Death... and me

Those words left the group speechless. Since when did this World Swallowing Cedar become so soft? It's a Stage Nine World Swallowing Cedar! Of course, they didn't know the name of the realm, but they know it was that strong. Even so, that World Swallowing Cedar said it wasn't worthy of a Minokawa. In that case, just how strong and bigger can a World Swallowing Cedar become?

Nevertheless, Kentucky couldn't help but have a better impression of the guy. After all, he was prioritizing himself over his own wishes. 'Say...why would you pass over this chance? Is it just because you think you're weak compared to other World Swallowing Cedars?'

The Cedar nodded, saying, 'Exactly. You seem very young, and the fact you're alone with these humans proves that you haven't seen another Minokawa or World Swallowing Cedar before. A true World Swallowing Cedar could grow all the way out of the atmosphere. But look at me. I'm no more than a sapling compared to them, even after living for so long. I don't have much chance of getting stronger. You, on the other hand, have the entire world ahead of you.'

Sister Orb intervened at that point, saying, [You can't get stronger because you don't have a Divine Demon Beast living with you. If Kentucky here decides to make you his nest, your synergy will definitely help both sides. Naturally, you'll be able to surpass this bottleneck you've encountered so far.]

It turns out that the World Swallowing Cedar has been at the peak of Stage Nine for a very, very long time. Surprisingly, Sister Orb was right. He was stuck on a bottleneck. Nevertheless, the World Swallowing Cedar said, 'It's true that I would have a chance if a Minokawa or another Divine Demon Beast uses me as a nest. However, it isn't that high. If I fail, it'll be very hard for this Minokawa to be accepted by another World Swallowing Cedar in the future due to the soul agreement between us.'

Soul Partner. That's Sister Orb's trump card to get this World Swallowing Cedar. If Kentucky and the Cedar make this agreement, they'll be connected for life. Building a nest on it will allow their energy to match each other. The World Swallowing Cedar would then provide the Minokawa with the world's Spiritual Energy. At the same time, the Minokawa would provide the Cedar a chance for evolution. Rean and Roan only found that out a few minutes ago when Sister Orb explained it to them.

'Alright, I've decided. I want you to be my nest.' Kentucky said as he widely opened his wings. 'I don't know why, but I can tell that you aren't faking your emotions. Perhaps this is a bloodline memory between us Minokawas and the World Swallowing Cedars. In any case, you're truly thinking about my well-being first. That being said, why would I want any other? You're perfect.'

The World Swallowing Cedar was taken aback but immediately refused after that. 'I'm happy that you think this way, but I can't do that. Minokawas are so rare already. How can I ruin the future of one with your level of talent? Besides, there's one more reason I can't accept your offer. I'm locked down here. There's no way I can leave.'

'Locked?' Rean's group got could not help but become confused after hearing that. 'We thought you were here because of some agreement with the Soul Rulers.'

The World Swallowing Cedar didn't deny, replying, 'It's not wrong to say that I have an agreement with them. Simply put, I will prevent most of the world's Spiritual Energy from going outside the places where I and my seeds are located. At the same time, I won't dry up this planet completely. In exchange, they won't destroy me. After all, I'm a Stage Nine Demon Tree. There's no lack of formations around me that prevents my body from escaping.'

Rean's group understood, with Rean soon saying, 'So, you're basically a prisoner here.'

The World Swallowing Cedar confirmed Rean's words. 'Yes. However, this was a choice I made by myself. The Zasfins could have destroyed me a long time ago, way before I became a Stage Five Demon Tree. Thanks to this agreement, I have evolved to become a Stage Nine Demon Tree. There's no one preventing me from using the Spiritual Energy of the planet either. Chances are that I would die way before I reached this level, so it's not like I've gotten a bad deal.'

Rean then smiled before saying, 'What if I say we can take you out? Would you be willing to form a Soul Agreement with Kentucky?'

'Take me out? Hahaha!' The World Swallowing Cedar couldn't help but laugh at that. 'With your strength? What a joke! I'm already being polite enough because you let me see a Minokawa. Stop dreaming and take this Minokawa away before the Soul Rulers find out about you. The further you go, the better. If possible, leave this planet as well.'

