The voice arose directly in his mind.
It was more convenient than his method of integrating spiritual power into his voice for communication.
Tang Yu secretly pondered this little trick while looking at the Kong'an Mountain Spirit, "Zhen."
Different from any life form he had encountered before, "Zhen" possessed a very unique aura. It seemed to merge with the entire mountain as one.
It wasn't weak either, having completely reached the level of the Transcendent.
Linking "Zhen's" self-introduction to his speculations, Tang Yu decided not to beat around the bush and directly put forth the questions in his mind.
Around the Kong'an Mountain Spirit, countless bright yellow specks floated and bobbed in the air.
At times, It floated up, and at others, half of its body sunk back into the ground.
In the face of Tang Yu's inquiry, "Zhen's" vague facial features assimilated an expression of thought, and after a long pause, It slowly replied,
"We spirits are born of the heavens and earth, gestating within mountains and flora. For instance, I am an Earth Series Elf that germinated from Kong'an Mountain... Of course, Kong'an Mountain is just what you people of the Fifth Epoch call it. In fact, this mountain has undergone several transformations, and I am still the spirit of this place."
Several transformations... Could it be?
It paused, as if aware of Tang Yu's confusion, and continued, "Unlike humans, we spirits merge with the mountains and flora, so we have no fixed lifespan. Even if we die, after a period, we can also revive."
"Revive?" Tang Yu pondered, "There must be a cost, right? If you existed previously, how could there have been no news of you? During the Fourth Epoch, there supposedly were no spirits, so... your revival must be related to Source Qi."
He left some things unsaid.
The infinite lifespan of spirits... likely wasn't an empty claim, but how could a spirit that had existed since time immemorial only have the strength of an ordinary Transcendent? That... would be too weak!
The Hong River King viewed "Zhen" as a deity, mainly because to him, the Transcendent strength of a spirit was akin to that of divine beings.
"Zhen" appeared slightly surprised,
"You're right. Revival does have a price, and it may involve the loss of some original memories. Similarly, since we are born of the heavens and the earth, we are also affected by them. The decline of Source Qi during the Fourth Epoch caused many of us spirits to fall into slumber, only to awaken now, along with the resurgence of Source Qi..."
"But what if the mountains and flora that gestated you were destroyed? Could you still revive?"
"Zhen" seemed taken aback by this question and remained speechless for a moment before finally replying dryly, "Of course, as long as the Source Star does not perish, we spirits can be reborn."
After some conversation,
Tang Yu came to understand more deeply about the life form of spirits.
Mountain ranges birthed Earth Series Elves, while rivers and seas birthed Water Series Elves... According to "Zhen," any place could gestate spirits, but the probability of spirits emerging from ordinary locales was extremely low, while noted mountains and rivers, or certain unique regions, were more likely to give birth to spirits.
Spirits did not differentiate between genders; they could present as male or female, ascend or descend... He meant they were capable of floating or ground drilling.
Their appearances varied as well, for example, "Zhen" presented a silhouette akin to a human, but others might resemble birds, beasts, insects, or fish.
Nevertheless, regarding the unending lifespan and immortality of spirits, Tang Yu had a different perspective.
"Zhen" knew a lot but didn't act like an ancient sly creature that had lived for countless years; instead, It seemed very... straightforward, taking Tang Yu's questions seriously and providing earnest responses.
This so-called rebirth seemed more like a form of new life, while the few memories carried could be seen as the legacy of the spirit lineage. In a certain sense, the notion of immortality wasn't entirely untrue.
The life form known as a spirit truly broadened his horizons.
But Tang Yu hadn't forgotten the purpose of his outing while possessing a Nightmare—to learn about the past of Source Star, and as it happened, "Zhen" before him had "survived" from the ancient times to the present.
How many times It had been killed in the interim was anyone's guess.
"...Are you asking about the history of Source Star? Well, you've indeed asked the right spirit. Not every spirit possesses such profound historical knowledge as I do."
"According to human classification, the history of Source Star spans from the First Epoch to the Fifth Epoch, with the present day being the early phase of the Fifth Epoch, while I came into being at the end of the First Epoch.
The First Epoch is known as the 'Origin Era,' which is also the origin of the planet's name. During that era, innumerable legends were born on this land. Back then, Source Star could be described, in human terms, as an Immortal Realm. Whether it was the concentration of Source Qi or the abundance of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, none can compare to the present day. Many spirits also began to gestate from that era.
The Second Epoch is known as the 'Glory Age,' and it was the longest epoch. The development of Source Star reached its zenith. To describe it in one word, it was phenomenal! Exceedingly grand! Unbelievably grand! Grand to the point of explosion!
During that epoch, beyond the Transcendent... Saints were common as clouds, the godly citizens of Source Star traversed the vast Star Seas, and the Ten Thousand Races submitted to them... The 'Mirage Mountain Range' you mentioned earlier is one of the Star Roads that connected Source Star to the All Worlds; the various 'stations' atop it are the Star Gates that lead to different worlds. Back then, Source Star had numerous such Star Roads!"
At this point, "Zhen" lifted its head proudly, yet its voice gradually deepened,
"But with continuous expansion, Source Star eventually encountered a powerful adversary, a formidable interstellar tribal power known as... the 'Devil Race'!"
"The name 'Devil Race' was not coined by the Sages but came from the many civilizations and races destroyed by the 'Devil Race.' Before meeting them, the 'Devil Race' had already dominated a vast realm within the Star Sea. Unlike Source Star, which preferred a governance of coexistence between deities and the Ten Thousand Races, the 'Devil Race' was about Devouring! Destruction!"