Three figures appeared, their outfits ancient, with no record of such attire on Earth.
Two of the figures were men, one was a woman. One man's entire body shimmered with golden light, while the other figure seemed even stronger, glowing with a water-blue hue. The woman always had a happy smile on her face, very beautiful and filled with love.
Upon the appearance of the three, Ye Hao quickly took a few steps back, cautiously asking, "Who might you be, seniors...?"
"Hehe, the ancient language of Huaxia?" the beautiful woman with the happy smile asked gently.
"I am from Huaxia, may I know who you are, seniors?" Ye Hao speculated that this might be the legendary marriage goddess Hera, and the other two were Apollo the Sun God and Poseidon the Sea God.
"Hehe, hello, friendly descendant of Huaxia, my name is Hera." Hera extended her illusory right hand and then placed it on her left shoulder.
Ye Hao followed her gesture and said, "Hello, Hera. I've heard legends about you. Are you really the Main God of marriage?"
"Oh? Is that how descendants still praise me?" Hera asked with a smile.
"I'm not entirely sure about that, but I think you must be a Great Power," Ye Hao flattered Hera, thinking it was best to keep them pleased in this situation, to safeguard his life.
"Descendants' embellishments, passed down through generations. The more historic a person was, the more exaggerated the tales become," Hera said with a smile, subtly indicating to Ye Hao that while some tales hold truth, they are indeed exaggerated.
"And are these two by your side Apollo the Sun God and Poseidon the Sea God?" Ye Hao asked.
"Hehe, what Sea God? Just a fisherman from the sea," laughed the middle-aged man whose whole body emitted a water-blue light.
Though he spoke humbly, living in their era, even a fish from the sea wasn't something modern people could easily handle.
"Alright, seniors, may I ask why you've summoned me and my three siblings?" Ye Hao returned to the main topic; he didn't want to waste more time here since he's been abroad for several days and wished to end this trip and return home soon.
After all, Huaxia is their home. No matter how cozy it was abroad, it never felt as comfortable and secure as in Huaxia, especially since Ye Hao's loved ones were there.
"It's a good thing for them, but in terms of responsibility, it may be a bad thing," Apollo the Sun God stepped forward and said.
"And what is this responsibility, Apollo, the Sun God?" Ye Hao inquired of the light-radiating Apollo.
"The responsibility to protect the Divine Core." At this point, Hera took over from Ye Hao, her smile fading as she turned serious.
"What Divine Core?" Ye Hao was even more puzzled. What was this about?
"The Divine Core, the ultimate weapon we, led by Athena, the Wisdom Goddess, created together."
"What was it meant for?" Ye Hao asked.
"Originally, it was meant to destroy the tyrant Zeus, but as we researched, we realized the immense power of the Divine Core. Just one could destroy the whole Earth and even the nearby star regions, so we had no choice but not only to refrain from using it but also to protect the Divine Core to prevent it from being misused by those with ill intentions, leading to catastrophic consequences," Hera explained.
"Where is the Divine Core?" Ye Hao was shocked. What kind of weapon could destroy an entire Earth? Could such an ultimate weapon truly have been developed in ancient times?
"The Divine Core lies at the lowest depths of this pyramid," Apollo openly told Ye Hao.
"Why are you telling me?" Ye Hao asked.
"Because you are not part of our inheritance, and you lack the power to activate the Divine Core. So we need someone to convey our words," Hera said.
"So, I am to oversee my brothers and sisters, and when their strength grows to a certain level, ensure they guard the core, passing it down through generations?" Ye Hao asked.
"Exactly."
"Then why don't you guard the core yourselves?" Ye Hao asked.
"Hehe, we are merely Soul Bodies; our physical forms perished nine thousand years ago. This is our final appearance on Earth; in the future, we will cease to exist," Poseidon the Sea God replied.
"Alright then! How do I open the entrance to access the core?"
"Gather the inheritances of Athena, Ares, and Hades to unlock the seal."
"So, I'm obligated to help you find the inheritors of Athena the Wisdom Goddess and others?" Ye Hao asked with a hint of indignation. He wasn't part of the inheritance, but he had to help find the heirs?
"Yes, of course! You can refuse to find the inheritors of Athena, but by doing so, you will jeopardize your brothers' lives. We set it so that once any inheritor appears after sealing the core, the others must be found, and only when all inheritors appear can the Divine Core's location be opened. If all inheritors aren't found within a millennium, the Divine Core will remain eternally sealed beneath the pyramid, and the siblings who accepted part of our inheritance and have not received the rest will die," Poseidon the Sea God said.
"What?" Ye Hao widened his eyes at Poseidon the Sea God, then roared, "Are you telling me the inheritance you provided is incomplete and you actually tampered with it, forcing them to find all the inheritors within a thousand years?"
"Yes, I love talking to smart people who understand instantly," Poseidon said.
"How can you do this? This is really difficult; we can't possibly live for a thousand years. How am I supposed to find all the inheritors in this vast world?" Ye Hao yelled.
"That's your problem. There is gain and loss; they can gain by their own efforts and lose by their lack of it, effectively spurring them to keep striving," Poseidon answered.
"But you have to give me a hint, right?" Ye Hao asked, spreading his hands helplessly.
"Hehe, no hints. However, you managed to bring three siblings to receive the inheritance this time, so perhaps you'll bring other inheritors next time," Hera smiled and said.
"That's just a coincidence. Such coincidences don't always happen to me, so I strongly insist on receiving a hint," Ye Hao protested.
"Sorry, friendly Huaxia person. We don't know what kind of person is suitable to receive our inheritance, so it's up to you to find them painstakingly."
"I..."
"Hehe, our time is short, and it's time for us to be liberated. Remember, the Divine Core is a righteous existence. We hope that one day you can open the pyramid and retrieve the Divine Core," Hera said with a cheerful laugh.
Soon after, the bodies of the three, like how they appeared initially, disappeared silently and without a trace. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote and give monthly tickets on Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)