Silence filled the area for a minute before the ancient vigor voice sounded again.

"What proposition?"

The voice was still as stable and filled with vigor as it had been before, but now it had another connotation within it, which was intrigue.

Yang Qing's eyes glittered when he detected interest showing on the mountain jade serpent.

"How about I give your nature jade stone an upgrade in exchange for a small favor?" said Yang Qing.

Immediately Yang Qing finished the sentence, the mountain trembled aggressively almost as if it was beset by multiple earthquakes. It wasn't only the mountain that reacted to the air around the mountain that seemed to shake along with it, and the earth essence veil that had enveloped the entire mountain as a fog stirred bringing with it many changes.

The movement of the earth essence caused the gravity within the mountain and five kilometers around it experienced a steep increase to the point that the ground and the vegetation around the mountain started caving in under the gigantic force bearing down on them.

Numerous trees suddenly started exploding into splinters from the crown to the stem slowly extending to the ground below, the protruding rocks surrounding the place were ground into dust, while the ground itself was instantly filled with crevices and craters.

The intensity of the damage only seemed to be increasing with the boiling up of the earth essence surrounding the mountain.

"You better leave, Yang Qing. I can tell you are more powerful than I am, and ideally, I am not one prone to engage in fights, especially in ones that are stacked against it, but that doesn't mean that I wouldn't do it if pushed to a corner.

Please do not push me.." said the mountain jade snake with its voice still maintaining the same stability and vigor.

Even with the increase in gravity and Yang Qing being within the sphere of influence, his posture and demeanor were just as relaxed as he had been when he stepped into the area, almost as if the increase in gravity had no effects on him whatsoever.

"This pressure should match the 200th..no it doesn't have that quality yet it should be just below it, at the 190 thereabouts. Aah, this reminds me of the good old days of scaling up the Spirit Howling Mountain, trying to outdo one another on the Spirit Howling tablet.

Since I stepped onto the palace realm, I haven't been there. I should make a point of visiting it and harvest more rewards and probably leave Huilang and the rest in the dust, maybe I could even overtake Dai Chen.." muttered Yang Qing with a gleeful smile as he held his chin in contemplation."Are you not leaving?" fiercely asked the Mountain Jade Serpent.

The mountain's peak immediately trembled ferociously like it was separating itself from the rest of the mountain. The mountain that stood at 7,000 meters suddenly shrunk to half that, as it deformed into a tiny hill, while the missing portion morphed into the form of a snake.

A humongous snake the size of a small mountain appeared in the place of the missing peak. It had a smoothened-out earth-brown jade skin that glittered with green. It looked like polished earth with moss growing on it. Its eyes matched its coating, a mix of earth brown and a little hue of green mixing within it.

The earth essence that had filled the area was now congealed around its body making it look like an extra layering of its scales giving the snake an abundant and vigorous aura. One look at it and one would feel like they are facing off against 1,000 mountains stacked together.

Seeing that the mountain jade snake looked just about ready to attack, Yang Qing sighed as he softly spoke up.

"I think you've misunderstood me. I am not after your nature jade stone. To others, it may indeed very well be a precious resource but I don't need it. There's not much it can add to my body than what my body already does.."

Yang Qing with his arms hanging casually by his side, and robes billowing, brought the presence of his entire cultivation to bear. He circulated the universal light resonant art whilst also activating his yin-yang jade physique.

There was no blinding radiance or flashy explosion, just a gentle ethereal light and presence released from his body, but that presence and that light instantly quelled the agitation within the area while breathing life and stability around the area. The trees that had exploded, left with nothing but a stump gained a new lease on life as they regrew their stems, branches, and leaves in the time it took to take a breath.

It wasn't only the trees as different plants instantly regrew like weeds. The ethereal glow flowing out of Yang Qing's body instantly transformed the place like rain heralding the end of drought.

As for the earth essence that was the trigger of everything, it immediately quieted down and became docile beneath the glow released by Yang Qing. It was like a child lowering its head before its parent after being caught in mischief.

The pupils of the mountain jade snake immediately shook when it sensed the changes, especially to the essence of earth. That essence was something produced from the nature jade stone and it had taken it close to five thousand years for it to freely manipulate it to surround its lair, and even then, it had not completely refined it or understood the entirety of its mysteries and was still in the process of comprehending it.

The mountain jade snake's heart trembled with shock as it couldn't believe what it was seeing. That essence, which took it astronomical levels of effort, time, and sacrifice just to understand and assimilate partially, had been subdued in just but an instant by the human standing before it.

It had no doubt in its mind, that if the human willed it, he could take away all the earth essence surrounding its body. Its guess was proven to be true when it sensed the object of its success, the thing that transformed it from a rock python destined to be eaten into a mountain jade snake that was powerful enough to hold territory by itself without disturbance.

However, that object that it had grown to revere, was now trembling with intense excitement looking to escape its body and rush toward the human before it, like a child trying to return to the embrace of their parents.

"Can't you show even a little reluctance? we have after all known each other for at least 27,000 years. I knew this human wasn't simple but this.."

Sighing in defeat, the mountain jade snake finally asked,

"What is it you want?"

Earlier, while it did not think its odds of victory were high, it thought that at least with the assistance of the nature jade stone it could maybe drag things out to the point that both parties would come to an understanding and forego further hostilities, but now, the nature jade stone would likely betray it without a second thought. The mountain jade snake no longer had the heart to fight and by the look of things it seemed like the human had been telling the truth about not needing the nature jade stone. He could already feel the subservience of the nature jade stone towards the presence of Yang Qing.

Hearing the mountain jade snake's words, Yang Qing dispelled his aura, once again looking like a charming cheeky handsome youth taking a casual stroll in the forest.

"Just so you know, if the request is for me to attack other spirit beasts or something close to it, I will have to refuse you. I am already okay with nature jade stone as is.." added the mountain jade snake.

"I would not ask you to do something like that. If you were the type to agree to do something like that I would not have come here in the first place, nor would I trade with you.." Yang Qing solemnly said.

"So, what is it?"

"It's something small. I'll be leaving soon, and I have a few friends here that I'd like you to check on now and then and confirm they're okay.."

With a confused look on its face, the mountain jade snake asked,

"You want me to check on your fellow humans? Why don't you do it yourself or let others from the Order do it? I've heard other spirit beasts who ventured outside mention how powerful you lot are. Surely you can do a better job than I.."

"My friends are not humans.." said Yang Qing as he went on to describe the restoration oak tree, the aurora azalea, and the verdant glow firefly he had left at the territory of the now defunct Clear Sword River Sect.

After hearing the description of the three figures mentioned especially their abilities, the mountain jade snake couldn't help but look suspiciously at Yang Qing as it said,

"Why do you want me there? By the look of things that place is valuable and we are not that familiar with each other.."

"The parasitic purple flower spore sycamore tree said you could be trusted, and I feel the nature jade stone would benefit much from the three of them just as much as they would benefit from it. The three figures are filled with my aura, and while their strengths are too low to support your cultivation base, it won't always be that way.." Yang Qing said with a smile.

"You know Adler's sister? She's not one to talk to strangers but if she did...."the mountain jade snake paused for a moment and then its body instantly transformed into that of a handsome man in his early forties with a robust build, smooth brown skin, long brown hair and amber eyes that had a tinge of green in them. His aura was one of stability.

"I, Mu Fen, agree.." said the middle-aged man as he extended his hand toward Yang Qing for a handshake.

"Thank you, Mu Fen.." answered Yang Qing as he stretched out his hand for the handshake.