Linyue woke to a strange sound outside. Loud voices, rushed footsteps, and what suspiciously sounded like a goat screaming. She opened her eyes slowly. Her head still felt foggy. Her hand reached out beside her automatically for the familiar warmth and froze.
The bed was empty. No warm chest rising and falling. No steady heartbeat under her fingers. No annoying Demon King whispering sweet nonsense or tucking her in tighter just to stop her from escaping.
Her brows furrowed. Where was Shu Mingye? He never left first. He was clingy. The "where's my Pie" type. The "you're not allowed to die without me" type. And yet… gone.
She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. Her head still spinning. Sunlight spilled through the windows. Bright. Overly cheerful. Probably late afternoon. Or maybe evening pretending to be shy.
"Did I sleep that long?" she muttered.
And then she remembered. Last night's dream. No. Not a dream. A memory. She dreamt of that memory. Her master. Three years ago. The lightning strike that tore through her body like punishment from the heavens. That pain. The way her body had shaken uncontrollably. The way her bones felt like they might split apart one by one. She had survived it. Barely.
Her hands trembled slightly, the after-image clinging stubbornly to her nerves. It had to be the cursed book. Even though she broke the array, it still touched her memories. It still left something sharp and ugly behind. No wonder the angry cabbage went mad. If she had to live with this sensation every single day, she might have gone insane too.
More footsteps echoed from outside. And another scream?
Linyue pulled herself together with a deep breath. She stood, her legs only wobbling once, and changed into clean robes. Three aggressive swipes through her hair later, she decided it was "good enough." She was now officially "presentable." She followed the noise. It grew louder with every step. Voices shouting over one another. Something heavy thudding against the floor. And then, clearer this time, a scream that could only be described as, "Let me bite someone!"
Her feet carried her straight to Master Tian Mo's residence. Chaos had clearly chosen his residence as the site for its latest festival.
Linyue knocked politely.
The door immediately flew open.
"Sister Linyue!" Song Meiyu beamed like she had been waiting all day for a plot twist. "You've come!"
Linyue stepped inside, her brows already arching high as her eyes took in the scene.
Prince Lu stood in the middle of the room looking very princely and very tired. His robes were perfect as always, but his posture sagged. Around him, several guards were locked in a battle to pin down a flailing man who was currently trying to headbutt anyone within reach. In the corner, sat Master Tian Mo, calm and unbothered. Sipping tea like none of this involved him.
Linyue walked further in, ignoring the chaos.
Prince Lu turned at her approach. His charming smile slid into place instantly, though his under-eye bags looked like they could carry groceries. "Linyue," he said, his voice smooth but cracked at the edges. "Long time no see. I see you're as beautiful as ever."
She squinted at him. "You look like someone punched you in both eyes."
Prince Lu chuckled. "I haven't slept lately. The cases exploded overnight. People are panicking. Saying it's a curse. My father is losing hair again."
Song Meiyu leaned close to Linyue, whispering loud enough for half the room to hear, "I heard most shops are closed! People are too scared to even open their windows. They say the angry cabbage curse spreads even when you breathe!"
Linyue stared at the struggling man on the floor, who was now trying to gnaw on one guard's boot like it was a steamed bun.
Prince Lu sighed. "At first, I thought it was good. People staying inside, less drama, fewer petitions. Peaceful. But then, this morning someone reported screaming from their neighbor's house. When the guards got there… the whole family was already gone. Blood everywhere."
Linyue turned to him, eyebrows raised.
He added darkly, "Only one angry cabbage was still rampaging through the place. We had to wrestle him down. Nearly bit one of my guards. Twice."
She pointed. "And you brought him here?"
Prince Lu shrugged. "Shen Zhenyu said you found the cause. I figured this one could be useful."
Linyue turned her attention to the angry cabbage man, who had now decided to scream directly at a pillar. Bloodshot eyes. Veins bulging like worms under skin. He was already too far gone just like Master Yin Xue had described.
Linyue sighed and looked at Master Tian Mo. "Master, what did Master Yin Xue say?"
Master Tian Mo took a light sip of tea and gave a slow nod. "She went underground to check on some patients with her spiritual sense. First time trying that kind of spiritual inspection."
He paused.
"It didn't go well."
"…How bad?" Linyue asked, already bracing.
"She almost drowned one of the cabbage patients with her water spiritual energy. Choked him clean across the floor. Poor lad kept burping bubbles."
Linyue squinted. "And then?"
Master Tian Mo shrugged. "And then that's why he's here." He casually pointed at the cabbage man, who was now growling at a teacup.
Linyue sighed again. Her new hobby lately seemed to be sighing. "Master… do you want me to—"
"Of course," Master Tian Mo interrupted with a bright smile. "You have lightning spiritual energy. Very good for shocking nonsense out of people. Or destroying soul-bound curses. Same thing."
Linyue crossed her arms. "We still don't know if it's the actual cause."
Master Tian Mo took another sip. "Then think of it as a very loud investigation."
Song Meiyu whispered helpfully, "Like spicy acupuncture. But with lightning."
Prince Lu sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I figured you might feel bad if you accidentally hurt one of the patients. That's why I brought this one. He, uh, already killed his whole family. Accidentally or not, at least you won't feel too guilty."
Linyue gave him a long, tired stare. "That's not comforting."
He shrugged helplessly. "Wasn't trying to be."
Linyue sighed again and asked, "Where's Shu Mingye?"
Song Meiyu brightened. "He went to help Master Yin Xue tie up the angry cabbages in the healing hall. It's full now. Like… angry cabbage storage."
Linyue slowly turned back to the angry cabbage-man, who was now trying to lick the floor with fierce determination. She had never used her spiritual sense inside another person before. What if she zapped him by accident? What if his brain caught fire? What if he exploded like firework? He didn't even look like a cultivator.
Master Tian Mo said between sips of tea, as if reading her mind. "It's fine. If we're right, this could stop the spread. If we're wrong, well… better one cabbage than a field."
Song Meiyu nodded. "That's right. If we leave him like this, he'll either hurt more people or stay like this forever. Imagine that. A lifetime of snarling and boot chewing."
Linyue muttered. "Sounds like a few people I've met…" After a brief pause, she nodded. "Fine. I'll try. Just… can someone tie him up properly first?"
Prince Lu snapped his fingers immediately. "Guards!"
The guards moved in. They attempted to tie the angry cabbage-man to a pillar. He bit one, kicked another, and managed to headbutt a pillar before anyone got a rope around him. The goal was to secure him with his limbs still attached, which turned out to be the hardest part.
Linyue sat down calmly at the table, ignoring the thuds, shouts, and occasional goat-like noises filling the room. She poured herself a cup of tea and took a slow sip while chaos raged on behind her.
Master Tian Mo chuckled into his own cup. "Ah, you're still drinking tea. That's a good sign. You'll do just fine."
Linyue replied lightly, "I need to recharge before I go to war against vegetable."
Behind them, one guard shrieked, "He bit me again!"
Master Tian Mo raised his teacup. "A fine strategy."
Linyue clinked her cup against the air in agreement and sipped it. Calm. Composed. Dignified. Then she turned toward the tied-up angry cabbage. The man was currently trying to bang his head against the pillar behind him. Linyue watched him in silence for one long second, then she turned back to her tea. Her grip on the cup tightened.
"I'll start," she said firmly. "Everyone stay back. I don't want anyone getting cursed by accident and turning into an emotional vegetable."
Song Meiyu immediately took a large step backward and positioned herself behind Master Tian Mo, peeking over his shoulder.