In Anchor Year 603, the golden obelisks began their fourth eruption.
This time, it lasted longer than the previous three eruptions combined.
In the sky above, streaks of green light crisscrossed, forming a giant net that enveloped all living beings in the Xuanhuang World.
From then on, the world's cultivators privately referred to the Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array, controlled by the Tianxuan Mirror, as the Xuan Net.
In Anchor Year 610, Han Wuyou received word from the Heaven-Toppling Society. Within the borders of Zhuyu Province, a colossal mountain had suddenly emerged from the earth, utterly destroying the original landscape.
Scarcely one in ten thousand living beings in Zhuyu Province survived this cataclysmic upheaval. The Xuan Net covering that province also seemed to have been affected.
The Heaven-Toppling Society's stronghold was subsequently relocated to Zhuyu Province.
In Anchor Year 690, during a gathering, Han Wuyou learned that the number of Heaven-Rending Arrows manufactured by the Heaven-Toppling Society had already reached three thousand in recent years.
Unfortunately, the Xuan Net was shielded by protective arrays. Even this many Heaven-Rending Arrows would likely fall short of damaging its core; they would have to wait a little longer yet.
Han Wuyou fell into thoughtful silence.
In Anchor Year 698, the Array Breaker Disc transmitted numerous array blueprints to Han Wuyou.
In Anchor Year 710, Han Wuyou secretly met with Linghu Chang and Liu Yihang, showing them the array blueprints.
In Anchor Year 711, Han Wuyou received a message from the Heaven-Toppling Society confirming that this was indeed the original architectural framework of the Xuan Net array. They inquired excitedly about the source of the blueprints.
Han Wuyou gazed silently at the Array Breaker Disc in the secret chamber for a long time. He then used a secret art to seal the Array Breaker Disc.
***
In Anchor Year 934, a street urchin picked up a jade disc from some ruins.
Thinking he had found some treasure, he was overjoyed and kept it by his side day and night.
A spiritual connection was thus formed.
The sky was no longer green. Only a vast, unbroken expanse of murky ash-grey remained.
In Anchor Year 935, legends from a century past still circulated among the survivors below.
The ground trembled. The sky cracked, fissures appearing across its breadth.
Upon the vault of heaven, the silhouettes of clashing gods were reflected within the clouds.
World-ending thunderbolts of divine punishment rained down ceaselessly, erasing vast swathes of land into nothingness.
After a long, long time, a pair of colossal hands tore the firmament asunder.
The dust settled. The winds grew still.
But the gods' internal strife had angered the great Father God.
The world had been forsaken.
Splendid architecture crumbled into ruins.
The gods who once soared through the heavens vanished without a trace.
The world was sliding into decay.
In Anchor Year 936, the orphan boy met an unfortunate end during a hunt.
The Array Breaker Jade Disc lay quietly in the barren wilderness.
Only occasionally would a curious beast come to investigate.
By Anchor Year 1032, no beasts appeared anymore.
In Anchor Year 1573, the sky was dark, the earth silent.
In Anchor Year 2078, the world was a tomb of stillness.
In Anchor Year 3024, a long-absent ray of sunlight fell upon the Array Breaker Jade Disc.
In Anchor Year 3036, Return to Truth was initiated.