# Chapter 4101: Fading Lamp Unravels the Prayer Beads
It took one hundred and thirty years for the Dark Lord to recondense the Cauldron of Origin.
The starry sky was too vast, and the Cauldron of Origin had been completely scattered by the energy of Zhang Ruochen's self-destruction, turning into particles of origin. The Dark Lord was able to accomplish this so quickly only by relying on his Ancestor-level cultivation, coupled with the devouring and absorbing properties inherent in Darkness itself.
If it were any other Ancestor, even if they could recondense it, the time required would inevitably be ten times longer.
Of course, the Cauldron of Origin was profoundly mysterious; even without human intervention, it could recondense on its own. But the time required might be millions or tens of millions of years.
More than six hundred years ago, Zhang Ruochen had found the Dark Lord hiding in the Void World.
"The other Dark Hand is in my possession! Obtain it, and the Lord's combat power will surely reach another level." Zhang Ruochen stood in the void, his form flickering in and out of visibility.
The Dark Lord stood atop the Starry Sky Cliff, like a cosmic giant, his entire body radiating chaotic mist. "This is not a difficult thing to guess! Speak, what do you want?"
"I want to discuss a transaction with the Lord," Zhang Ruochen said.
The Dark Lord released dark energy from his body, ignoring the void's power of etherealization, and engulfed Zhang Ruochen. "Why should I make a transaction with you? I have at least ten ways to take the Dark Hand back from you. Zhang Ruochen, do you know you are speaking to an Ancestor? You come in person—aren't you afraid of dying here?"
Zhang Ruochen was calm and composed, but his words were startling: "I never planned to live anyway!"
The Dark Lord became interested. "Someone like you actually doesn't want to live?"
"It's not that I don't want to live—it's that the Immortal won't let me live long enough to become an Ancestor. I am merely His chess piece; once used, I will be destroyed immediately," Zhang Ruochen said.
The Dark Lord said, "That is indeed the truth!"
"Life is wonderful, but my future is destined to be bleak. My family, friends, confidants, elders—none can be spared. I want to find a path of survival for them," Zhang Ruochen said.
The Dark Lord said, "That will be very difficult."
"It is difficult, but not without opportunity. If I die, they will have a path of survival. This path will be rough, surely filled with blood and tears, but compared to endless despair and suffering, it is still better," Zhang Ruochen said.
"To die for one's family and followers—if anyone else said this, I, the Master, would not believe a single word. But coming from you, Zhang Ruochen, I can believe one or two parts. But only one or two parts," the Dark Lord said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "To gain the trust of an existence like you is inherently impossible. But in this game, I have staked my life as the price to set it up. I must have the Lord's participation, so even if the hope is slim, I still had to come."
The Dark Lord said, "How do you want to die? What scheme are you setting up?"
Zhang Ruochen's eyes were dim. "The fundamental reason I have lost confidence in the future is that I do not know who the Immortal is."
"How could a chess piece know who the chess player is?" the Dark Lord said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "If this most important chess piece dies, the chess player will surely be thrown into disarray and will inevitably reveal a flaw. This is the only method I have to counter them! I am going to do something extremely dangerous, which might expose the Immortal, but the price... is death."
The Dark Lord finally became much more serious. "I have to admit, what you say makes a lot of sense."
Zhang Ruochen looked at him with extreme seriousness. "Obtaining the Dark Hand in my possession will indeed greatly increase the Lord's combat power, perhaps even making you stronger than the Eternal True Ruler. But facing the Immortal, there is still no chance of victory!"
"Moreover, you don't even know who the Immortal is, nor do you know whether the various events in the universe are secretly orchestrated by Them. You might inadvertently become Their chess piece, be used, manipulated, schemed against, and finally killed."
"But if the Lord knows the identity of the Immortal in advance, you won't be so passive!"
"So you think you are helping me?" the Dark Lord said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Isn't that the case? If there is one person in heaven and earth who can oppose the Immortal, it can only be you, Lord. I originally had a chance, but... alas, the Immortal will not give me the opportunity to attain the Ancestor Dao!"
The Dark Lord did not deny Zhang Ruochen's words. "Tell me, how do you want to make this transaction?"
Zhang Ruochen said, "I will help the Lord probe out the identity of the Immortal and also return the Dark Hand to you. But the Lord must help me do two things! First, if I die, please help protect the Sword Realm."
"That is not a big matter! I, the Master, agree!" the Dark Lord said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "The second thing: if I die, please ensure the Lord seizes the Earth Cauldron and delivers it to Master Fading Lamp."
"What is the meaning of this?" the Dark Lord said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Master Fading Lamp is the one in the entire Sword Realm with the greatest hope of breaking through to the Ancestor realm. The essence of the Earth Cauldron will be of great use to him."
"Since that is the case, why don't you give him the Earth Cauldron now? Then go to your death?" the Dark Lord said.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Because the Earth Cauldron might help me survive. Taking it means nine deaths and one chance of life. Not taking it means certain death."
