Exorcist's Self-Cultivation

On the other side.

En route to the church.

Hunter Alvin Dowqui sat in the car with his eyes closed when suddenly his smartphone vibrated.

Alvin lifted his eyelids, and the wrinkles on his forehead piled up, making him look even older.

He was already old, and using the Evil Spirit Transformation's power was a significant burden on his body.

He mechanically took out his smartphone, and his lifeless, hollow eyes stared at the screen.

He was not used to this relatively new type of smartphone, so he clumsily operated it for a while before he found a document in his email.

The document's title was—The New York Exorcist Who Possesses Another Joker Card.

Alvin opened the document, which contained information about Du Wei's experience joining the church and his recent resolution of the Goliath Winery incident, with parts regarding the Joker Card highlighted in red font.

His somber gaze lingered on Du Wei's name for a while.

Alvin's eyes showed complex emotions.

Andrew Dowqui was his grandfather, and in a sense, Du Wei was the one who had found out how his grandfather died.

Of course, Alvin was about to become an Evil Spirit, and he lacked what was commonly known as gratitude, nor was he affected by most human emotions.

The reason he paid attention to Du Wei was because of the Joker Card.

Alvin clearly remembered that in Massas City, just before his death, Federer had mentioned that he brought another hunter to look for another Joker Card.

Although he didn't know who that hunter was, they had definitely left Massas City by then.

Thinking this, Alvin spoke in a ghastly tone, "Are you a hunter of the Dusk Bell Church? Or are you the prey? It's been a long time since I've encountered something so interesting. If it weren't for Federer's casual mention of the Joker Card, I probably wouldn't have thought there was something off about you."

"But that's not important, especially not now."

Having said that, Alvin clumsily operated his smartphone and replied to the email.

[After the Tribunal is restarted, include this Du Wei as well.]

...

Noon.

In the hospital.

James still slept soundly in his hospital bed.

But if someone were to come in at that moment, they would probably be startled.

Because his eyes were open, cold and gloomy and filled with dense bloodshot veins, as if he hadn't closed them all night.

Suddenly...

Those eyes, as if sensing something, abruptly snapped shut.

Creak...

The sound of the door opening was heard.

Bishop Thompson entered with an elderly woman dressed in a black priest's attire.

"Mrs. Senna, please be gentle, don't wake up James," Thompson whispered cautiously to the woman named Senna.

The latter nodded slightly and rasped in reply, "Rest assured." Find exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire

Having said that, Mrs. Senna slowly walked to the bedside and took out a white piece of paper from her person.

It looked very ordinary, with nothing special about it.

Then, Mrs. Senna placed the paper flat above and facing James's face.

Indeed, this sacred white paper was a long-standing stock of the Church, designed to test whether hunters had fallen into a state of control loss, and it could also detect the extent of their Evil Spirit transformation.

Of course, most hunters resisted this method of testing.

Because once the time of the Evil Spirit transformation was detected, it would have a significant impact on their spirit.

No one could face that calmly after knowing the date of their own death.

Needless to say, the method of making this kind of white paper was only retained by the Dusk Bell Church; for them, to use one was to lose one.

To Thompson, who was standing by, the piece of white paper soon underwent a change.

It first inexplicably collapsed downwards, then puffed up again as if blown by a gust of wind.

When it finally calmed down, a vague outline of a pair of eyes appeared on the entire sheet.

Although the specific appearance was unclear, it inexplicably made Thompson's hair stand on end.

As for Mrs. Senna, she looked at the eyes on the paper with some dread, but then her expression relaxed.

She put away the paper and waved at Thompson, who immediately understood, and the two walked out of the sickroom together.

...

"James's current condition is very stable, and those eyes are quite special; they should possess the power to combat Evil Spirits," Mrs. Senna narrated as they walked.

"He has successfully become a hunter, but considering his current physical condition, it seems it will be quite a while before he can be of use."

"But the eyes are the windows to the soul. The manifestation of James's Evil Spirit transformation as eyes suggests that his heart once suffered a severe impact, making him more prone to losing control than average hunters."

As she said this, Mrs. Senna glanced at Thompson, "Perhaps it's a good choice to let the people from Dusk Bell take him away, but before that, you need to make sure James isn't brainwashed by that group."

Thompson frowned and said, "What about the Tribunal?"

Mrs. Senna shook her head, "The Church hasn't informed me of a specific time for the Tribunal's formation. If James hadn't been injured, I would certainly have recommended him, but for now, it's best to wait."

Thompson said with dissatisfaction, "What about that man named Du Wei? He's already been predetermined by the Tribunal, yet he doesn't even know what Evil Spirit transformation is."

Mrs. Senna scoffed, "What does that have to do with me?"

Thompson frowned and said, "Indeed, he has nothing to do with you, but what about Tony? He was once your past romance."

At these words, Mrs. Senna's face instantly grew dark, and she glared at Thompson, scolding, "Don't mention that bastard who only likes divorced women in front of me."

Mrs. Senna and Father Tony had once been lovers.

Although their status within the Church was as different as heaven and earth, this did not prevent Mrs. Senna from falling for the young and handsome Father Tony at the time.

However, one day when Father Tony discovered the type he truly liked, he broke up with Mrs. Senna in no uncertain terms.

Now, decades later, Mrs. Senna had been widowed twice, while Father Tony was still single.

Love is a complex thing.

A broken heart is even more uncomfortable.

Although Mrs. Senna was loath to admit it, she had, in the last few years, taken pains to keep tabs on Father Tony in private, harboring a little bit of underlying care.

But the formation of the Tribunal was a matter of great importance.

Despite being responsible for selecting suitable candidates, Mrs. Senna would not compromise her principles for this cause.

Thompson also knew very well that his dissatisfaction stemmed from feeling that he owed James and wanted to give him a better arrangement.

He sighed and apologized to Mrs. Senna, "I'm sorry, I got a bit carried away."

Mrs. Senna's expression softened slightly, and she said indifferently, "That man called Du Wei, it was a decision from higher up. Whose opinion it was specifically, I don't know, so you don't need to feel it's unfair for James; moreover, as far as I know, James and Du Wei have a good relationship... Just give it some more thought."

"I will..."