Just now, Shang had used a peculiar combination of Reflection and World Connection.
Usually, Reflection could only reflect energy-based attacks, and neither water nor ice belonged to that group.
The reason was that Shang needed the inherent power of the attack to remain.
Shang wasn't able to use Reflection on ice since the force of the sudden stop would turn the ice into powder. Throwing that powder at the opponent wouldn't do anything, just like throwing water.
The same thing was true for earth since it would break apart into multiple pebbles, and metal would get completely bent to the point of uselessness.
However, by transforming ice into water and then solidifying the area around the weapon, Shang caught everything.
Then, he just needed to throw it back.
Since water was very flexible and stuck together, it didn't "break into pebbles".
