Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2149: Chapter 2150: Human-Headed Spider

The sun gradually slanted westward, and the golden dusk spread across the entire Bolai Town. After dinner, the residents sang and danced, as if hearing a new dusk melody, and their dance steps were reborn; poets in the square plucked harps, elegantly chanting the poetry of the sunset glow; painters by the river hastened to capture this beautiful moment.

In many places, dusk is hailed as the key to opening darkness, but in Bolai Town, it has become a treasure of praise.

But even the brightest treasure cannot illuminate all places, like the orphanage deep in Tyson Alley.

In a dim little room, young Sam opened his eyes.

He rubbed his eyes, got off the bed, and opened the window to look outside—the sky was dark, with only a few bright spots glimpsed between the distant building silhouettes, peeking through the crevices of dusk.

The orphanage is forever shrouded in eeriness, as if cut off from the outside world’s cycles of day and night.

If a regular person came here, they would probably be terrified. Even those with courage wouldn’t like such a place.

But Sam felt the cold and slightly death-laden world around him and inexplicably felt inner peace.

Compared to the bustling and dull years on the farm, he relaxed his mind here for the first time. Perhaps because of his mood at this moment, he didn’t dislike or fear the orphanage.

Sitting at the window, daydreaming for a while, Sam’s mind wandered over various things—past, present, and dreams of the future.

He was brought back to reality by a knock at the door.

”Are you Brother Sam?”

The door opened to reveal a very soft and adorable little boy. However, Sam had already been told by Mr. Tyson that the orphanage housed only the undead, so this little boy should be one of them.

”Adar?”

Adar’s eyes lit up, raising his hand high: ”Yes, my name is Adar!”

Sam looked at Adar’s shining eyes and instinctively rubbed his head. After doing so, he paused.

Was he perhaps overstepping boundaries?

Moreover, he should have feared the undead, so why was he not afraid of Adar at all?

While Sam hesitated, Adar was very happy. He somehow liked this older brother and was not at all opposed to his closeness.

”You came to find me, is there something you need?” Sam coughed twice, retracting his somewhat uncertain hand.

”It’s Mr. Pat who sent me. The lord said Brother Sam is awake and asked you to come over,” Adar explained.

Upon hearing that Mr. Pat wanted him to come over, Sam didn’t hesitate: ”Alright, lead the way.”

Maybe Adar was so soft and easy to talk to, Sam kept asking about the orphanage and Mr. Pat throughout the journey.

Adar barely answered questions about Mr. Pat; however, he did not conceal the orphanage’s situation. Sam learned that the orphanage was eerie even during the day due to an illusionary realm for the testing of Talented Ones; also, another undead named Shanni had not appeared recently due to unstable emotions.

Sam wanted to ask more about why Shanni’s emotions were unstable and about Mr. Tyson’s background, but they had already arrived at Mr. Pat’s room door.

”I’ll wait for Brother Sam outside, and later I have to take you out for dinner.” Adar waved goodbye to Sam and then hid in the darkness.

Sam took a deep breath and knocked on the silent wooden door.

After a moment, sitting in front of a dim oil lamp, Sam heard Angel’s question: ”Adar should have told you why I asked you to come, right?”

Sam nodded: ”To test Mental Power Value.”

Angel spoke calmly: ”Exactly, after eating and resting well, your spiritual power has begun to recover to its peak; testing now will be most accurate.”

After speaking, Angel gently pointed, creating a small game illusionary realm in front of Sam.

This was a wisdom-initiation mini-game from the holographic tablet.

Through the mini-game, Sam’s thoughts gradually became lively, and his spiritual power surged. At this point, Angel handed Sam the measuring scale for spiritual power.

Sam was about to lower his head to examine the scale when Angel stopped him: ”Don’t look at other areas of the scale; it will impact your spiritual power. The correct method to use the scale is to start from the 0 scale at the bottom and slowly look upward along the faint golden line inside, as far as you can see—that’s your Mental Power Value.”

After explaining, Angel indicated that Sam could begin testing.

