Chapter 70

Ji Tang coughed dryly twice, then turned to A Qian and said, "A Qian, I know you. You definitely wouldn't use those harmful methods to eat nightmares. How could you be caught?"

Ah Qian smiled bitterly. "Now the tribe is divided into two groups. One group is loyal to the tribe leader and regards his words as sacred. The other group still lives according to the original tribe rules, only consumes natural dreams, and will not deliberately abuse the dream owner for nightmares. But it is becoming increasingly difficult for us to find a place in the tribe. The tribe leader has started to assign us missions outside and force us to bring back nightmares. Those tribe members who obey the tribe leader have also been trying every means to exclude us."

Su Jinzhou was puzzled: "Can nightmares be brought back?"

Ji Tang: "Well, nightmares can eat nightmares directly, or they can use the Dream Storage Technique to temporarily store nightmares in the Yuan Shen." She thought for a moment and explained in more common terms, "Just like storing food."

A Qian: "The nightmares we brought back will be put together. The tribe leader will use them to reward his confidants and those who obey him."

Ji Tang frowned, "What if I can't bring it back?"

A Qian: "If you can't bring it back, you will be punished in the Fantasy Valley."

Ji Tang: "What kind of punishment will we receive there?" She asked, and then said to Su Jinzhou, "We used to go to Huanguang Valley often. There were many fireflies flying out there at night, and the whole valley was like a dream. It was a very beautiful place."

Ah Qian's eyes dimmed, "It's not beautiful there anymore."

Ji Tang turned around: "What do you mean?"

"The tribe leader ordered the extermination of all the fireflies. He said they were the murderers that made us cowards. We can't just indulge in beautiful dreams, but must face the reality. Now the Phantom Valley is dead silent, darker than night. It has become a place of punishment for nightmares, the nightmare of all nightmares."

Ji Tang was bewildered: "How could it be..."

The Fantasy Valley in her memory had a gentle breeze that could carry the fragrance of flowers to every corner of the valley. At night, the moon was high in the sky, and the tiny lights of fireflies were like the twinkling stars in the valley. Going deep into it was like a beautiful blue dream.

However, the patriarch destroyed it with his own hands.

No, not only did it ruin it, it turned it into a terrifying nightmare.

Ah Qian: "It's good that you didn't come back. Otherwise, seeing Huanguang Valley become like this, you must feel bad."

Jitang: "I want to go see the clan leader."

Ah Qian patted her shoulder and said, "Okay."

Ji Tang looked at Su Jinzhou and said, "Brother, the Nightmare Clan is no longer what it used to be. I wanted to take you to see the Nightmare Clan, but now it seems that's not possible."

Su Jinzhou hesitated, "Is it safe for you to go back?"

Ji Tang: "Don't worry, I am the most orthodox bloodline of the Nightmare Clan. The clan leader dare not harm me, otherwise how can he convince the others?"

Su Jinzhou: "It's really not appropriate for me to show up. I'll wait for you here. If you need anything, you must contact me immediately using the Spirit Communication Stone."

Jitang nodded: "Okay, but you guys go out first."

Ah Qian: "What?"

Ji Tang: "I need to change Su Xuanzong's clothes first."

The two of them went out to wait. Ji Tang asked from inside the tree hole, "Those fellow tribesmen saw the clothes I was wearing just now. Who were they?"

A Qian: "There is only one person inside who is from the clan leader's side. Now we have been given the thankless task of guarding the gate, and they are still not at ease and insist on sending people to keep an eye on us. Don't worry, I will take care of these things."

Jitang came out of the tree hole, having changed into silk clothes.

They separated temporarily, and Jitang followed Aqian back to the entrance of Nightmare Fantasy Valley.

This time they entered the clan territory easily. A Qian directly brought Ji Tang to the Yanzun Pavilion where the clan leader was.

After the announcement, Jitang was brought in.

Xue Mei, the current patriarch of the Nightmare Clan, was sitting in the patriarch's seat. When he saw Ji Tang come in, he personally walked down several steps to greet her.

