Exorcist's Self-Cultivation

Ryan's idea of calling Du Wei was temporarily impossible.

Du Wei had only stayed in New York for half a day.

After a brief interaction with Rahmer's Bell, he arrived at New York City's airport.

In the waiting hall,

Du Wei was on the phone with the Church's hunter, Kane.

In addition to explaining the situation in Massas City, there were also matters related to Five Keys Town.

Kane's tone was very complicated on the other end of the phone.

"Lord Duwei, what on earth happened in Massas City? It has been levelled to the ground overnight, and now all the powers that know of this event are sending people there."

"Honestly, I think big trouble might be brewing."

The Church was very concerned about the incident in Massas City.

There was a time when Massas City was the Church's agony. Whenever this Uninhabited City underwent abnormal changes, a number of exorcists would be killed or wounded.

First, it was the elites; then, the average exorcists.

The old died and the new ones took over.

When the new died, even newer ones held the line.

Now that Massas City was gone, it inherently relieved a lot of pressure for the Church.

But it couldn't be guaranteed that this was only an undercurrent hidden beneath the calm surface, which might surge back at any time.

Du Wei listened to Kane's words through the phone.

After a moment of thought, he calmly replied, "Actually, it's no big deal. Just two Strangenesses merged together, and that dragged the Demon Nun into the mix."

"Then I took them into Massas City and slaughtered them all."

"As for why Massas City was levelled, I'm not exactly sure. But in another sense, the city's foundations have long been hollowed out, so its collapse could be considered normal."

Kane's tone was somewhat unconvinced, "You dealing with those damned things with your own hands seems normal to me, considering you have so many trump cards. But the collapse of Massas City definitely wasn't due to being hollowed out below."

"The place has been completely flattened, and the entire ground has been renewed. If it weren't for the city's markings on the map, I would have thought it was just a large patch of wasteland."

Du Wei remarked indifferently, "That's why I'm not sure either. But it's a good thing that Massas City has disappeared. The Church's major concern is gone, and from now on, more energy can be devoted to other matters."

Claiming he slaughtered the Calamity that formed from the convergence of Strangenesses could be understandable.

After all, the Church recognized his status as a duke.

But to say he leveled Massas City, that sounded a bit too exaggerated.

That was not something a human or a hunter could accomplish.

Only the Evil Spirit Du Wei could do that.

And the Evil Spirit Du Wei was Du Wei's deepest secret. Those who knew of its existence had already died, and he did not wish others to know.

Kane still found Du Wei's explanation difficult to accept.

But for the moment,

he could think of no specific reason.

He could only sigh and say, "The Church will investigate further, and we will also send more personnel. Unless we can be sure that the horrors of Massas City won't reappear, that place will always be a thorn in our side."

Du Wei was noncommittal, "You can send someone from the Tribunal over there."

Kane hummed in agreement and asked, "Do you have any plans for the time being? The matters at the Church's end are simply too numerous, and activities of the Vanity Sect have become quite frequent these past two days. We believe something will happen."

Du Wei frowned and inquired, "What are they doing?"

Kane replied, "Some very strange things. Their people have split up, appearing in many remote places as if they are plotting something. Additionally, Lord Ferren has been dispatched to the Public Sea, seemingly in search of a ship."

"A ship?"

Du Wei was somewhat surprised, his mind unconsciously recalling Gascogne's words before death.

Gascogne had said he once saw Du Wei himself descend from a Ghost Ship, accompanied by Lock Ghost and some horrifying beings.

Without meaning to, Du Wei contemplated, "Could it be the same ship?"

With this thought in mind,

He said, "You can have someone keep an eye on things in the Public Sea, and remember to inform me in time if there's anything special happening."

The Public Sea isn't just home to a single ghost ship.

It also holds Hell's Gate through which Matthew once entered before he threw it into the sea.

Moreover, among the four steles of Alex's family, one is also located in the Public Sea.

Du Wei never forgot about the stele.

Because the last time the envelope showed abnormalities, it revealed a piece of information that shocked Du Wei.

That is—among the Seventy-Two Pillars Demon Gods of Solomon, there was Du Wei's name.

Kane knew nothing of Du Wei's thoughts.

He obediently said, "Alright, I will have someone pay attention to the Public Sea."

After speaking, he asked Du Wei, "Lord, if there's nothing else, shall I hang up the phone now? I need to deal with some matters."

Du Wei thought for a moment and said, "Actually, there is one more thing I need the Church to help with."

On the other end of the phone, Kane promptly asked with respect, "Please tell me."

Du Wei spoke in a somber tone, "Five Keys Town—I need all the information on this town. It has disappeared from maps in the past, but I need to locate it now."

Kane could hear the seriousness in Du Wei's voice, "I will start the search right away and inform you the moment I have any news."

Du Wei, with gratitude, said, "Thank you. I will keep in mind the help the Church has provided me."

The struggle against the Seventy-Two Pillars Demon Gods of Solomon was too hopeless.

Even Du Wei couldn't profess to have what one might call confidence.

All he wanted was to give a perfect ending to those he cared about before he got trapped in the cycle or before he truly began to fight to the death.

First and foremost, he needed to find Alex's consciousness and wake up his woman.

After hanging up the phone.

It was then that the pre-boarding security check started.

Listening to the announcements urging passengers, Du Wei stuffed his phone into his pocket, shouldered his long-unused backpack, and headed towards the security checkpoint.

...

Meanwhile.

In Du Wei's dream.

Ryan's call also came through, and thus...

Freddy wished for death on a daily basis...

"Hello, hello, hello... Freddy, talk, will you? Don't think that just because you're hiding on the other side of the phone and staying silent, you can get through today."

"I'm telling you, you'd better call the director out now."

"Baron Ryan, I need to speak with the director about an important matter."

"If it gets delayed, can you afford the consequences with your meager assets?"

Who knows what Ryan actually wanted to say.

Freddy was in agony and said, "If I could call him out, I would have done it already. Can you give me a break and let me have a minute of peace, please?"

On the other end of the line, Ryan's voice suddenly fell silent.

Freddy felt at a loss.

An inexplicable sense of unease crept into his heart.

"Ryan? Why have you stopped talking?"

"You're not about to spit at me again, are you?"

"Can't you act like a human being for once!"

Just as he finished speaking.

On the other end of the phone, Ryan's voice came through, "Alright, I've been quiet for a minute, now call the director! I feel like my cold is really bad, I think I'm about to die. Seriously."

Freddy was stunned, and his expression changed dramatically, "What did you say? You have a cold? That's impossible! How could you possibly have a cold?"