Sam solemnly took the scale, focusing his gaze on the 0 scale. As his attention centered, the golden lines within the scale began to move like a snake, slowly writhing upward...

Initially, when Angel tested his own Mental Power Value with the scale, upon reaching the 7 scale, he only felt his eyes slightly astringent. After reaching 10, one golden line turned into two, forming a double helix that surged upward; at that point, Angel felt the sting in his brain.

However, upon reaching the 4 scale, Sam’s forehead began to sweat. The golden line arduously reached 5, and veins started to bulge.

When Sam felt like the blood vessels on his forehead were about to burst, the golden line climbed a little more. However, this ascent exceeded Sam’s tolerance limit; he only felt a blackout in his eyes and then passed out.

Angel took the scale from Sam’s hands.

The golden line stopped at the scale—7.

”A bowl of Witch’s Soup will just bring his Mental Power Value to 10, crossing the threshold of a Talented One.” Angel’s eyes flashed complexly: ”Precisely 10, was it calculated? Truly, it must be left by Feng...”

During the Abyss incident, Angel also sensed that Feng seemed to have everything planned out, whether it was him, Master Ye, or Fafnir and Odeclass, it was as if they were all within the scenario set by Feng.

Therefore, seeing the scale precisely at 7, Angel did not find it unexpected.

While Angel was muttering under his breath, he was unaware that in the distant Inner Shell World, a painter known as Sister Feng sneezed, rubbed her nose, and mused: ”Who is thinking of me? Perhaps it’s Rowling... Rowling claims not to care, but actually does care, as it’s related to her race. Alas, I wonder if a Witch’s Soup that increases spiritual power limit by 3 will be able to nurture a Talented One. If not, there’s nothing I can do; I’m just a poor painter with only that small savings.”

Angel did not realize that this time, it was indeed just a coincidence.

He set the scale aside, his eyes flickering with dark glow.

The Magic Painter Wizard can even predict Sam’s Mental Power Value, so going to the Tidal World should also have been calculated, right?

Even if it was calculated, Angel still needed to go to the Tidal World in search of suitable Elemental Life.

”Truly deserving of being a Legendary Wizard, so powerful.”

While Angel admired this in his heart, the other side saw Sam slowly coming back to consciousness.

...

Upon learning that his Mental Power Value was 7, Sam breathed a slight sigh of relief. Though at the bottom of the ladder, at least he became a Talented One, with a chance to step into the Extraordinary World.

”When you go back, heat the Witch’s Soup on the stove. Once it’s completely melted, you can drink it.” Angel: ”After drinking it, have a good sleep and come back tomorrow. I’ll test your talent.”

Although it was already known that little Sam had the talent of a near-spiritual body, the future direction still needed further measurement.

Little Sam nodded and left the room.

After little Sam left, Angel entered a state of self-reflection. No matter where he was, Angel would not relax his self-reflection until he fully digested his knowledge.

Time passed quickly.

The next morning, little Sam stood before him, full of energy.

”Mr. Pat, I drank the Witch’s Soup last night.” Little Sam hesitated for a moment and asked, ”Is my Mental Power Value 10 points now?”

Angel had already sensed the fluctuation of his spiritual power when little Sam entered the door, which only happens when the Mental Power Value exceeds 10 points.

”Congratulations, you’re now a Talented One. However, this only gives you the chance to pursue the truth. Whether you can step onto the Transcendent path in the future is still uncertain.” Angel said simply. He didn’t say many encouraging or discouraging words, leaving those for little Sam’s future Mentor to convey.

”Although you are now a Talented One, I still need to further confirm your talent.”

Angel snapped his fingers lightly, and some visible changes immediately appeared in the room.

The door opened, and wind blew in, the extinguished oil lamp reignited, an empty cup was suddenly filled with water, and a pot filled with soil appeared on the table...

Once these setups were in place, Angel took out the Talent Sphere and a small hourglass.

”The timing of the hourglass is one minute. During this minute, pay attention to what changes occur around you.”

With that, Angel placed the Talent Sphere in front of little Sam.

Little Sam nodded solemnly and carefully placed his hand on the Talent Sphere.