Just as Ji Tang was about to half-kneel, Xue Meituo helped him up. "Why are you so distant from me after not seeing you for so long?"

When Jitang was in the clan, he never half-knelt to greet Xue Mei. At most, he would bow and call him uncle.

"I'm not a child anymore. How can I be as unruly as before?" Jitang stood up with a smile.

Xue Mei took her to the chair next to him and did not return to the position of clan leader. Instead, he sat down next to her and asked, "Have you made any progress in these years away from home?"

Ji Tang's method of concealing her strength was of little use to someone as advanced as Xue Mei. She simply withdrew her concealment and allowed him to observe her. "As expected of the clan leader, Atang has now reached the middle stage of the Nascent Soul."

Xue Mei said with relief, "You've been diligent since childhood. Now, with your current level of cultivation, no one in the clan can reach your level of achievement, except for those who are hundreds of years older than you. If Yulan were still alive, she would definitely be very pleased."

How could Ji Tang not understand the meaning behind Xue Mei's words? He had already assumed that Ji Yulan was dead, and was also trying to tell Ji Tang in various ways: I am the current clan leader.

Was it her return that made Xue Mei overthink?

Ji Tangdang didn't understand the meaning of his words and replied with a smile: "I came back this time because I have something to ask the clan leader."

"Oh?" Xue Mei tapped the table with his fingers. "What's going on?"

Ji Tang: "I have been traveling and often mingling in human towns. Over the years, I have often seen my fellow tribesmen active among the people. The people are frightened day and night, and many have been killed or injured. Chief, although my tribe feeds on nightmares, it has always been a natural dream. We would never deliberately torture the dream owner repeatedly for the sake of nightmares. This is against the tribe's rules!"

Xue Mei paused his tapping hand on the table for a moment, then lightly tapped it again, "Atang has been out for so long he probably doesn't realize it. The clan rules have been invalidated."

Ji Tang pretended to be surprised: "Is it invalid?"

Xue Mei: "Although the clan rules are good, they were established a long time ago. Looking back today, many of them have become outdated and no longer suitable for our clan's current situation. They also restrict our clan's development."

Ji Tang: "I don't understand, is killing innocent people the principle followed by the Nightmare Clan now?"

Xue Mei: "How can you say it's indiscriminate killing of innocent people? That's the only way for our clan to become stronger! Now that the thirteenth generation clan leader is dead, the secret realm of inheritance has disappeared, and no one has mastered our clan's supreme skills. Relying solely on the Nightmare Clan skills that have been preserved for many years is no longer enough for the Nightmare Clan to gain a foothold on the mainland."

"The Northwest Demon Clan is eyeing us covetously, the Nanze Monster Clan is also trying to get involved, and sects and palaces are constantly emerging among the human cultivators... The continent is full of talented people, and we don't have much time left. I want to let the Nightmare Clan have a place on the continent, so that they don't have to live in fear."

"Atang, do you want to watch your fellow tribesmen forever huddled in the Nightmare Valley? The thirteenth generation clan leader wanted to build a paradise for the Nightmare Clan, but now various factions are showing their power and the situation is turbulent. Do you still believe this will be the Nightmare Clan's paradise?"

"There is no such thing as paradise. The only way for us Nightmare Clan to survive is to become stronger!"

Ji Tang was not aware of the situation on the mainland, and when she first heard about it, she was easily led away by Xue Mei, but she had not forgotten her original intention of returning to the Nightmare Clan this time.

"But the Nightmare Clan can hurt people..."

Xue Mei shook his head: "Atang, you are still thinking about these trivial matters, which really disappoints me. You have been with the human race for a long time, so have you started to care about them? Don't forget, you are from the Nightmare Clan, and the human race is just food that can make us stronger. Would you show sympathy and compassion to food?"

"them--"

"Okay, Atang, go back and think about it carefully. I believe you will figure it out."

Jitang nodded silently and left Yanzun Pavilion.

A Qian, who was waiting outside, ran over and grabbed Ji Tang. Just as he was about to ask something, he saw that Ji Tang looked like she was about to cry. He had never seen Ji Tang like this before. His heart tightened and he moved closer to listen, and then he heard what she said.

