One day, Li Xue and Lanfen were swimming through the palace gardens when they came across a gathering of mermaid elders. Intrigued, they approached and listened intently as the oldest mermaid, Madam Xian, recounted a prophecy of old.
"In a time of great turmoil," Madam Xian began, her voice wavering, "a mermaid princess, gullible and innocent, will bring about the kingdom's destruction. Her actions shall lead to the downfall of our people, and chaos shall reign."
The crowd of mermaids murmured uneasily, glancing at Li Xue with concern. Li Xue, however, remained calm, absorbing the words and processing their implications. Once the gathering dispersed, she turned to Lanfen, her expression determined.
"Lanfen, I must find a way to prevent this prophecy from coming true. If I am the one who will cause the kingdom's destruction, I must do everything in my power to stop it."
