Ling Tian was on the verge of a breakthrough, and as his aura grew stronger, no one was more excited and relieved than Feng Lingzi. After all, he believed that once Ling Tian reached the Near-Sage level, he would be better equipped to fight Venerable Sword Saint. At the very least, he would have a much better chance of protecting himself, and Feng Lingzi wouldn't have to merge with Young Leader. Compared with merging with Young Leader, Feng Lingzi would rather die fighting Venerable Sword Saint. He didn't want to bear the infamy of merging with a friend.
Of course, Feng Lingzi and the others didn't know that Ling Tian had previously suspected Venerable Sword Saint might attack him as soon as he reached the Near-Sage level. Otherwise, they would likely have felt both joy and worry, with worry outweighing their happiness. They knew that even if Ling Tian reached the Near-Sage level, he would still be no match for Venerable Sword Saint—especially right after his breakthrough, before he had fully stabilized his cultivation.
Feng Lingzi and the others hadn't thought of that, but Ling Tian had been worried about it all along. So even as he broke through, he kept watch on everything around him, staying alert for any sign that Venerable Sword Saint might make a move. Of course, he left the task of sensing the man's presence to Po Tian, while he devoted most of his attention to the breakthrough. After all, breaking through was a perilous undertaking in its own right.
As time passed, Ling Tian's aura grew increasingly vigorous and powerful. What pleased him most was that Po Tian still hadn't sensed Venerable Sword Saint's presence. That meant Venerable Sword Saint wasn't going to act—at least, not now—and they had more time to improve their