus on Little Sam and had unconsciously begun to grow fond of him.
Initially, he thought it was harmless since Little Sam was brought back by Angel; but remembering Duru brought back by Angel before, he definitely didn’t feel this way.
Is this the power of the near-Spirit body?
Frode was taken aback, a hint of apprehension in his eyes.
Angel, however, simply smiled: "You don’t need to be on guard. When you aren’t aware, the subconscious influences who you feel close to; but once you realize it, you naturally become clear-headed and won’t be affected by the near-Spirit body."
Although that’s what was said, Frode still felt a bit apprehensive.
Angel shook his head and shifted the conversation: "Now let’s talk about you. Which type of Soul Trick do you plan to start practicing first?"
Soul Tricks encompass a wide range, from technical, to defensive, to offensive types—everything.
That’s why Angel posed this question.
Frode pondered for a moment: "Originally, I planned to practice Death Gas Materialization first, as it is my most direct means of influencing the Material Realm. But since there might be a spider undead here, I plan to reconsider."
Frode said this because initially practicing Soul Tricks, despite having a significant drawback—being likely corrupted by Resentment Energy and requiring someone to safeguard; it also has a significant advantage.
The first type of Soul Trick, boosted by Resentment Energy, can be mastered quickly in a short time.
To learn a second type of Soul Trick, however, would be a very lengthy process, requiring slow and steady progress. Most undead outside only know one Soul Trick, which is why those who know multiple tricks are mostly old ghosts with many years behind them.
Due to this mechanism, the initial choice is very important.
Frode hopes to maximize his improvement.
Death Gas Materialization was his previous consideration. But now, given the possibility of a Special Undead nearby, he has new ideas.