The Talent Sphere immediately shone brightly, and in this glow, little Sam saw a face suddenly appear on the window outside...

The hourglass turned, and the one-minute countdown ended.

Angel glanced at little Sam, noticing his pupils were slightly contracted, still immersed in some kind of emotion, so he didn’t disturb him. Instead, he put away the Talent Sphere and waited for him to come back to his senses.

”What did you see?” When little Sam’s eyes regained their brightness, Angel asked.

Little Sam’s face was a bit pale. He swallowed hard and said, ”I saw... a face pressed against the window.”

”I seem to recognize her. She’s my mother’s sister, Lady Cilla. She died of illness when I was very young, and only a portrait of her is kept in Star Lake Castle. Her appearance in front of the window was exactly like the one in the painting, that’s how I recognized her.”

Upon hearing this, Angel thought to himself: Seeing the Undead, indeed little Sam belongs to the Soul Sect.

”However, Lady Cilla was also somewhat different from the painting. It seemed like only her head was Lady Cilla. I vaguely saw her body outside the window, and it seemed to be... a spider.”

A special soul? Angel was somewhat surprised. It seems little Sam is suitable for developing special souls in the future? This aligns with Nis’s expectations for him.

Angel: ”Is there anything else?”

Little Sam hesitated for a moment: ”I also seemed to hear her voice. She was calling me to find her, in that direction.”

Little Sam turned around and pointed southward.

Angel’s gaze seemed to penetrate through the wall, looking south. Through the plains and forests, his sight settled on an undulating mountain range.

”Is that the direction we came from?”

Little Sam nodded: ”Yes, my mother once told me Lady Cilla died of illness at Star Lake Castle. I’m a bit suspicious that Lady Cilla’s soul is still near Star Lake Castle. She’s telling me to go find her.”

Angel pondered for a moment and then shook his head gently: ”Don’t overthink it, it’s just a talent test meant to determine your specific talent.”

”Moreover, I’ve looked at Star Lake Castle. There’s no soul with a human head and spider body there. No matter if it’s the Undead or the undead, there’s none.”

Upon hearing this, although little Sam had some hesitation in his heart, he still believed Angel’s words.

”Your talent is indeed in the Soul Sect. The specific details will be explained by your future Mentor.” Angel patted little Sam on the shoulder: ”You can go now, Adar is still waiting for you outside.”

Little Sam nodded in thanks to Angel, then left the room.

After little Sam left, Angel gazed out the window, lost in thought.

After pondering a while, he closed his eyes and entered the Wilderness of Dreams.

When he found Nis, he was sitting on a shuttle heading to the site of New City.

”Wizard Nis, are you planning to help out in New City?”

Nis nodded and sighed deeply: ”Lianna asked me to help there, though honestly, I didn’t really want to...”

After a pause, Nis looked at Angel: ”You’re here to find me after testing little Sam’s talent?”

Angel: ”Yes, his Mental Power Value was just at 7 points. After drinking the Witch’s Soup, he’s now a Talented One.”

After briefly explaining little Sam’s situation, Angel discussed what little Sam saw and heard during the talent test.

”Was the call he heard real?”

”This is the first time I’ve heard of such a situation,” Nis muttered: ”But the Talent Sphere pulls the tester into a world of Spiritual Sense. Whatever is seen, heard, or thought there is real.”

”It’s possible that Lady Cilla really is calling him.”

”A soul with a human head and spider body is one of the common special souls listed in the ’Soul Chronicle’... However, souls in this form are generally undead.”

Angel: ”You’re saying Lady Cilla is real, the call is real, but the call might be ill-intentioned for little Sam.”

Nis nodded: ”Correct, this type of special Undead is said to form from intense resentment experienced due to betrayal by blood relatives and extreme torment during life. They have a strong tendency to kill, especially towards kin.”

”Regrettably, although it’s a special soul, it’s an Undead, which means it’s of no use to me.”

”Nevertheless, the other party may have recognized little Sam. As a blood relative, even if little Sam doesn’t seek her out, she might still come looking for him.”