The evening sun slipped behind the clouds, and slowly, darkness spread through the ancient forest. What had looked beautiful during the day now seemed dangerous in the night. The northern wilderness was already deadly because of the powerful beasts that lived there.
In the midst of this danger, Ahaan had lost his way.
Ahaan, who had lost the trail while secretly following the Beast Hunter group, had somehow ended up here, alone in the deep wilderness.
He had gotten separated from the Beast Hunter group, who had already left this region because of the growing threat. Ahaan was terrified; the lingering fear was clearly visible in his eyes. Hiding behind a thick tree, he stared into the darkness, his face tense with anxiety as sweat rolled down his skin.
Even through his fear, he forced himself to think clearly. He already knew how dangerous the northern wilderness was.
Ahaan clearly remembered the conversation between his grandfather, Chief Mahendra, and the Beast Hunter group's leader, Aarav. In that dim-lit room, their voices had been grave as they spoke of the chaos sweeping through the Northern wilderness mountain range—chaos born from rumors that a mountain treasure had emerged, luring beasts and cultivators alike into madness.
Those words now echoed in his mind.
While thinking about how to survive, he became sure of one thing: he should try to find a path back to the village tomorrow. At night, it was not safe. If he encountered any beast here, he would die without even leaving a trace behind.
Using his concealment skill, Ahaan forced himself to stay calm despite his anxiety and began to calculate his chances of survival. He knew very well that if he chose the wrong place to hide, he would eventually die. Darkness pressed in from every direction.
He knew that Sacred Mountain Meru was the only place where he might be able to save himself. He had heard that the eastern region of the Sacred Mountain was relatively safe from beasts, even though it was also said to be the most dangerous place of all—where any beast or cultivator who entered never returned. Meanwhile, the northern wilderness mountain region was full of strange and powerful beasts—huge, deadly creatures that ruled the land.
Ahaan did not know that the region he was heading toward was actually considered even more dangerous than the northern wilderness.
Controlling his fear, he looked toward the eastern region of the mountain—a forbidden area. There was a strange natural formation there, unlike anything found in the rest of the mountain. Gathering his courage, Ahaan started moving in that direction, step by careful step.
He moved carefully, using the concealment skills his grandfather had taught him. He avoided open ground, slipped between tree roots, and made sure not to step on any dry branches that might crack under his feet. Moonlight slipped through the dense canopy in scattered beams, drawing pale lines across the forest floor. The ancient forest's darkness made every step more difficult. Ahaan slowly moved forward.
After covering some distance, he stopped. He heard powerful sounds of battle somewhere far away, but he didn't dare look in that direction. His luck was quite good so far; he had not yet encountered any powerful beasts—only a few rank 1 beasts.
Moving between the roots of the trees, Ahaan soon came to a wide, open clearing. From there, the golden mountain range was clearly visible. To his surprise, once he stepped into this region, he did not encounter any beasts at all. A strange silence and darkness covered everything.
Staying as hidden as he could, Ahaan continued moving toward the mountain range, keeping away from the open center of the clearing. As he approached the eastern region of the mountain, he saw a strange white mist drifting over the mountain range. As he drew closer, passing through more forest, the eastern region came more clearly into view.
Though he was still far from the true eastern side of the mountain range, he eventually reached its edge. From there, he could finally see the mountain itself rising before him.
He decided to climb the mountain and find a safe place. Beasts usually never came to this region, and Sacred Mountain Meru was rumored to be much safer, since most beasts rarely set foot upon it.
---
Ahaan climbed the mountain step by step, his small hands gripping rough stone, his legs burning with exhaustion. After an unknown amount of time, he pulled himself up over a rocky ledge and emerged onto a wide, open platform on the golden mountainside.
From here, the view was vast.
Not far ahead, carved into the body of the mountain, yawned a huge cave mouth—like a giant beast holding its jaws open. Around that main entrance, the rock wall was dotted with many smaller caves of different sizes, like honeycombs or ancient cliff dwellings.
Ahaan stared at them for a while, his heart thumping. Even though curiosity burned inside him, he did not dare to go in. Not yet.
