Sean Shaw nodded.
......
Wildlands City.
Faustin found their target at a rural estate outside Wildlands City.
It looked like some kind of gathering was about to take place inside, with major and minor demon beasts filing in one after another.
The three of them waylaid three minor demons, swapped clothes with them, disguised themselves, and took their invitations to sneak inside.
All three little demons were so utterly ordinary that they practically faded into the background.
Especially the minor demon Faustin was impersonating—even after Lucia Lu stared at him seven or eight times, she still couldn’t recall what he looked like.
Suppressing their cultivation, they managed to slip in unnoticed.
At last, they finally saw Baxa in person.
He was tall and powerfully built, with handsome, upright features and a heroic bearing.
At the same time, they finally learned what he was really up to.
Turns out, Baxa wanted to rally all these demon beasts and crown himself king.
And you know what? Both the big and little demons were totally impressed—they all agreed, not a single objection.
"How do we get the rune onto him?" Lucia secretly transmitted to Sean Shaw.
"There's wine in the hall," Sean Shaw replied with a mischievous grin. "Once he crowns himself, he'll definitely drink to celebrate. You two go pretend to toast him, get his attention, and I'll sneak the rune in. Piece of cake!"
Lucia nodded.
Just as expected, after Baxa declared himself king, he threw a lavish banquet for his subordinates.
The tables were piled high with all kinds of meat and vegetarian dishes, and the wine flowed freely.
Baxa chatted with several major demon leaders about ranks and assignments as everyone sat together.
"Your Majesty, have your two siblings still not been rescued?" one of the major demons asked.
Baxa frowned and shook his head. "No."
"Where are they, Your Majesty? Let us help—we’ll get them out for sure!"
"My second brother fell into the hands of the Xuanchen Clan," Baxa said. "My third younger sister... she’s imprisoned in Hundred Blossoms Paradise. Both of their fates are uncertain."
"The Xuanchen Clan again! Damn it!" An Ivory Tiger demon slammed the table in fury. "They’re everywhere!"
"Exactly!" another major demon chimed in. "They rely on being close kin to the Celestial Empress of Longyuan to snatch up immortal mountains and slaughter our kind! I hate them to death!"
Someone else suggested, "Your Majesty, why not rally the demon clans, train up demon soldiers, and give them hell!"
"Yes! Let’s do it! Who cares who their relatives are, let’s give them hell!"
Everyone was fired up.
Lucia guessed that maybe everyone Baxa had summoned today had a grudge against the Xuanchen Clan.
Baxa looked at the leading demon officers and asked, "What do you all think?"
"We support Your Majesty unconditionally!" they all answered in unison.
"Great!" Baxa said. "It’s settled! I’ll call the roll—if I name you, come up and get your assignment!"
So he began calling the roll and handing out missions. It looked like he really was gathering demon soldiers to go to war with the Xuanchen Clan.
Once the assignments were done, some drunk little demons started going up to offer toasts.
Lucia and Faustin exchanged a look, grabbed their cups, and put on their best drunken swagger as they staggered up to the front.
"Hey, quit shoving!" Lucia snapped, elbowing Faustin.
Faustin scowled and elbowed her right back. "You’re the one hogging all the space!"
The two bickered and jostled, putting on such a noisy show that Baxa couldn’t help but stare.
Meanwhile, Sean Shaw quietly sneaked around behind Baxa, ready to shoot the specially crafted Tracking Rune into his body.
"Careful, Your Majesty!" Suddenly, one of the major demons shouted.
Baxa spun around just in time to see the talisman paper flying from Sean Shaw’s hand toward him.
In a flash, he hurled a burst of flame at the talisman.
But the talisman was protected by a sheath of Red Light and didn’t ignite—instead, it turned into a streak of Starlight Current and shot straight into his body.
"Damn it!" Murder flashed in Baxa’s eyes as he whipped out a massive saber and slashed at Sean Shaw.