A very, very long time ago, there was already a mountain on the Deep Azure Continent.

Its base covered an area four times the size of the Demon Beast Mountain Range.

It was called the Mountain of Heaven.

The name meant “a mountain that reaches straight into the heavens.”

The Mountain of Heaven was known as “the tallest mountain in the world.”

Countless sages had confirmed a miracle through countless experiences.

No matter where in the world you were,

you could see it.

Even from the most distant place in the world,

if you wanted to, you could lift your head and still see its peak, faint and far away.

That was why the Mountain of Heaven had another name: “the Mountain of Miracles.”

“All right, class. That’s all for today’s history lesson. You’re dismissed. If you want to see the Mountain of Heaven, just look out the window whenever you like. It’s easy to spot.”

With that, the old teacher slowly closed his book, turned, and headed out of the classroom.

Quite a few students got up and went to the windows, eager to catch a glimpse of the “Mountain of Miracles” their teacher had told them about.

But there was nothing in the sky outside.

Not in any direction.

“It’s not there.”

“What mountain?”

“The Mountain of Heaven Teacher Wang just mentioned.”

“I’ll take a look too... Huh?”

“Where’s this Mountain of Heaven he was talking about? Teacher Wang must’ve gotten it wrong.”

“Class rep, you’ve got sharp eyes. Can you see it from over there?”

“Nope. Nothing at all. The sky’s clear for miles today. If there were anything out there, we’d see it right away.”

“Did Teacher Wang get it wrong? Maybe that ‘Mountain of Miracles’ was just a joke.”

“No way. Teacher Wang was invited here by my dad. He’s the most respected history teacher around. Why would he joke with us?”

“Then... should we ask him?”

“Come on, let’s go.”

The students hurried after their teacher.

“Teacher, it’s not there.”

“Teacher, where’s the mountain?”

“Teacher, teacher...”

“Hmm?”

The old history teacher stopped in his tracks, startled by what the students had said.

“What did you say?”

“Teacher, we can’t see the Mountain of Heaven you mentioned.”

The class representative stepped forward to explain what had happened.

“Impossible! Don’t joke around.”

The old teacher replied without a second thought, his tone firm and decisive.

“Teacher, it really isn’t there.”

“We’re not joking, Teacher. See for yourself.”

One student even thumped his chest and spoke with confidence.

“Teacher, if you find it, I lose. I’ll get my dad to pay your salary for ten years.”

“You can’t not see it. Look again.”

The old teacher still didn’t believe them. He’d watched that mountain for decades, once every evening. It had always been right there. How could it be gone? He’d even looked at it for half an hour yesterday.

But with nearly all the students gathered around him, he had no choice. He sighed, turned his head, and looked toward the direction he’d gazed at for so many years.

And yet.

“???”

There was nothing in that direction.

The old teacher took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Then he put them back on, adjusted them, and looked again.

There was nothing in that direction.

Right. There really was nothing.

“?????”

The old teacher was completely baffled. This couldn’t be right. Where was the mountain?

Somewhere in a maze in the world.

A magical beast once again glared at the peak of the Mountain of Heaven through gritted teeth.

It had lost count of how many times it had looked up by now.

“You damn human brat! I let my guard down this time. Just wait till I get back—I won’t let you get away with this!”

It was the Shadowlight Serpent, the one Xiaobai had sent flying with a single sword strike.

It glared furiously at the mountain peak, cursing the human brat who’d flung it so far away.

This place was terrifyingly confusing.

Without the peak of the Mountain of Heaven as a landmark, it had no idea which way to go to get back.

Good thing the Mountain of Heaven was here—and it was my home, too.

The Shadowlight Serpent felt deeply relieved and rather pleased with itself.

But just as the Shadowlight Serpent was congratulating itself,

the mountain peak vanished from its view in an instant.

“???”

The Shadowlight Serpent was baffled. Where had its mountain peak gone?

It blinked and looked again and again.

Nothing.

There really was nothing.

Nothing at all.

The mountain peak couldn’t just disappear for no reason, could it?

Even the Sacred Dragon Emperor’s nine-star ultimate technique, Annihilating Dragon Flame, couldn’t make a mountain peak disappear.

Where was the peak? Had it run off by itself?

It couldn’t believe it, but that seemed to be the only possibility.

Mountain peak, you can’t leave!

How am I supposed to know which way home is if I can’t see you?

This is bad. This is really bad.

Lord Black Sacred Dragon Emperor! You stupid tiger! Help meee!

All the Shadowlight Serpent’s anger at Xiaobai, all its relief and smug satisfaction over the Mountain of Heaven—they’d vanished without a trace. All that remained was its utter despair and helplessness at being lost in the maze.

At the foot of the Mountain of Heaven, an old man lay across a tree branch, eyes half-closed as he hummed a little tune, utterly at ease.

Everything was going according to plan.

From drawing out his disciple’s distrust at the beginning,

to using the moment his disciple was distracted to escape with a forbidden technique he’d activated in advance,

to using a careful read of his disciple’s mind to make him forget the idea of using his pressure,

and even calculating the timing so precisely that his disciple would run into the Sacred Beasts right on cue—

all in all, everything had gone perfectly.

The old man looked toward the summit of the Mountain of Heaven and sighed.

It was just a shame that, given his disciple’s personality, he was sure to get into a fight with the Sacred Beasts.

The shockwaves alone would probably bring down the little house he had at the summit.

He’d lived there for so many years, after all. He was a little attached to the place.

Suddenly, a familiar black pressure rushed toward him, catching him completely off guard.

“Thump!”

The old man instantly fell from the tree and hit the ground, unable to move a muscle.

Cold sweat streamed down his whole body.

“Damn it, that brat’s pressure again! Why’s the range so huge this time? I’m already at the foot of the mountain!”

That fear, rising from the depths of his heart, flooded him once more.

Then an even more shocking sight appeared before the old man—one that would stay with him for the rest of his life.

A massive Sword Qi Wave, radiating an aura of destruction, appeared and cleaved across the Mountain of Heaven.

Everything from the mountain’s upper quarter to its summit was reduced to nothing.

The old man’s expression: (๑ŐдŐ)b

The old man’s thoughts: I think there was a flaw in my plan... I seem to have created something pretty terrifying...