Instead, he walked to a flat, massive stone block near the edge of the platform and slowly sat down. The moment he relaxed his body, a heavy wave of exhaustion crashed over him.
He was utterly drained.
The entire day replayed in his mind—sneaking after the Beast Hunter group, tracking them through the forest, witnessing terrifying beasts, then getting lost and wandering alone from the northern wilderness all the way to the eastern side of Mount Meru.
His legs ached, his bare feet were sore, and his eyelids felt heavy.
The night wind at this height was cold and thin. It carried the faint scent of stone, mist, and something else… a strange, ancient smell he could not identify, as if the mountain itself was breathing.
For the first time since getting lost, he felt a small sliver of safety.
I should rest a little… then I'll think of a way to go back…
His thoughts blurred as fatigue pulled at him. Sitting on the cold golden stone, under the silent sky and under the shadow of the cave full of dark openings, the little boy slowly drifted toward sleep.
When Ahaan finally fell into a deep sleep, the Sacred Mountain began to change.
In the darkness, thick white mist rolled slowly around the cave and the platform, like a curtain being drawn over the world. The stone on which Ahaan slept began to blur. The cave, the platform, the surroundings—everything twisted and faded. The cave's opening changed into a hazy gate of light. Ahaan, sleeping peacefully, vanished as if he had never been there.
A moment later, the mist faded, and the mountain returned to its silent, unchanged appearance.
---
After an unknown period of time, under a great cinnabar tree, a child lay sleeping peacefully.
As the sun's rays fell on his face, the boy slowly opened his eyes. Ahaan woke up and looked around, confused.
He was shocked.
He clearly remembered being on Mount Meru—so how had he come to this strange place?
This unfamiliar land was breathtaking. All around him stretched a vast forest, with many different types of trees in various colors. The tree under which he had been sleeping was huge, its cinnabar leaves glowing softly in the light.
When he looked ahead, his eyes widened in surprise.
About two miles away, an enormous, ancient pagoda floated in the air. Around it spread many flower gardens and forests full of trees. At its front stood an enormous gate, carved with countless inscriptions in an ancient language. The entire pagoda complex was made of purple and white stone and looked almost ethereal.
Under the floating pagoda, the same strange white mist he had seen in the eastern region of Sacred Golden Mountain Meru drifted like clouds.
The whole pagoda area was vast and radiated an ancient aura of power that even a mortal could feel.
Ahaan stared at all this, stunned. He had never seen anything like it in his short life. He was shocked and amazed by the beauty of the place and its surroundings.
Standing under the ancient cinnabar tree, Ahaan felt as if he were in a dream.
Is this all a dream? he wondered.
He raised his hand and slapped his own cheek. A sharp sting followed.
"It's not a dream…" he whispered.
Another question rose in his heart. How did I come into this new world? What is this place? Did someone bring me here?
Many questions filled his mind, but there was no answer.
Lost in thought, he again looked toward the majestic floating pagoda that was radiating the ancient aura he could clearly feel.
Soon, with a gaze full of questions and curiosity, Ahaan began to walk toward the ancient pagoda.
Slowly, step by step, he closed the distance. Eventually, he reached the area beneath the floating pagoda palace and looked up at its towering structure and its ancient gate. In the air above him, he could see a staircase made of stone steps, as if it had been built directly into the sky.
Just then, Ahaan heard a sound from his stomach. He was hungry—he hadn't eaten anything since yesterday. But his curiosity, excitement, and a little bit of fear were stronger than his hunger. Ignoring the emptiness in his belly, he began to climb the floating staircase that led to the pagoda's main entrance.
As Ahaan climbed, each step became harder than the last, as if an invisible weight pressed down on his body. However, Ahaan's will was extremely firm. He forced himself to take each step with sheer determination.
At last, he reached the top, where a wide bridge-like platform extended toward the grand gate. As he walked, it felt as if the bridge had no end, but slowly he drew closer until he finally stood in front of the majestic pagoda gate.
The ancient gate was enormous, and Ahaan looked like a tiny ant in front of it.
