As the divine trio continued their journey, they found themselves traveling through a dense forest on the outskirts of the main city. The trees towered over them, casting long shadows across the forest floor as they trudged along the winding path.
Li Na was leading the way, her keen eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. Xuan Long walked behind her, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it at a moment's notice. Zhang Wei brought up the rear, his senses heightened by his cultivation, alert for any danger that might come their way.
As they walked deeper into the forest, the sounds of wildlife filled the air. Birds chirped, squirrels chattered, and the occasional rustle of leaves signaled the movement of some unseen creature.
After a few hours of walking, they spotted a clearing up ahead, and as they drew closer, they saw a small house nestled in the center. It looked abandoned, but they decided to investigate nonetheless.
As they approached, they noticed an old man sitting outside on a wooden chair, smoking a pipe. He greeted them warmly and invited them to sit with him.
As they settled in the small house, the elder offered them tea and began to ask about their objectives. "What is it that you seek, young ones?" he inquired.
Zhang Wei, being the leader of the trio, answered, "We are searching for a powerful cultivator named Lu Xian. He has been causing chaos in the main city and we were tasked by our sect leader to stop him."
The elder nodded thoughtfully, "And what about your personal objectives? What is it that you wish to achieve?"
Zhang Wei hesitated for a moment before answering, "I seek revenge. The gods killed my family and I want to make them pay for what they did."
The elder listened intently as Zhang Wei shared his goals and objectives. After he finished, the elder stroked his beard thoughtfully and asked, "Why would the gods kill your family?
Zhang Wei took a deep breath before answering, "It's because of an artifact that my family possessed. The gods believed that it could make them stronger and so they killed my family to obtain it."
The elder leaned back in his chair, "I see. That explains why they would go to such lengths to kill your family. But if they are truly after this artifact, why have they not killed you yet?"
Zhang Wei was taken aback, "What do you mean?"
The elder explained, "If the gods truly wanted this artifact, they could have killed you at any time. The fact that you are still alive means that they either do not know that you have it."
Zhang Wei's eyes widened as he realized the truth of the elder's words. "That makes sense," he said quietly.
The elder continued, "The gods are searching for a way to enter the lower realm and rule over it. They are looking for a way to bypass the boundary and break the seal that prevents them from using their full power. That's why they are so interested in this artifact of yours. They see it as a key to unlocking their full power."
Zhang Wei was fascinated by the elder's words. "So that's why they killed my family," he murmured. "Because they were powerless and easy to kill."
The elder nodded gravely. "Yes. And that's also why you were able to defeat one of the weakest gods. The laws of the lower realm seal a huge amount of power that the gods have. But if the boundary between the realms is cracked, that power can leak through. The gods can enter the lower realm and use their full power. They could rule the world and cause chaos."
Zhang Wei listened intently, his mind racing with the implications of the elder's words. He vowed to find a way to fix the boundary and prevent the gods from entering the lower realm. He would also find a way to destroy the artifact, so that the gods could never use it to unlock their full power.
Zhang Wei was surprised by the elder's explanation. He had never thought about the consequences of possessing such a powerful artifact. The thought of the gods coming after him at any moment sent chills down his spine. The elder noticed Zhang Wei's troubled expression and spoke again, "But don't worry, young man. You are not alone in this fight. There are still those who are willing to fight for what is right and just."
The elder then proceeded to tell the divine trio about a group of powerful cultivators who have dedicated their lives to protecting the lower realm from the gods' chaos. They were known as the "Guardians of the Lower Realm." The Guardians were not bound by any sect or clan and their only mission was to protect the lower realm from the gods.
Zhang Wei's heart swelled with hope upon hearing about the Guardians. He knew that he had to find them and join their cause. The elder gave them directions on where to find the Guardians' temple and wished them luck on their journey.
The divine trio set out early the next morning, filled with renewed determination. They travelled for days, encountering many obstacles and monsters along the way. But their resolve did not waver. They knew that the journey would be long and treacherous, but they were willing to endure anything to fulfill their mission.
Finally, after many long days and nights of travel, they arrived at the entrance of the Guardians' temple. The entrance was hidden behind a waterfall, and only those who knew the secret path could find it. The divine trio took a deep breath and entered the temple, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
As the Divine Trio arrived at the temple, the sight before them was a complete devastation. The once magnificent temple was now reduced to ruins, with bodies of the guardians scattered everywhere. Blood painted the floor, and the stench of death hung heavily in the air. It was a scene of chaos, and it was apparent that whoever did this had no regard for life.
Zhang Wei gritted his teeth, his fists clenched tightly. "This is the work of Lu Xian," he muttered, his voice laced with anger. "I'll make him pay for what he's done."
Li Na placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down. "We need to be careful," she said, her voice soft but firm. "He's powerful, and he has the backing of the gods."
Xuan Long nodded in agreement. "We need a plan," he said, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of danger. "We can't just charge in blindly."
Zhang Wei took a deep breath, trying to reign in his emotions. He knew that they needed to approach this carefully if they wanted to succeed. "You're right," he said, looking at his companions. "We need to gather information first. Find out where Lu Xian is and what he's planning."
The Divine Trio split up, each taking a different direction to search for any clues that could lead them to Lu Xian. They searched every nook and cranny of the temple, looking for anything that could help them in their quest.
After hours of searching, they regrouped and shared their findings. Zhang Wei had discovered a map that led to Lu Xian's hideout, while Li Na had overheard some of Lu Xian's followers talking about a ritual he was planning to perform. Xiao Long had found a letter that indicated that Lu Xian had plans to seek the help of Ba Xian, the god of destruction.