“But they’re not food…”

*

That night, Jitang went to Huanguang Valley.

Just as A Qian said, the dreamlike valley here turned into a lifeless and dead valley.

All that was left of the clusters of flowers were yellow, wrinkled, and withered stems. Each one leaned to the ground under the weight, having been dead for who knows how long.

She looked up, and the faint blue light of the fireflies disappeared without a trace. Only the mountains, darker than the night, stood quietly, and there was no longer the beautiful scenery of the past.

She felt very uncomfortable and forced herself to walk towards the valley step by step. But after taking a few steps, she heard the sound of chains dragging on the ground behind her.

Ji Tang dodged and hid behind the huge rock beside him.

She leaned her head out slightly and looked outside quietly.

There were five of the same clan, four of them forming the four corners, guarding the person in the middle.

The tribesman in the middle was wrapped in chains, and four chains extended out, each held in the hands of four people at the four corners.

The man stumbled and fell heavily.

Jitang opened his mouth and managed to suppress the sound that was about to come out.

"Get up!" one of them said, "Don't waste time!"

"You are wasting your time talking." Another man pulled out a long whip from behind his waist and swung it in the air. The sound of breaking wind was heard suddenly, and the next whip fell on the fallen tribesman.

The tribesman groaned and climbed up tremblingly.

The person in front tugged at the chain, "Go!"

With the help of moonlight, Ji Tang could barely see that the chain had pierced the shoulder of the man in the middle. As the chain moved, a large blood stain immediately appeared on his shoulder.

Ji Tang clenched his fists, his nails dug deep into his palms, and a few drops of blood fell.

Her eyes were red, and she endured it for a long time before she finally calmed down. She followed the bloodstains on the ground and came to the valley.

There were more than ten people from the Nightmare Clan guarding the valley, and Jitang slowly retreated into the valley.

She was very familiar with the Fantasy Valley. She stretched out her hand and climbed up the valley nimbly. She quickly got into a crevice in the rocks that was only wide enough for one person to pass through. Relying on her memory, she twisted and turned and saw the cave at the end. She dodged and fell down.

My feet touched the ground and stepped on some dry grass.

She suddenly looked up and her eyes met those of her fellow tribesman in front of her.

She held her breath, her pupils trembling as she looked at her fellow tribesmen in front of her.

The man's eyes were lifeless, his face was covered in blood, his upper body and head were slightly tilted forward, and his lower body was chained to a wooden pillar.

Ji Tang had his Wanyin Shield on, so although their eyes met, in fact only Ji Tang could see him, the other party could not see Ji Tang.

I don’t know what kind of punishment he suffered to become what he is now.

The slight sound of her stepping on the hay did not attract the other party's attention. Ji Tang turned sideways and carefully moved away from the tribesmen.

Only now did she see this clearly.

This relatively spacious stone cave was where Jitang often played when he was a child, but now it has become an airtight prison cell.

There were several torches placed on the stone walls around the cave, and more than twenty wooden pillars were erected in the cave. One end of the wooden pillars was sharpened and hammered into the ground, and the other end was fixed with a thick hemp rope. The hemp rope was wrapped around the neck of each of the tribesmen tied to the wooden pillar. As long as their waists and legs had no strength to support themselves and their bodies leaned forward to a certain angle, the hemp rope would strangle them.

Their hands were tied behind their backs, making it impossible for them to even save themselves.

Jitang walked by and pushed a fellow tribesman who was struggling desperately back to the wooden pillar.

The man somehow escaped from the predicament and felt a warmth in his chest, but when the shadows in his eyes faded away, he found that there was nothing in front of him. The eyes that were burning with hope dimmed in an instant.

Ji Tang walked through one cave after another. There were people being tortured in each cave, and the methods of torture were different. The only thing in common was that they were all extremely cruel. Scenes of hell on earth were constantly being played out in front of Ji Tang's eyes.

She couldn't bear to watch any longer, and turned away with red eyes.