Chapter 372: Paying a High Price

’What is this black bead?’ Li Yang wondered.

It had only caused the mysterious little sword to stir slightly, but what caliber of treasures had it reacted to before?

The World Tree, which could create an avatar!

A legacy ground left behind by a Sovereign-level expert!

Word of either of these two opportunities would make even Emperor Level experts covet them.

The reaction caused by this black bead was nowhere near as strong as the first two, but it was definitely special!

While Li Yang was thinking, Lan Ruo laid out almost everything she had. She looked at him and asked, "Li Yang, is there anything here that catches your eye?"

By now, Lan Ruo had lost most of her hope, and the light in her eyes was gradually fading.

’If I can’t get a Star Moon Fruit, my only choice is to leave the Star Moon Race and go back to my family. Maybe someone else had better luck?’ Lan Ruo thought to herself.

If Li Yang refused, they would have to leave the Star Moon Race and begin the journey back to their family.

Just as she finished speaking, Li Yang waved his right hand, and several items flew into his grasp, including the black bead.

Taking only the black bead would have been strange, so he picked a few other items to avoid drawing too much attention to it.

"I’ll take these items in exchange for one Star Moon Fruit. What do you say?" Li Yang asked, looking at Lan Ruo.

As soon as he spoke, Soul Ink’s voice echoed in his mind. "Li Yang, you kid, are you an idiot? What is this junk you picked? How is any of it worth a Star Moon Fruit? Are you so smitten you can’t think straight? Just handing out Star Moon Fruits like that?"

Li Yang: "..."

He shot back irritably, "Soul Ink, if you don’t have anything useful to say, then keep quiet."

Soul Ink had been getting more and more talkative lately, taking every opportunity to mock him.

Hearing Li Yang’s words, Lan Ruo froze for a second, thinking she must have misheard.

’Li Yang was willing to trade her a Star Moon Fruit?’

’Just a moment ago, she’d given up all hope.’

After only a moment’s hesitation, Lan Ruo nodded eagerly. "Yes, Li Yang, I’m willing to make the trade."

She glanced at the treasures Li Yang had chosen.

Most of what Li Yang chose had some minor value, except for the black bead. She had found it by chance; it was incredibly hard, and she couldn’t damage it no matter what she tried, so she had just kept it in her Spatial Ring ever since.

Of course, even if the black bead was some kind of treasure, to her, it was nothing compared to a Star Moon Fruit.

"Alright."

Seeing Lan Ruo nod, Li Yang clenched his right fist, and a black-and-white fruit appeared in his hand.

With another wave of his hand, the fruit floated over to Lan Ruo.

"The Star Moon Fruit!"

As she took the fruit, her face filled with excitement. She looked at Li Yang and said quickly, "Thank you, Li Yang."

Li Yang gave a dismissive wave and stored the black bead and the other items away. This wasn’t the time to examine them.

"Sister, we got the Star Moon Fruit!" Lan Xin said, her face beaming with joy as she watched Li Yang and his companions leave.

"I know, Xinxin. We need to inform the family about this right away!" Lan Ruo said joyfully.

"Let’s return to the family at once!"

...

In an extremely remote and desolate region, an entryway shimmered, and a moment later, Li Yang and his companions flew out.

’Hm? Li Yang is finally out!’

An expert was lying in wait in this region—it was the assassin from the Werewolf Race.

A look of excitement spread across the Werewolf Race assassin’s face as he spotted Li Yang.

He had been ready to strike a year ago, but Li Yang never left the Star Moon Race.

He had waited here for another whole year, and now, Li Yang had finally appeared!

’Haha, the task my master gave me is about to be completed!’

The Werewolf Race assassin held his breath, suppressing every trace of his energy fluctuations.

’I must find the right moment!’

At this moment, not even powerful Deities could detect his presence. This Werewolf Race assassin was a master of concealment, and he had to find the perfect moment to land a single, fatal blow on Li Yang.

If his first strike failed, the entire mission to kill Li Yang would be a failure.

...

"Elder Lie Shu, it looks like this is where we part ways," Li Yang said with a smile after leaving the Star Moon Race’s entrance.

He was still unaware that a powerful Tri-System Deity was lurking nearby.

"Haha, of course, Li Yang. You’re welcome to visit the Star Moon Race again anytime," Elder Lie Shu said with a laugh.

"I will." Li Yang nodded.

He was about to leave when Soul Ink’s voice suddenly rang out in his mind again.

"Li Yang, you kid, hold on."

This time, however, Soul Ink’s voice wasn’t teasing; it carried a hint of gravity.

"What is it, Soul Ink?" Li Yang asked.

Soul Ink said gravely, "Li Yang, you kid, there’s an expert lurking nearby. He’s completely suppressed his energy fluctuations and has been watching you this whole time. Something about him feels off, so I’m guessing he’s here to kill you."

’Here to kill me?’ Hearing this, Li Yang’s expression remained calm, but his heart sank.

Soul Ink was undoubtedly a unique existence. His soul resided within the Soul Crystal, undetectable even to the experts of the Human Race’s Eternal Saint Hall. Based on his own deductions, Li Yang suspected that Soul Ink’s power in life had been absolutely terrifying—he might have even been a Sovereign-level supreme expert!

Li Yang had previously sensed Soul Ink’s disdain for Emperors in the way he spoke.

Therefore, Soul Ink could easily detect things that the surrounding Deities couldn’t.

News that Li Yang was in the Star Moon Race had spread a few years ago. The Talent he’d displayed would have definitely landed him on the Alien Races’ kill list.

It was entirely possible that those Alien Races had dispatched Deity-level experts to lurk near the Star Moon Race, waiting for an opportunity to kill him.

"Soul Ink, what’s their strength level?" Li Yang asked telepathically.

"A Tri-System Deity," Soul Ink stated flatly. He had been able to discern the opponent’s realm with ease.

’A Tri-System Deity?’ A thousand thoughts instantly raced through Li Yang’s mind.

Hei Xu, who was right beside him, was a Tri-System Deity, as was Elder Lie Shu.

In a real fight, neither would be able to defeat the other.

After all, their realms were the same. It would all come down to their trump cards—whoever had the stronger ace up their sleeve would have the greater strength.

’The Alien Races are really making a big move, sending a Tri-System Deity to kill me right off the bat!’ Li Yang sneered inwardly.

He was only in the Star Lord Realm, whereas a Tri-System Deity was considered extremely powerful even among Deities! Many peerless geniuses would never even reach the level of a Tri-System Deity!

This assassin was definitely one of the Alien Race’s elite operatives embedded within the Human Race!

The moment such an operative made a move, they would be exposed, and escape would be virtually impossible.

This meant that even if these hidden operatives succeeded in killing their target, they themselves would die in the end.

A Tri-System Deity sent on a suicide mission just to trade their life for his?