A dazzling tale of adventure, magic, and the bonds of friendship, this story brims with courage and heart. With every turn of the page, it uncovers deeper truths about life, death, and the choices that shape us. A captivating journey that will have young readers laughing out loud, yet leave them reflecting long after the final chapter. Thousands of years ago, mythical creatures began vanishing from the Middle Kingdom. In a desperate attempt to preserve their existence, Chase’s ancestors recorded these creatures in the Book and the Map. During this process, they created a bubble universe, frozen in time, preserving the ancient stories of the mountains and seas. When Chase turns nine, he is chosen to be transported into this world, known simply as the World. His mission seems innocent enough: to restore the Map. But his journey takes an unexpected turn when he encounters Oliver, another boy from modern times. Together they witness the murder of a mountain god by an unknown dark force, trapping them in the World with no apparent way back home. Their only clue comes from the Phoenix, whose prophecy haunts their dreams. As they struggle to survive the pristine wilderness, Chase and Oliver are accidentally poisoned, only to be rescued by a girl named Fuping and a nine-tailed fox named Fofo. This unlikely team embarks on a series of extraordinary adventures: they encounter long-extinct mythical creatures, gather impossible healing plants, survive a prehistoric flood, and even meet disgraced gods. Along the way, they discover that the only way home is the long way around, and the ultimate rule in the World: you must save before you can be saved.
