Li Ming's eyes widened as the massive shadow lunged at him.

"Whoa… okay… this is officially the weirdest thing I've fought," he muttered, gripping his sword.

Bai Guo flapped above, feathers ruffled. "Descendant! That thing is huge! And evil! And… did it just wink at you?!"

Li Ming squinted. "Wink? I think my inner world is mocking me now."

The shadow slammed into the ground with a BOOM, sending a wave of dark energy rippling outward. Trees bent, rocks tumbled, and a nearby pile of floating teacups went flying.

"Careful! My bun stash is down there!" Li Ming shouted, ducking behind a floating teacup.

Bai Guo squawked. "Descendant! Those are illusions! Probably!"

Li Ming peeked around. "Probably or not, I don't want my buns flattened by a shadow hand!"

The shadow reached again, stretching impossibly long fingers toward him. Li Ming dodged, rolled, and accidentally kicked a clone of himself that had been lurking behind a teacup.

"HEY!" Clone shouted, spinning in midair. "I didn't sign up for this!"

Li Ming groaned. "Neither did I! But here we are."

He jumped onto another teacup, swinging his sword in a wide arc. Golden Qi clashed against the shadow, and sparks flew like fireworks.

Bai Guo flew in circles, squeaking: "Descendant! That's… actually working! Or breaking everything! Maybe both!"

Li Ming grinned. "Both is my specialty!"

The shadow paused for a moment, as if annoyed. Then it shifted, splitting into smaller shadow versions of itself. Each one looked angrier, meaner, and somehow… sillier.

"Great," Li Ming muttered. "Now I'm fighting shadow clones that are evil and ridiculous."

One shadow clone had sunglasses, a cape, and a tiny wand. Another had a bun for a head. One even had Bai Guo's face — sort of.

Bai Guo squawked in horror. "Descendant… is that… me?!"

Li Ming blinked. "Uh… nope. Definitely not you. Probably."

The clone with the bun head charged. Li Ming spun, using his sword to knock it away. POOF! The bun exploded in a puff of shadow smoke.

Bai Guo fainted midair. "Descendant… you're… insane!"

Li Ming shrugged. "Or brilliant. Tomato, tomahto."

The other shadows lunged together. Li Ming sighed. "Time for strategy."

He focused, letting his Qi flow evenly. Golden light expanded outward, forming a protective barrier around him. The shadow clones slammed into it, ricocheting off with BOOM!

One clone yelled, "What is this? Impossible!"

Li Ming smirked. "Simple. I'm weird and you're predictable. Works every time."

Bai Guo flapped frantically. "Descendant… I think he's right! That's actually… terrifying."

The shadows regrouped, forming a massive single shadow again. Its eyes glowed red, and it loomed over Li Ming like a storm.

"You've survived the chaos," it hissed. "But can you survive… me?"

Li Ming tightened his grip. "Oh, I'll survive. And I'll make it fun."

With a leap, he swung his sword, channeling all his Qi. Golden energy formed a spiral that shot toward the shadow.

The shadow blocked it, its aura exploding outward. Trees bent, rocks split, and Li Ming was sent skidding back.

Bai Guo groaned. "Descendant… maybe that was too much fun."

Li Ming wiped sweat from his brow. "Fun is mandatory when fighting evil versions of yourself!"

Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled. More shadow hands emerged, reaching from the void below.

Li Ming stared at them. "Oh… great. The inner world is multiplying again. Just when I thought it was hilarious."

Bai Guo flapped frantically. "Descendant! You can't fight all of them at once!"

Li Ming smirked. "Who said I'm going to fight them all at once?"

He dashed forward, leaping over a shadow hand, spinning midair. BOOM! He slammed his sword into the largest shadow, sending it flying backward.

The shadows shrieked. "Noooo! How can he be so stupidly lucky?!"

Li Ming landed on a floating teacup, balancing perfectly. "Lucky? No… I'm chaotic genius. Big difference."

The shadows regrouped. They formed a giant wall of dark energy, towering above him.

Bai Guo gulped. "Descendant… um… that's a really big wall."

Li Ming squinted at it. "Yeah… but every wall has a door. And I'm about to find it."

He took a deep breath, gathering Qi. His energy glowed brighter than ever. The air rippled around him like a golden storm.

The shadows recoiled slightly.

"Wait… are you glowing… more than me?" the shadow hissed.

Li Ming grinned. "Yep. Time for the special move you didn't see coming."

He ran forward, spinning, leaping, and… accidentally kicking Bai Guo.

"DESCENDANT!!!"

Li Ming flailed. "I said accidentally! Don't overreact!"

Bai Guo rolled his eyes. "Yeah… that's your battle strategy. Brilliant."

The shadows lunged, forming a massive spiral, ready to crush him completely.

Li Ming gritted his teeth. "Alright… now it's serious."

And just as he launched himself at the spiral—

A deep, booming voice echoed from all around:

> "Li Ming… your heart… is ready… but your mind… will be tested!"

