Chapter 514: Pupil Power Nirvana

All wind-attributed energy elements were assimilated by the Phoenix Flame, transforming into fire-attributed power.

As the wind-attributed essence completely vanished, the three vortices transformed into Long Kun's own energy constructs. They were then simultaneously pushed back to the other side of the battlefield, becoming core energy carriers that now threatened A Ling.

"What?! It's possible to do this? You assimilated my wind attribute using flame power?"

A Ling was utterly stunned. For the first time, she truly felt the immense power of Long Kun's inherent strength.

"Though this brat isn't the sharpest, his power is truly not to be underestimated!"

After genuinely acknowledging a portion of Long Kun's power, A Ling, at that very moment, unleashed her second trump card.

"I must admit, you are considerably stronger than I imagined. However, that doesn't change the power disparity between us. If you can withstand my next move, you will earn my respect."

Long Kun sneered, "You couldn't beat me to begin with. Why would I need your respect? I'm sorry, but I have no interest in the weak."

A Ling huffed, putting her hands on her hips in a rather cute gesture. However, her subsequent counterattack was far from as harmless as it appeared.

In the next instant, a teal protective barrier swiftly formed around her. She then plunged directly into the three wind-and-fire vortices created by the Phoenix Flames below.

"My goodness, are you trying to commit suicide? You reckless lunatic!"

For some reason, Long Kun didn't harbor any ill will towards the girl. Initially, he merely found her talkative and seized the chance to assert his dominance. But after their brief exchange, he actually found her somewhat playful and charming, and he didn't genuinely intend to kill her. Yet, when he saw A Ling recklessly charging into his vortex, he surprisingly felt a pang of reluctance.

"Don't say I didn't warn you! If you crash into that, you'll likely be pulverized and refined into ashes!"

This time, however, A Ling appeared exceptionally serious. She completely disregarded Long Kun's warning, her expression solemn as she strengthened the teal protective barrier around her to its most robust state before recklessly plunging into the core of the three vortices.

*Boom!*

The moment the energy erupted, A Ling's silhouette vanished into the heart of the three fiery storms, her energy signature completely gone.

Long Kun was utterly dumbfounded. "My heavens, was she instantly killed by me just like that?"

Instinctively, he lowered his guard. He couldn't help but ascend into the air, moving towards the fiery vortices, eager to see what had truly happened.

To his surprise, A Ling, who had been perfectly concealing her presence within the fiery vortex, smiled at that very moment. It turned out everything had been part of her elaborate plan!

"This foolish boy, doesn't he realize that showing mercy to an enemy is being cruel to oneself? It seems I truly need to teach him a lesson today!"

The instant Long Kun lowered his guard and approached the three vortices, A Ling unleashed her second ultimate trump card. In a flash, countless furious wind blades, comparable to those of a post-tribulation realm, erupted around her body! These wind blades were all attached to the outer layer of A Ling's teal protective glow and would not be released towards an enemy's main body without her further command.

A Ling did this to ensure her power would strike her opponent with one hundred percent certainty.

"Now, feel true despair!"

In the next instant, when Long Kun saw A Ling's silhouette reappear in his vision, it was too late to dodge. A Ling, transforming into a teal light, suddenly embraced Long Kun's body, grabbing him as she soared towards the cloud summit!

"Haha, now I'd like to see what methods you can use to stop my attack!"

The previous confrontation had given A Ling a new idea. She knew well that her Peacock Totem would inevitably be suppressed by the opponent's Phoenix legacy. Therefore, to increase her chances of victory, she had to ensure her strongest killing moves directly struck her opponent's body.

Releasing attacks externally, as with the first wave of three vortices, would not yield the strongest offensive impact. Therefore, initiating a close-quarters attack was the fundamental path to victory!

With this strategy decided, A Ling, through her brief observation of Long Kun, chose to employ a feint to lure him in. Sure enough, Long Kun fell for it, his compassion getting the better of him!

A Ling tightly embraced Long Kun from behind, holding him intimately close with no distance between them. She then frantically unleashed the wind blades from her body. Unbeknownst to her, such an overtly intimate action instinctively caused Long Kun to entertain other thoughts.

"What the hell? Men and women shouldn't be so intimate! Can you not make moves like that? Didn't we agree to fight to the death?"

A Ling initially had no such thoughts. Hearing Long Kun's words, she realized her actions might indeed have crossed a line. However, to severely injure him, she was forced to endure being unintentionally taken advantage of.

"You wish, brat! Today, I will make you pay with your life. As long as I can successfully kill you and secure a glimmer of hope for my team, I'll tolerate being taken advantage of!"

Long Kun finally realized that this girl was truly going all out, utterly desperate for victory.

In the next moment, he reined in his other thoughts. After all, the outcome of this battle concerned the ultimate fate of his entire team. He could dismiss A Ling alone, but he couldn't ignore the threat posed by the entire seven-member top-tier Guardian team. Therefore, he absolutely had to win this battle!

"Very well. Since you're willing to risk everything, I have no more reservations. Prepare to face the judgment of the Phoenix Flames!"

The next moment, both simultaneously unleashed their strongest ultimate techniques. Long Kun's strength stemmed from his Phoenix bloodline, so when he unleashed his full power, his energy manifested as intense flames around his body.

The Phoenix Flames reached their maximum temperature, instantly incinerating A Ling's Peacock Totem into ashes.

With the Peacock Totem's power shattered, the protective barrier around A Ling's body was weakened beyond measure. Simultaneously, she had lost her final trump card against Long Kun's flame power and could no longer resist the scorching heat.

"No!!"