The guardian lunged again, its massive frame defying logic as it closed the distance in an instant. Lian Yu twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the crushing impact of its stone-like claws. The force of the strike shattered the temple floor, sending cracks spreading in all directions.
"Its power is immense…" Lian Yu's thoughts sharpened as he assessed the situation. The guardian was a construct of pure energy and stone, meaning conventional attacks would do little against it.
But as he dodged, the pendant in his grasp pulsed once more.
A memory surged through him.
A battlefield. A sky split apart by war. He stood at the center, surrounded by fallen warriors. His hands moved instinctively, tracing a pattern in the air. The very world responded, bending to his will.
"Heaven's Flowing Shadow."
The knowledge settled into him like a long-lost instinct. A movement technique—one that allowed him to weave through danger like water flowing through the cracks of reality.
Lian Yu's lips curled into a sharp smile. "I remember now."
The guardian struck again, but this time, Lian Yu did not evade in haste. He stepped forward.
At the last possible moment, his body shifted like a flickering mirage, his form blurring as he flowed past the attack. The guardian's massive claws missed by the thinnest margin, and in that instant—Lian Yu moved.
His fingers formed a seal. A faint glimmer of golden light gathered at his fingertips before he struck.
A single touch to the guardian's core.
The impact sent a wave of force through the temple. The guardian froze, its molten veins pulsing erratically.
Then, with a deep rumbling, it staggered backward.
Lian Yu's breath was steady as he landed gracefully.
"Not enough to destroy it," he noted. The guardian was powerful, but its body had a weakness—it was bound to rules. If he could understand those rules, he could break them.
The guardian's golden eyes dimmed for a moment before flaring even brighter. It recognized the technique.
Lian Yu's expression darkened.
"So, you know who I am, don't you?"
The guardian did not respond, but its next attack was different. Sharper. Faster.
This was no longer a test.
It was a battle.