Death... and me

Naturally, that demon beast also felt the Divine Blood in Kentucky. "Oh! So you can tell? Sorry, but I'm not going to talk about it as my race's abilities might be found. However, you can know my name at least. I'm called Tutilin. I can tell that your Demon Bird also has Divine Blood. However, since it hasn't gained sentience yet, it can't make full use of this Divine Demon Tree. It's not intelligent enough."

It was then that Kentucky snorted in response. "Hmph! Are you calling me dumb or something?"

Rean and Roan agreed with the guy, though. "Brother, you sure have good eyes. That's indeed a nonintelligent Demon Bird."

Kentucky felt like crying after that. "Fuck you!"

However, Tutilin was shocked to hear Kentucky's voice. "I-i-i-it has sentience?! How?! It's only a Peak Stage Seven Divine Demon Bird!"

Seeing that the Minokawa had already spilled the beans, Celis took the chance to talk as well. "Alright, there's no need to continue this conversation. Kentucky and I have already formed our connection. Even if I were to go with you, I wouldn't be able to do the same thing again. You better look for another Divine Demon Tree."

Tutilin was losing his mind after that. "How... even the Demon Tree can talk..."

Rean shrugged his shoulders as he said, "Well, leaving aside that they shouldn't be talking that freely, the fact is that demon beasts and plants can talk in the continent we came from." Rean then used the same excuse he has used countless times already.

"A continent where all demon beasts can use Divine Sense since Stage Five to send messages and literally talk at Stage Six? Well, that's a first. I've never heard about this Turin Region either." Tutilin didn't know how to proceed anymore. However, he still wished to have Celis. "Well, it'll be faster if I can directly talk to the World Swallowing Cedar."

Tutilin continued, "Celis, right? I can offer you all the resources they're giving you and so much more. How about you cut your connection off with that other guy?"

Kentucky felt like he was invisible. "You know I can hear you, right?"

Tutilin didn't seem to care, though. "So what? Do you have any idea how rare Divine Demon Trees are? They're definitely many times rarer than Divine Demon Birds like us. If not because everyone is protected by this annoying barrier, I would have killed you already just so that I could have Celis for myself. Well, at least that was the plan until I found out that you and Celis already had intelligence."

Hurio then looked at the twins before asking in a low voice, "Aren't you going to do anything?"

Roan didn't even bother answering as Rean replied with a smile, "What's fun about that? Let them decide whatever they want. Don't forget that we aren't really their masters or anything. If they so wish to, we will let them go at any time."

Kentucky wouldn't give up that easily, though. "Is that so? Too bad I do have sentience, and so does Celis. Now that we have our connection, our lives are also connected. You're too late. Go away and try to find another Divine Demon Tree for yourself."

Celis was surprised about another thing, though. 'So in the Realm of Gods, Divine Demon Trees are rarer than Divine Demon Birds, huh? Hmm... perhaps, this is only a regional thing.'

Nevertheless, he put those thoughts aside for now. He was supposed to be cultivating, after all. "Alright, that's enough. I already have Kentucky, and he and these brothers have done a lot of things for me. I'll be following them even if you can give me a better cultivation environment." Celis didn't really believe that, though. Rean and Roan's potential to earn even more high-level Divine Stones in the future was higher than any of the people he had seen so far. Especially Rean with his Circuitry Formations and forging methods.

Tutilin obviously didn't like that answer, saying in response, "You're wasting a great opportunity here."

Celis didn't care. "Even if I am, I am me. I have my own thoughts and am free to do whatever I want. At the moment, I have no interest in switching Kentucky for another Divine Demon Beast. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to cultivate."

Rean then patted Tutilin's shoulder after that. "Well, I let him decide what he wanted and didn't intervene. Good luck finding another Divine Demon Tree in the future, brother."

Tutilin wanted to do nothing else but give Rean a beating. Didn't he hear about the rarity of Divine Demon Trees? Chances are he might never see another one again. "Hmph! I won't give up that easily. You'll eventually see that I'm definitely a better choice." Soon after, he left the twins' group alone.

"Alright, let's cultivate. Just ignore everyone else for the moment," Roan said.

Celis agreed. "You guys can fully focus on cultivation as well. I have all my roots spread a kilometer away from us around our position. If anyone enters its range, I'll be able to tell immediately."

Rean, Roan, Kentucky, and Hurio were obviously satisfied to hear that and immediately sat down to cultivate. Then again, the real difference there was Celis. The moment he began to absorb Divine Origin Energy, it looked like a whirlwind of energy formed around him. He could truly absorb a ridiculous amount of Divine Origin Energy at once.

Seeing that reminded Hurio of the first Divine Origin Energy area they found. Back then, a similar phenomenon happened. 'Oh... so it wasn't the twins who were absorbing Divine Origin Energy that time, but this Divine Demon Tree. It's just that the concentration of Divine Origin Energy in this place is much higher, so the phenomenon is even larger. Well, that makes sense,' Hurio thought.

Naturally, the others also noticed the huge whirlpool of Divine Origin Energy around Celis, but they couldn't do anything about it. Fortunately, Divine Origin Energy seemed to be unlimited in this place, so it didn't affect their cultivation either.

And just like that, half a day went by, and Celis' power brought the twins and Kentucky, as well as himself, to the door of the Elemental Transformation Realm and Stage Eight.