Lightning crackled across the maze, shadows swirled into a vortex, and a massive figure slowly emerged from the center of the darkness…

Li Ming froze.

Bai Guo whimpered. "Descendant… that thing… is huge… and it's smiling at us…"

And in that smile… Li Ming saw his own reflection… distorted… terrifying… and even more ridiculous than before.

----

Li Ming's heart skipped a beat as the monstrous shadow loomed above. Its grin stretched ridiculously wide, like it had stolen all the pies in the world and wanted him to cry about it.

The shadow's massive arms swung in wild arcs. But instead of attacking directly, it tripped over its own shadow feet, spinning like a top and crashing into a floating teacup.

Bai Guo gasped. "Descendant… it just fell… and I… I think I'm laughing too much to help!"

Li Ming blinked. "Is this even supposed to be intimidating? Because it looks like a shadow trying to dance ballet."

The shadow scrambled to its feet, pointing a massive claw at him. "You… you mocked me!"

Li Ming raised an eyebrow. "Mocked you? Nah… I complimented your… flexibility. Very impressive spin move."

Bai Guo muttered, "Descendant, maybe don't… encourage it."

Suddenly, dozens of tiny shadow clones popped out of the ground—each one sillier than the last. One had a teacup for a head, another wore sunglasses, one even had wings like Bai Guo's but bigger and fluffier.

Li Ming groaned. "Oh no… it's multiplying. And somehow… everyone looks weirder than me."

The teacup-headed shadow charged. Li Ming sidestepped, accidentally stepping on a floating spoon that shot him forward like a catapult. He flipped in midair and kicked the teacup clone straight into a group of other clones.

BANG!

Bai Guo rolled his eyes midair. "Descendant… your accidents are… dangerous… but… kinda working?"

Li Ming landed on a floating plate, brushing off dust. "See? I told you. Chaos is an art form."

The giant shadow recovered, glaring at him. "Your chaos annoys me! Your stupidity… annoys me! And your buns… especially annoy me!"

Li Ming froze. "Wait… buns again?!"

Bai Guo groaned. "Descendant… maybe don't answer that one either."

Before he could think, the shadow raised both massive hands, creating a swirling tornado of black and red Qi. It lifted clones, teacups, and even a random floating bun into the air.

Li Ming grinned. "Perfect. Target practice!"

He dashed forward, spinning, slicing through the swirling clones and scattering teacups like confetti. Each strike sent shadows flying, some crashing into each other, some disappearing with tiny squeaks.

Bai Guo's feathers puffed. "Descendant… you're turning a nightmare into… a mess… and it's somehow hilarious!"

Li Ming laughed. "Of course! Chaos is my specialty! Next move… 'Chicken-Assisted Spinning Slash!'"

Bai Guo flapped wildly. "I… I'm not sure I like being part of the name of your move!"

Li Ming grabbed him anyway and swung him in a wide arc. WHAM! The chicken hit a shadow clone, sending it spinning into another clone that landed in a teacup.

Bai Guo squawked. "Descendant! That's… terrifyingly effective!"

The giant shadow roared. "ENOUGH! I will end you with my ultimate move!"

The darkness around it condensed, forming a giant, spinning wheel of shadow energy. Each rotation pulled the smaller clones into it like a blender.

Li Ming's eyes narrowed. "Okay… that's new… and not funny."

Bai Guo groaned. "Descendant… do something… fast!"

Li Ming concentrated, letting golden Qi flow evenly through his body. He jumped onto a floating plate and used it like a surfboard, launching himself straight at the spinning wheel.

He collided with it, sending sparks everywhere. The clones flew outward, teacups clanging, shadows screeching.

Bai Guo flapped frantically, holding onto a floating spoon. "Descendant… this is… insane… and I… love it?"

Li Ming grinned. "Exactly. Chaos is power… and comedy."

But the massive shadow wasn't finished. It reformed instantly, larger, its grin wider, eyes glowing brighter, and spinning faster.

"Your tricks won't work on me forever," it growled. "Your stupidity is my playground… but soon, it will be your prison."

Li Ming's grin faded. "Uh… yeah… that sounds bad."

Bai Guo whispered, "Descendant… I think the final trial is… actually final."

Li Ming's sword glowed with golden Qi. "Then… let's make it… memorable."

He leapt toward the giant shadow, spinning through the air, dodging spinning clones, teacups, and flying buns. His Qi flared, bright and chaotic, like a storm of golden laughter.

The shadow's laugh echoed, deep and mocking. "Li Ming… let's see if your heart can survive this!"

And at that moment… the ground beneath them cracked open again, wider and deeper than ever.

Li Ming froze.

Bai Guo flapped nervously. "Descendant… um… that's… really big… and it's coming right at you…"

The shadow stretched, a massive clawed hand reaching out, energy crackling, pulling the entire maze—and Li Ming—toward the abyss.

Li Ming swallowed. "Oh… oh no…"

And then, everything went black.

To be continued....

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