Kentucky shook his head, saying in response, 'It's fine, it's fine. We can definitely bring you out. It will all depend on whether you want that or not. As long as you agree with it, we can bring you out. If you're doubting our intentions, then how about we do a Soul Agreement first?'

The World Swallowing Cedar was quite surprised by their confidence. Otherwise, why would the Minokawa offer to become his Soul Partner first? 'Can you really do that?'

Rean nodded, saying, 'As long as you accept it, I guarantee you that we can.'

'I'm warning you, Minokawa. You will have a much better chance of getting stronger if you go out and find another World Swallowing Cedar,' the Cedar said, still with some misgivings about it.

Kentucky opened his wings again and used one to pat his chest as he responded, 'That's my decision, and my decision is for you to be my Soul Partner. No more complaints.' Kentucky was as confident as the twins that he wouldn't be held back at all. After all, he knew about everything regarding the Soul Gem System and is connected to it to some extent.

The World Swallowing Cedar went completely silent. For several minutes, not a single word came out of its Spiritual Sense. However, Rean's group didn't say anything, waiting for it to make its decision. According to Sister Orb, once Kentucky and the Cedar completed their Soul Agreement, the Cedar wouldn't be able to harm Kentucky, and the same went the other way around. Naturally, the Cedar wouldn't be able to do anything to the twins either since it's the same as harming Kentucky, who was connected to the twins.

Only 16 minutes later did they get an answer for the World Swallowing Cedar. 'Sigh...I truly want to refuse, but I can't help but wish to go further into my path. I'm probably damaging your future prospects, so you better be prepared.'

Kentucky laughed out loud in response, saying, 'Hahaha! I, the great Minokawa, will never be held back.'

As soon as Kentucky finalized his words, something weird happened. Some kind of light came out of his forehead, traveling through the hole Rean and Roan kept open to the outside world. At the same time, a similar light also came out of the World Swallowing Cedar's Demon Core. Rean's group watched that as the two lights passed by each other. In the end, the World Swallowing Cedar's light entered the Soul Gem Dimensional Realm and Kentucky's forehead. The same thing happened with Kentucky's light and the Cedar's Demon Core.

'This...' That was truly unexpected. There was no ritual or anything like that. The moment the two sides decided to live together, the conditions were fulfilled. 'Is it that easy?'

The Cedar laughed in response, saying, 'Easy? No, nothing like that. For our Soul Agreement to work, we must be sincere to each other. If there's as much as a single evil thought in this deal, our souls would never connect to each other.' The Cedar seemed quite happy as it said those words.

[He's right.] Sister Orb cleared up their doubts. [Only if they were truly thinking about each other would this happen.] Sister Orb then looked at Rean and Roan. [Well then, their part is concluded. It is up to you two now.]

'Wait! What is this?' Suddenly, the World Swallowing Cedar called their attention as he felt something different. He wasn't the only one. Rean, Roan, and Sister Orb also felt the same thing. It's just that they already felt something like that before.

'Well, well, well. I thought something like this might have happened, but I wasn't entirely sure about it,' Rean said with a smile.

Roan nodded as he explained. 'Our Souls are also connected to Kentucky. Now that the Cedar and Kentucky are connected, we can now feel its presence as well.'

The World Swallowing Cedar was taken aback after hearing that. 'You were connected to the Minokawa?! How's that possible?! This kind of connection is just way too rare in the cultivation world. Besides, I've never heard such a thing was possible with humans.'

Rean shook his head, saying in response, 'We can explain that later. In any case, this is a good thing since it also helped Kentucky.'

Sister Orb agreed with Rean, responding, [Exactly. World Swallowing Cedar, we will follow with our plan to take you out of here. Do you have anything you want to do in this place before we start?]

The World Swallowing Cedar calmed down after hearing that. 'No, I don't. By the way, it's too annoying to keep hearing World Swallowing Cedar every time. I also have a name, so just call me Celis.'