A glimpse of opportunity: Start by marrying a mermaid bride.

Hey~

[Opportunity: Completed the mission to rescue my mentor, obtained the Confucian Scholar Rank 7, awakened the skill: Leader!]

[Ability Introduction: Leadership is an ability that can be awakened by a seventh-rank scholar in the Confucian scholar hierarchy. When using this ability, the speaker's language becomes more approachable and persuasive. The effect is even greater when conducting large-scale speeches, as it can unite the people and strengthen their resolve.]

Just as Zheng Xuan was about to speak to the woman from the Mermaid Kingdom in front of him, a notification sound suddenly rang in his ear.

The mission is complete, which means that Li Jitong and his group have completely escaped the foreigners' pursuit and are safe.

This put Zheng Xuan's mind at ease, and at the same time, the opportunity reward also provided the special ability that only a seventh-rank scholar in the Confucian scholar sequence could awaken: Leader.

Normal conversations with people are more approachable and persuasive, and can help to quickly establish connections with others.

The true value of this ability lies in giving speeches to large groups of people, which is enough to unite their hearts and minds and just that alone justifies the quality of this skill's purple-tier opportunity.

Some skills don't give you immediate benefits; rather, they are opportunities that accumulate over time, gradually releasing their advantages and providing lifelong benefits.

Thinking this, Zheng Xuan looked at Aunt Lan, the merman who clearly harbored a subtle hostility towards him.

"Hello Aunt Lan, thank you for saving my wife."

Zheng Xuan did not respond, but instead expressed his gratitude very sincerely. His gratitude directly touched the passive skill leader, making his words not only sincere but also more approachable.

"I already told you, I only did this to save our princess."

Aunt Lan replied indifferently as always.

Zheng Xuan continued, "What you did for is your business, but you saved my wife, so I must express my gratitude to you. Thank you."

"snort."

Aunt Lan snorted upon hearing this, then turned around and said, "Come inside and sit down."

Seeing this, the fisherwoman looked at Zheng Xuan and said, "Husband, it's alright. Aunt Lan is a very nice person, she just speaks a little harshly."

Zheng Xuan said, "No problem, I know how to handle it."

Hearing this, the fisherwoman smiled with relief, knowing that with her husband there, everything would be fine.

The two followed each other into the small wooden house. The house was very simple, with only a wooden bed and two stone benches.

After Zheng Xuan and the fisherwoman sat down, Zheng Xuan used his leader's affability to strike up a conversation with Aunt Lan and quickly found out their purpose.

There were three people in Aunt Lan's group: Aunt Lan, Abe, and a strange fish named Ahu, a tiger-headed shark.

Abe is the little girl who healed the tiger-headed shark. She and Aunt Lan are mother and daughter. She came here to be the fisherwoman's maid and bodyguard, just like Aunt Lan was the maid and bodyguard of the Queen of the Mermaid Kingdom.

Her daughter will also serve as a maid and bodyguard for the future Queen of the Mermaid Kingdom.

Their purpose in coming here was to bring the fisherwoman back to the Mermaid Kingdom in the South China Sea, namely, Quanxian Kingdom.

When Zheng Xuan heard that Aunt Lan and the others were going to take Yu Niang back to Quanxian Kingdom in the South China Sea, he was unwilling. Yu Niang's reaction was even stronger; she refused to be separated from Zheng Xuan no matter what.

Zheng Xuan thought that Aunt Lan and the others would definitely use force, so he secretly pressed the golden revolver at his waist. However, to his surprise, Aunt Lan actually agreed to the fisherwoman's request.

"The princess is going to stay and live with this human?"

The fisherwoman nodded firmly.

Aunt Lan nodded gently and said, "That's fine too. Anyway, our lifespan is several times that of humans. Humans only live for a few decades, which is just a few years of youth for us merfolk. And the current Queen, who is your grandmother, is only three hundred years old. She can live for at least another two hundred years."

"If you spend a hundred years in the human world, you'll mature a bit more, and inheriting the throne then won't be a problem."

Zheng Xuan was somewhat shocked as he watched Aunt Lan finish speaking so casually. Was that all?

Usually, these kinds of plots involve heart-wrenching separations, mutual reluctance to part, and then the woman being forcibly taken away, with the woman vowing that fortunes will change and that she will definitely rescue the fisherwoman.

But you've just agreed so easily now?

Also, is the mermaid's lifespan really that long? The current queen is already three hundred years old, and she can still live for another two hundred years, which means she can live to be five hundred years old.

Can a fisherwoman live to be 500 years old?

Zheng Xuan was somewhat shocked. If she could really live to be five hundred years old, then his own human lifespan of several decades was truly just a passing phase in the fisherwoman's life.

As he was thinking this, Aunt Lan said from the side, "However, the princess can go back to live a human life with you, but I have one condition."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Xuan looked at Aunt Lan and said, "You speak."

"Abe must stay by the princess's side. She is the maid and bodyguard that Her Majesty the Queen and I jointly chose for the princess. She must be in her proper place and fulfill her duties."

Upon hearing this, Abe walked over and looked at Zheng Xuan.

Zheng Xuan thought to himself, since the other party has agreed to so many conditions, how could he not agree to this one? Besides, it's not unreasonable. He has many more things to do and can't be with Yu Niang all the time. It would be good to find someone to accompany Yu Niang now.

Zheng Xuan thought for a moment and agreed, "Okay."

Aunt Lan replied, "Then there's no problem. You can leave now. Whenever the princess wants to go home, just have Abe summon me."

After saying that, Aunt Lan told Zheng Xuan to take the fisherwoman and Abe away. Once outside, there were no boats around. Zheng Xuan was thinking of swimming back to shore when he saw Abe point to a spot not far away.

They soon saw the tiger shark waiting in the water, its broad back exposed and flat. The three of them rode the tiger shark back to the village.

Zheng Xuan and his two companions had just returned to the village and hadn't even reached their doorstep when Zhou Xun called out from a corner.

Upon seeing Zhou Xun, Zheng Xuan immediately led the fisherwoman and Abe forward. Zhou Xun, seeing the fisherwoman, was both surprised and delighted, asking, "Sister-in-law, are you alright?"

Zheng Xuan said, "It's alright. The strange fish didn't harm the fisherwoman; it just dumped her on the river. She happened to run into Abe, the fisherwoman's distant cousin, who rescued her. By the way, where's Master?"

"Is he alright?"

Zheng Xuan changed the subject and asked how Li Jitong was doing. Upon hearing this, Zhou Xun's face turned extremely grim. He said, "Master's injuries are very serious. The most important thing is that the monster serum injected into his body is difficult to remove."

"I discussed it with my Uncle-Master Song and we decided to take my master to Shandong to find Doctor Wen Mofang to treat this disease."

"Uncle Song means that we should take you with us. After all, this matter has caused quite a stir. Uncle Song's idea is to go to Shandong to lay low for a month or two until things calm down before coming back."

Zheng Xuan replied, "Alright, let's go now."

Zhou Xun said, "That's great! My sister-in-law is back too, let's go together."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Xuan said, "Okay, let's go then."

Without stopping, the group rowed their boats straight to Shandong.