The Echo of the Ancients: The Whispers of the Oracle

In the tranquil village of Lingxia, nestled amidst rolling hills and dense bamboo groves, lived a young scholar named Cheng Huan. Known for his sharp mind and insatiable curiosity, Cheng Huan was often found buried in scrolls of ancient wisdom, searching for the secrets that had been lost to time.

One moonlit night, while wandering through the nearby forest, Cheng Huan stumbled upon an ancient stone tablet half-buried in the earth. The tablet was inscribed with cryptic symbols and strange runes, their meaning lost to the ages. His heart raced with excitement as he began to decipher the enigmatic text.

The tablet spoke of an artifact, known as the "Oracle's Echo," said to be capable of time travel. According to the ancient text, the Oracle had scattered riddles throughout time, each one a step closer to unlocking the full power of the artifact. Cheng Huan knew he had found something extraordinary.

With a mixture of fear and exhilaration, he took the tablet and began his quest. His first stop was the time of the Han Dynasty, where he encountered an ancient sage who posed a riddle: "What has keys but can't open locks, has legs but can't walk, and has a mouth but can't speak?"

Cheng Huan pondered the riddle for hours, finally realizing it was a riddle about a "clock." The sage smiled and nodded, granting him access to the next time period.

The next stop was during the Tang Dynasty, where he met a poet who presented him with another riddle: "I have cities but no houses, I have mountains but no trees, I have water but no fish. What am I?"

This time, Cheng Huan solved it quickly, recognizing the answer to be "the map." The poet, impressed by his wit, allowed him to proceed to the next time.

The final riddle came from a warrior during the Song Dynasty, who asked: "I run but I never walk, I have a mouth but I never speak, I have a head but I never think. What am I?"

Cheng Huan's mind raced as he tried to decipher the enigmatic riddle. Finally, he understood that the answer was "the shadow." The warrior nodded in approval, and Cheng Huan felt a surge of triumph.

With the last riddle solved, Cheng Huan returned to the present, only to find the stone tablet glowing with a mysterious light. The Oracle's Echo was now fully activated, and Cheng Huan felt a connection to the past and future like never before.

But the Oracle's Echo came with a warning. The artifact had been created to protect the world from a great calamity that was set to unfold. The power of the artifact was not to be wielded lightly, for it could either save or destroy the world.

Cheng Huan knew that with great power came great responsibility. He vowed to use the Oracle's Echo wisely, ensuring that the riddles he had solved were not a prelude to destruction but a guide to prevent it.

As he stood there, the tablet pulsating with energy, Cheng Huan felt the echoes of the ancients around him, whispering their wisdom and guiding him towards his destiny. The Oracle's Echo had not only opened the door to the past and future but had also given him the strength and knowledge to protect the world from impending doom.

And so, Cheng Huan became the guardian of the Oracle's Echo, a bridge between time and destiny, a savior of the ancient whispers that still echoed through the ages.