Cant punch air using joystick and aim crosshairs and punch/mine button on screen

I'm on a server that uses mechanics with punching and crouching (a bending 4 elements server) and some abilities require you to punch/left click but sometimes I have to punch/left click while looking at air or too far away from a block/entithy to reach it normally and when i punch the ability doesnt activate but when i punch while looking at a block within reach (i.e. one you can reach and mine/place another block on) it activates it completely fine and this is the same underwater and when looking at water or lava
How to reproduce:
join a 4 elements server and set up bending abilities
use one that requires punching/left clicking
try it while looking at air or while not looking at any block within player reach