Chapter 38: The Heft of the Demon City Gates

With the ebony-scaled creature vanquished and now captured in card form, Li Yang took a moment to inspect his new acquisition. The card shimmered with a dark, earthen hue indicating its primary element - Earth. The image on the card portrayed a majestic and fearsome creature, an amalgamation of a lion and an eagle. This beast, belonging to the Demon Clan, possessed the ferocity of a lion and the sharp-sightedness of an eagle, making it a formidable adversary to any who dared to challenge it. Its talons, looking sharper than razors, were designed for one purpose - to tear apart its prey.

Feeling a surge of pride and confidence, Li Yang pocketed the card and turned his attention to the looming gates of Demon City. They stood tall and intimidating, forged from dark iron and etched with runes that glowed ominously. It was clear that these weren't ordinary doors; they were designed to keep out unwanted visitors and to seal in the dark secrets of the city.

Li Yang approached cautiously, his fingers brushing the cold, hard surface. The runes pulsed under his touch, resonating with a power that was foreign yet familiar. Realizing brute strength would be of little use, Li Yang decided to utilize his elemental cards. He summoned his golden stag, whose radiant energy had served him well against the creature. However, even the stag's luminosity seemed to barely make a dent against the gates' defenses.

Thinking back to his new acquisition, Li Yang wondered if the Earth element from the demon card might be the key. With a swift gesture, he summoned the lion-eagle hybrid. The creature, with its powerful wings and strong, muscular body, landed gracefully before him, its eyes fixing on the gates. Li Yang, trusting his intuition, commanded the creature to unleash its earth-based powers on the door.

The hybrid creature let out a powerful roar, its voice echoing across the vast expanse, as it began to channel its energy. The ground trembled, and earthen spikes emerged, thrusting towards the gates. Each spike, infused with the power of the Earth element, sought out the runes, targeting their weak points. With every hit, the glow of the runes dimmed, their power waning.

However, it wasn't enough. The gates remained steadfast. Recognizing the need for a combined effort, Li Yang called upon his Moon Crescent pendant. Channeling its luminous energy into the hybrid creature, a bright aura surrounded it. The creature, now empowered with both the Earth element and the pendant's luminescence, lunged at the gates with renewed vigor.

The impact was colossal. The once-immovable gates shuddered under the force, and a deafening crack resonated through the air. The combined power of the Earth element and the Moon Crescent's light had created a force capable of breaking the gate's enchantment. With one final, concerted push from Li Yang and his summoned allies, the gates groaned and slowly began to part.

As the doors opened, revealing the dark mysteries of Demon City, Li Yang couldn't help but feel a mix of anticipation and dread. With his growing arsenal of elemental creatures and his ever-faithful Moon Crescent pendant, he stepped forward, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.