Standing before the gate, Ahaan could feel ancient power surging around him, pressing down on his body. He had no idea how to open this gate, which was engraved with many strange symbols and ancient letters. Ahaan understood that with his current strength, he would never be able to open such a door.
But before he could think of any method, the gate suddenly emitted a golden light that fell directly onto him.
Bathed in the golden glow, Ahaan felt as if his entire body was being examined. The golden light swept over him from head to toe, as if checking every part of him. When it finally faded, his hunger and exhaustion vanished. He felt completely refreshed, full of energy.
Then, the ancient pagoda gate began to open.
As it moved, a wave of ancient power surged out from inside. Ahaan felt only a faint pressure from it; it did not harm him. But if any high-level cultivator or expert had been present, they would have felt endless pressure—and might even have died under that terrifying wave.
Ahaan, shocked by what he had just witnessed, could only think one thing: How did this gate open by itself? But again, he had no answer.
Putting his doubts aside, he slowly walked through the entrance into the ancient pagoda.
The moment he stepped inside, the gate behind him slammed shut. Ahaan flinched and quickly turned around, alarmed. Anxiety filled his heart.
How will I get out if the door is locked? he thought.
Having no other choice, he took a deep breath and continued walking deeper into the pagoda.
At first, it was completely dark inside, but as he walked forward, lights embedded in the walls slowly lit up. The darkness retreated, replaced by a bright glow. The palace was enormous, and Ahaan looked as small as an ant within its vast halls.
Ahaan walked further into the pagoda and eventually came to a wide hall where seven huge gates stood in front of him. He carefully looked at each gate but had no idea which one to choose.
Thinking for a while, he decided to trust his intuition and chose the third gate.
Slowly, he walked toward the third majestic pagoda gate. Just like before, the gate shone with light as if inspecting him, and then it opened on its own.
Ahaan stepped through, and the third gate closed behind him.
Inside, he found himself in a large, ancient hall with many rooms lining the sides. In front of each room stood a stone tablet. The hall was massive. At its center there was a raised platform, and above it floated a large talisman stone—half white, half black—engraved with ancient inscriptions that glowed with golden light. The talisman emitted a dark violet aura that spread throughout the hall, making it feel like an ancient forest of power.
Ahaan stared at the stone with curious, excited eyes. Many questions filled his mind, mixed with a faint trace of fear. His small feet carried him forward, step by step, toward the center platform.
It felt as though he had walked a very long distance, yet he never seemed to get any closer to the middle. After some time, he realized something was wrong. No matter how much he walked, he still ended up in the same place.
He stopped and carefully observed his surroundings.
I've been walking all this time… but why am I still here? he thought.
Looking more closely, he finally understood—he had fallen into some kind of formation, a trap that kept bringing him back to the starting point.
He stood still and thought hard about how to escape. After a while, an idea flashed in his mind.
Instead of walking forward, he turned around and started walking in the opposite direction—back from his original path. Step by step, he continued. Oddly, the more he walked in the opposite direction, the closer he felt to the center of the hall.
Soon, he sensed that he was finally approaching the middle.
When he drew near the platform, he raised his head and looked at the talisman that floated above it, shining with golden light, half black and half luminous white.
He climbed onto the platform and slowly reached out his hand.
What is this stone? Is it a treasure? Ahaan wondered.
Driven by curiosity, he stretched out his hand and grasped the talisman.
The instant his fingers closed around it, the stone burst into golden light. The dark violet aura around it flared like a storm. Before Ahaan could react or even think, the stone turned into a streak of light and shot straight into the space between his eyebrows.
Ahaan's eyes widened in shock.
A moment later, an unimaginable pain exploded inside his body. It felt as if countless blades were cutting his flesh from the inside, tearing him apart and digging into his bones with daggers. His small body trembled violently under the agony.
The pain was unbearable. He tried his best to endure it, but no sound came from his throat. His scream was trapped inside him.
Before he lost consciousness, only one thought remained in his mind:
Am I going to die here…?
Then everything went dark.
Ahaan's body collapsed upon the platform. While he lay there unconscious, his body began to undergo a terrifying yet mysterious process—being destroyed and rebuilt at the same time.