Chapter 368: Sacrifice

’Am I willing to risk my life...?’

Yu Zhizhi’s hands clenched the hem of her skirt. ’I... I have no choice.’

If she had to wait in Moonrise for half a year, the mission would surely fail.

This was a designated mission. The experience reward was generous, but it also meant she couldn’t just find any male from the Tiger Clan to complete it.

She had to meet the Crown Prince of Moonrise.

Li Yuan saw the Rabbit Clan girl nod solemnly. Her eyes were as bright as stars, as if she had already made up her mind long ago.

He said slowly, "If you want to see him immediately, there is only one way. The sacrifices selected for him by the Royal Family will be sent to the Extreme Ice Palace in a few days. You can mix in with them."

"Okay!" Yu Zhizhi agreed without a second thought.

A complex emotion flickered in Li Yuan’s light purple, fox-like eyes. He turned slightly, as if to leave, but then stopped, standing there for a long time.

He spoke again. "If you could wait for half a year and choose the political marriage, you would be an honored guest of the Moon Rising Empire. You wouldn’t be in any danger."

Li Yuan knew this lop-eared rabbit’s true identity.

His opportunities to repay a favor were very precious.

Not just anyone could make him do everything in his power to help them achieve their long-cherished wish.

Compared to being a sacrifice, wouldn’t becoming the Crown Prince Consort of the Moon Rising Empire be better?

Yu Zhizhi understood the meaning behind his words.

She also had a faint feeling that the Purple Fox might already know her identity... After all, his spiritual power had recovered significantly.

She was a little touched and could only perform a farewell courtesy in his direction.

Li Yuan retracted his gaze and turned away. "When the time comes, I will send someone to pick you up."

"Thank you."

And so, it was settled.

Yu Zhizhi let out a long sigh of relief.

「For the next few days,」 she stayed in her room and didn’t go out. When Li Yuan finally sent someone for her, Yu Zhizhi, along with the Little Octopus, boarded a carriage heading for the Extreme Ice Zone.

Thanks to Li Yuan’s arrangements, she had her own private carriage and accompanying servants.

However, once they reached the destination, she would be no different from the other sacrifices.

In addition, Li Yuan had also given her a bracelet.

He had instructed her to wear it on her wrist at all times.

The silver bracelet was very simple, adorned with a single, crystal-clear snowflake. After putting it on, she felt a cool sensation.

She quickly wrapped her cloak tighter around herself.

From here, they traveled toward the Ice Wall area, the northernmost and particularly cold part of Moonrise. There were hardly any flowers or plants to be seen along the way. The convoy ahead of her contained sixteen sacrifices. Yu Zhizhi was the last one, number 17.

The Little Octopus was also shivering from the cold.

It had lived in the Beast God’s Homeland since it was small, a place where it was spring all year round.

’I never expected northern Moonrise to be this cold.’

The Little Octopus huddled in a corner of the carriage, wrapped in a blanket, with its treasured mechanical wings placed beside it.

Yu Zhizhi had bought it a thick, round hat, which fit perfectly on its head.

Throughout the journey, the servants were diligent and responsible.

Because of Li Yuan’s instructions, no one in the escort dared to disturb this Miss Rabbit.

However, it was also difficult to get any information out of them.

Just like the information she couldn’t find, the guards of Moonrise also refused to speak about the Crown Prince. Even the other sixteen sacrifices were emotionally stable; not a trace of panic could be seen on their faces.

Yu Zhizhi was very confused.

She couldn’t help but say to the Little Octopus, "If things go wrong, you should run. I looked at the map; the Extreme Ice Area is very close to the sea..."

"What about you?" The Little Octopus retracted its tentacles.

Yu Zhizhi pursed her lips slightly. As for her, she had to venture into the tiger’s den, find a way to complete her mission, and then escape.

Seeing her silence, the Little Octopus understood.

"I’ll wait for you!"

’I’m definitely not going to get scared and run away by myself! That would be too embarrassing for the Octopus Clan!’

Yu Zhizhi’s feelings were complicated.

She was both looking forward to meeting the Crown Prince soon and afraid that if she was unlucky enough to be the first sacrifice sent in, none of the "props" or "spirit cards" she currently had would be enough for a safe escape.

The closer they got to their destination, the colder it became.

Yu Zhizhi took out a warming spirit card.

The carriage instantly grew warm.

She liked to collect these kinds of everyday spirit cards, but her supply was limited.

’I have to use them sparingly.’

The convoy finally arrived in the Extreme Ice Area, stopping at the outskirts of the Extreme Ice Palace. From a distance, it looked like a massive, frozen cluster of buildings. The entire world was a landscape of ice and snow. The one good thing was that there was no wind today.

Yu Zhizhi stepped out of the carriage.

The attendant who had served her throughout the journey was still a bit puzzled—

This Rabbit Clan Lady was an honored guest whom Lord Li Yuan had personally instructed them to take good care of. So why was she coming here to be a sacrifice?

The sacrifices sent to the Extreme Ice Area each year were trained from a young age.

It was a one-way trip.

A sacrifice’s fate was sealed from the moment they were born.

Yu Zhizhi finally saw what the other sixteen sacrifices looked like. Everyone wore a thick, white cloak. They were from various Beast Clans, all around her age, with eight males and eight females.

’It seems the conditions for being a sacrifice have nothing to do with gender, only age.’

She followed at the very back of the group.

The Little Octopus also entered the Extreme Ice Palace, under the guise of being a pet.

The escort team went no further.

From here on, the palace servants would be in charge of them.

All the sacrifices were taken to a Holy Temple, where their food and living quarters were all arranged together.

The Lizard Servant in charge of the sacrifices held a roster and began to inspect them one by one, checking if any impostors had mixed in.

Finally, he stopped in front of the female from the Rabbit Clan.

"Number Seventeen."

He looked at the information on his list, then glanced up at the Rabbit Clan girl. Her appearance matched the photograph. The strange thing was, she did not belong to one of the hereditary families that provided sacrifices.

The Lizard Servant found this odd. Just as he was about to question her, another servant from behind him hurried forward and whispered something in his ear.

The Lizard Servant’s attitude changed completely. He glanced at the lop-eared rabbit again and quickly closed the file.

"Everything has been checked. No abnormalities."

He casually pointed to one of the sacrifices. "You, come with me. The Crown Prince returns to the palace today. You will go and wait for him in advance."

The chosen sacrifice stepped out from the crowd and bowed. "Yes."

The remaining sacrifices all returned to their respective rooms.

Servants would bring them food and drink every day.

And in the evening, they would follow the Lizard Servant in prayer.

A week later, Yu Zhizhi overheard some servants talking outside and learned that the first sacrifice who had been chosen was already dead.

「On this day,」 the Lizard Servant came to the door of the Rabbit Clan female’s room.

He could never figure it out.

Lord Li Yuan placed great importance on this "sacrifice"—so much so that it was as if she were an honored guest of the Moon Rising Clan.

And yet—

he had sent this Rabbit Clan Lady to the Extreme Ice Area and placed her on the list of sacrifices?

And he had even given instructions that she was not to be kept waiting for too long.

There were many sacrifices this time. If she were at the end of the line, it would be a long time before she would meet the Crown Prince.