"Miss, it's wonderful that you've recovered from your illness." The maid held a bowl of hot water and was surprised to see Fan Lihua not only awake but also looking more beautiful and fair-skinned.

"My mother is not dead yet. Quickly find a carriage or a horse for me." Fan Lihua knew it was not the time for trivial matters; saving her mother was the most important thing.

"Miss is not dead? Were those people lying? Are they going to bury the miss alive?" The steward, despite being a married couple, never thought the Fan family could be so cruel.

The maid hurriedly said, "We don't have a carriage or a horse, only an old ox used for farming. There was a cart-pulling ox, but a few days ago, the eldest miss took it away."

"Then the old ox it is! Steward, bring it out. I must quickly return to the residence and save my mother."

"Little miss, let me go instead! The journey is long; how can a young lady ride an ox?" The steward thought of how Fan Lihua had never ridden a horse or an ox before; it was improper for a young lady.

Fan Lihua dismissed their concerns, knowing that pride couldn't be compared to her mother's life. She urgently said, "Quickly... there's no time for idle talk; only I know how to save my mother. It would be useless for you to go."

"Alright..." Seeing the determination in her eyes, the steward didn't see the weak appearance she had when she first arrived and felt a little relieved as he went to bring out the ox.

"Miss, it's a long journey, and you have no silver on you. What if you get hungry on the way? Let me cook some sweet potatoes for you to take along," the woman suggested, considering it took half a day to reach the city.

"Silver...?" Fan Lihua thought of the currency in The Mortal Realm and realized her most valuable possessions were the necklace around her neck, the silver hairpin on her head, and the silver bracelet on her wrist. Her elder sister didn't think them worthwhile and hadn't taken them.

"Miss, take this silver trident of mine." The maid removed the only hairpin she had to give to Fan Lihua as travel expenses.

"Keep the hairpin; I have some jewelry..." Fan Lihua said and hurriedly turned to leave.

The maid and her mother followed her, watching Fan Lihua, who had never ridden a horse or ox before, confidently mount the ox.

The steward placed a clean cloth on the ox's back for her to sit on. Tethered with a nose ring and a rope, the ox responded to the light wave of the rope from Fan Lihua, who infused it with Immortal Qi, making it run faster than a young ox.

"Little miss, slow down." The steward and his family worriedly watched the fast-running ox and its rider fade into the distance, amazed that the slow work ox could now run so swiftly.

It was midday, and the winter sun shone warmly. Even with just a thin outfit, Fan Lihua didn't feel cold as the ox sped forward.

Fan Lihua had traveled this road to Heaven City with her brother last year and remembered it well.

Without admiring the picturesque scenery along the way, her thoughts flew back to the Fan residence, concerned for the poor mother of this body.

Horse riders clearly saw an old ox running faster than their horses, leaving some feeling embarrassed.

As Fan Lihua passed two young nobles on horseback, their veils fluttered in the wind from the speeding ox.

One noble, dressed in a white embroidered robe with a black cloak, had thick eyebrows, large eyes, a high nose bridge, red lips, a tall and slim figure, and a Jade Pendant and sword on his waist. He was Zhao Shuai from Lecong Academy and the eldest son of the Zhao Family in Lecheng.

The other, wearing a purple embroidered robe and a white cloak, had a long face, high nose bridge, phoenix eyes, sword-like brows, thin lips, a tall and slender figure, and a Jade Pendant with a sharp sword at his waist. He was Luo Shaoxing, the second son of the Luo Family in Lecheng and also a scholar of Lecong Academy.

As the ox passed, the young nobles saw a young beauty riding it, the wind blowing her hair and revealing her fair, beautiful face and loose, worn sleeves fluttering.

"Wow, these days even girls can ride oxen, and this old ox runs faster than a horse, incredible." Luo Shaoxing wanted to applaud the ox and the beautiful girl, his tone full of admiration.

"Don't you find something strange about that ox?" Zhao Shuai noticed keenly, his icy tone carrying a hint of warmth.

"She doesn't look like a farm girl, so why is she dressed so poorly?"

"I don't know..." Zhao Shuai and his friend were puzzled.

"Let's catch up and see what's going on..." Luo Shaoxing thought this was a show not to be missed.

Zhao Shuai gazed deeply at the receding figure on the ox, feeling a sense of familiarity.

******

At Lecong Academy, a young scholar was in class when he suddenly felt a wrenching pain, his eyelids twitching, and clutched his chest with a worried frown.

When the teacher announced the end of the class, he quickly packed up, passed a note to his deskmate, and ran out swiftly.

His deskmate, not reacting immediately, stared blankly at the note for a moment and then reluctantly went to ask for leave.

The scholar, carrying a backpack, ignored the rule of not leaving the academy during recess and rushed out.

Reaching the gate, he was stopped at the guard post with a call, "Young master, the Old Master and Old Madam request your presence."

"Grandfather and Grandmother?" The young man intended to quickly hire a carriage to return home, but upon hearing this from the Zhong family servant, he had no choice but to ride their carriage to the Zhong residence.

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