The elemental gate roared like a beast denied. Flames licked at Li Tianming's legs while frost crawled over his arms like chains of ice. Yue Qianyin stood beside him, her breathing steady but shallow, mist forming on her lips. The path had split behind them. Now, they stood on a razor-thin bridge of obsidian, surrounded by swirling firestorms and glacial maelstroms.
"Don't lose your balance," Yue murmured. "This isn't just physical. The gate tests harmony of opposing wills."
Li Tianming nodded, eyes fixed on the runic altar ahead. Every step closer magnified the storm of elements clashing around them. His sword trembled at his side—not with fear, but anticipation.
Suddenly, the bridge cracked beneath them.
CRACK!
From the lava below and the glaciers above, emerged two titanic elemental guardians—twin behemoths of magma and permafrost. One wielded a molten warhammer, the other a glaive of frozen crystal.
"Together?" Qianyin asked.
Tianming shook his head. "No. I need to test the third form."
She nodded, stepping back, her blade swirling in protective ice petals as Tianming faced the fire-beast.
He planted his feet, inhaled deeply, and roared—
"Destruction Sword Art – Third Form: Starfire Annihilation!"
A sphere of burning starlight engulfed his blade as he slashed in a spiral arc. The shockwave struck the fire-beast directly, compressing its core into nothingness before detonating it in a sunburst explosion. Even Yue Qianyin flinched from the blast.
But the ice guardian advanced.
Qianyin rose to meet it. Her voice rang clear—
"Glacial Waltz – Fifth Petal: Moonlight Bloom!"
A lotus of frost bloomed under her feet. As the beast lunged, its legs froze mid-motion, its core pierced by a shining crescent slash.
The bridge reformed—acknowledging their worth.
Tianming's sword dimmed. He staggered slightly. "Third form… drains too much Qi. I'm not ready for Fourth."
Yue offered her shoulder. "But you will be. One step at a time."
As they crossed the altar, fire and frost quieted. Runes ignited beneath their feet, revealing a memory—an echo from a time long lost.
A younger version of Tianming's second father stood in flames, battling shadows born of frost.
"He mastered all nine forms…" Tianming whispered, recognizing the silhouette.
A voice rang out—an ancient memory.
"Balance is not peace. It is choosing destruction for the sake of rebirth."
And then silence.
The gate behind them sealed. The path forward opened into a forest of crystal and ash.
The next trial awaited.
And far behind them, the masked figure grinned beneath his veil.
"So… the third form is awakened. The boy walks the path of ruin. Just like his father."