With this new information, the Divine Trio came up with a plan. They would sneak into Lu Xian's hideout and disrupt the ritual he was planning. Then, they would confront Lu Xian and hopefully stop him from carrying out his plans.
Zhang Wei's eyes blazed with determination. "We can do this," he said, his voice firm. "We're the Divine Trio, and we won't let Lu Xian and his followers get away with what they've done."
Li Na and Xuan Long nodded in agreement, their faces set with determination. They were ready to face whatever lay ahead, even if it meant risking their own lives to protect the lower realm.
The divine trio had to make their way through treacherous terrain and avoid various traps set up by Lu Xian's followers before they finally found his hideout. They managed to locate it using the map they found in the temple, which was left behind by one of the guardians who died in the attack.
Once they arrived at the hideout, they noticed a strange energy emanating from within. They cautiously approached, and as they got closer, they could hear chanting coming from inside. They hid behind a large rock and listened carefully.
They overheard the followers of Lu Xian talking about a ritual that would take place the next day. They discussed the sacrifices that were needed to summon Ba Xian, the god of destruction. The divine trio knew they had to act quickly and stop Lu Xian before it was too late.
Zhang Wei looked at Li Na and Xuan Long and said, "We need to come up with a plan. Lu Xian has too many followers, and we won't be able to take them all on at once."
Li Na responded, "Agreed. We should try to take out as many of his followers as we can before they realize we're here."
Xuan Long added, "And we should also try to disrupt the ritual. If we can do that, we might be able to weaken Ba Xian's power."
Zhang Wei nodded in agreement, "Let's get some rest and prepare for tomorrow. We need to be at our best if we're going to take on Lu Xian and his followers."
The divine trio found a safe spot to rest and began to strategize. They knew that tomorrow would be a tough battle, but they were determined to stop Lu Xian and prevent the god of destruction from entering the lower realm.
As they slept, they dreamed of the battles that awaited them, of the sacrifices they would have to make, and of the victory that they hoped to achieve. They were ready for whatever lay ahead, and they would do whatever it takes to save their world from destruction.
As the night of the ritual approached, the divine trio had already prepared themselves for the confrontation with Lu Xian and his followers. They had a plan, but they knew it wouldn't be easy. They waited patiently for the moment to strike.
When the night came, they silently sneaked into the hideout and saw that the ritual was already in progress. Lu Xian was at the center of the room, chanting and surrounded by his followers. The divine trio waited for the right moment to interrupt the ritual and catch Lu Xian off guard.
Suddenly, as they were about to make their move, one of Lu Xian's followers noticed them and alerted the others. Lu Xian stopped chanting and turned to face them with an angry look on his face.
"What is the meaning of this interruption?" he snarled. "Do you have any idea what you have done? You have disrupted the sacred ritual that will bring the gods' power to our realm!"
Zhang Wei stepped forward and replied, "We know exactly what you are planning, Lu Xian. You seek power from the gods to rule over this realm and cause chaos. We cannot allow that to happen."
Lu Xian's face twisted in rage. "You fools! You do not understand the true power of the gods! They will bring order to this chaotic world, and I will be their chosen one to lead!"
Lu Xian's face twisted in rage. "You fools! You do not understand the true power of the gods! They will bring order to this chaotic world, and I will be their chosen one to lead!"
The divine trio readied themselves for the fight as Lu Xian charged towards them, his followers close behind. The battle was fierce, with Lu Xian unleashing powerful attacks, but the divine trio held their own, using their skills and teamwork to fight back.
The fight continued with Lu Xian becoming more and more powerful. His eyes glowed with a dark energy and his movements became faster and more erratic. The Divine Trio struggled to keep up with his attacks and it seemed like they were losing the battle.
Xuan Long was the first to fall, a powerful blow from Lu Xian sending him crashing to the ground. Zhang Wei and Li Na fought on, their attacks barely fazing Lu Xian.
The fight between the divine trio and Lu Xian was intense and grueling. They struggled to match the powerful cultivator's movements and were pushed to their limits. Xuan Long was almost defeated by Lu Xian's powerful attacks, and Zhang Wei knew he needed to act fast.
With no other options left, Zhang Wei unleashed his "power of all-sins technique" once more, this time using the "sin of sloth" to slow down Lu Xian's movements. Taking advantage of this, Zhang Wei then used the "sin of greed" to steal Lu Xian's techniques and abilities.
As they finally defeated Lu Xian, the cultivator sacrificed his own spirit to create one last attack that would explode with the power to destroy everything. Zhang Wei knew that they needed to act fast, so he unleashed the "sin of gluttony" to absorb the energy of the explosion.
The explosion was massive, and it could have destroyed the entire universe, but Zhang Wei was able to absorb all of the energy and gain the ability as his own. The divine trio had successfully stopped Lu Xian's evil plan and saved the lower realm from destruction.
After the intense battle, the divine trio sat in silence, catching their breaths and processing what had just happened. Zhang Wei looked at his hands, now possessing the power of the explosion they had just survived.
"That was too close," Zhang Wei said, still in shock. "I never thought I would be able to use the 'sin of gluttony' on something like this."
Xuan Long looked at him, nodding in agreement. "We couldn't have done it without you, Zhang Wei. You really are a force to be reckoned with."
Li Na smiled at both of them. "Now that our mission is complete, what do we do next?"
Zhang Wei thought for a moment before answering, "There's always someone out there who needs our help. Let's go and find them."
The divine trio got up, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead of them. They knew that they may face more difficult battles, but they were ready for anything.