"Haha, so you are not that fearless after all!" the Dark Lord said.
Zhang Ruochen smiled bitterly. "Unless absolutely necessary, who wants to die? If the Entropy Epoch had not already erupted, leaving me no time to live on, how could I take such a risky path? Lord, your laughter shows me too little respect—do you not believe my words just now?"
The Dark Lord was very direct. "If you die before my eyes, then I will believe."
"Then please remember the two things you have promised," Zhang Ruochen said.
"Rest assured, I, the Master, am an Ancestor. I would not go against my word over such a trivial matter." The Dark Lord spoke with the tone of a superior. "Now, present the Dark Hand!"
"Does the Lord think I am very foolish?"
Zhang Ruochen said coldly, "When the Lord delivers the Earth Cauldron into Master Fading Lamp's hands, you will naturally obtain the Dark Hand."
...
The Dark Lord stood in the starry sky, the Earth Cauldron resting in his palm, recalling in his mind his meeting with Zhang Ruochen back then, carefully analyzing every word he had spoken.
The recondensed Earth Cauldron had not changed in appearance, but the patterns on it had undergone a great transformation.
The former Earth Cauldron had been engraved with shamanic script, the mountains and rivers of the Primordial World, and an ancient shaman god with a human head and a serpent's tail.
Now, on the Earth Cauldron, Zhang Ruochen's figure had been added, very faint, unable to compare to the ancient shaman god with the human head and serpent's tail.
The Dark Lord naturally knew that during the condensation of the Earth Cauldron, Zhang Ruochen's divine substance particles had also been condensed back.
The divine substance particles and the Cauldron of Origin's particles had merged together, inseparable.
But he had already examined it—it only contained divine substance particles, without any soul, spiritual will, or Dao method rules. It was like sand and soil formed from a person who had died many years ago.
"Could Zhang Ruochen's true purpose lie here? Is he not dead?"
The Dark Lord shook his head.
Let alone Zhang Ruochen, even he, a former Immortal, once his soul, spiritual will, and Dao method rules were completely extinguished, would be like a lamp that had gone out.
When one's cultivation reached their level, the physical body was no longer that important. Even if it were completely destroyed, as long as there was enough time, it could be cultivated anew.
If time were sufficient, the Dark Lord would not care so much about the Dark Hand that Zhang Ruochen had hidden away.
Unfortunately, the Great Calamity was imminent, and time was running out.
Let alone the physical body—even if the divine source were destroyed, there were ways to deal with it, though combat power would be compromised.
The Dark Lord looked at the Earth Cauldron in his hand, staring at Zhang Ruochen's faint figure on its surface. "The Earth Cauldron—who wouldn't want it? In this game, am I also within your calculations?"
"Swoosh!"
The Dark Lord seemed to turn into liquid water, disappearing into the darkness.
Moments later, he crossed vast stretches of starry sky, arriving at the edge of the star domain where Zhang Ruochen had self-destructed, descending upon a planet that had regained its vitality.
One hundred and thirty years ago, this place had experienced a catastrophe, with more than half of the planet's human population dying.
But in just one hundred and thirty years, the human population on this planet had more than doubled compared to its peak, becoming even more prosperous.
All because a monk had come to this planet and built a temple.
"Heaven and Earth Temple!"
The Dark Lord, his entire body shrouded in a golden-patterned black robe, stood beneath two lush banyan trees, looking ahead at the temple with its flourishing incense.
Inside the temple, there were only two stone tablets—"Heaven" and "Earth."
"Worshipping only Heaven and Earth—so arrogant?" the Dark Lord said.
"The mortal world has many madmen; with drunken eyes, they watch the living beings. Benefactor, I have been waiting for you!"
A young monk walked out from the incense smoke. His monk's robe was washed gray and covered in patches. He carried a cow-horn wineskin at his waist, appearing drunk and disheveled.
The Dark Lord initially did not take him seriously, but with a casual glance, he immediately detected something extraordinary. He laughed. "Myriad forms of the mortal world, the true form hard to change—interesting! Take me to see Fading Lamp."
The young monk led the way.
"What is your name?" the Dark Lord asked.
"Dharma name: Mortal Dust."
The young monk belched. "And what is your name?"
"You don't know who I am?"
"Why should I know who you are?"
"Do you not feel fear in your heart?"
The Dark Lord believed that even without releasing any aura, just his figure and gaze alone could make many gods tremble and kneel.
This was the momentum an Ancestor should possess!
Mortal Dust looked back at him and shook his head. "What fear exists in this world? At worst, it is death. Is death frightening?"
"Is it not?"
"Is it?"
"..."
The Dark Lord did not want to argue further with a drunkard. He even felt ridiculous—he should not have asked the first question.
In a meditation room, the Dark Lord met Master Fading Lamp.
Master Fading Lamp sat cross-legged facing the door, a zither resting on his lap. Seeing the Dark Lord, he smiled. "Lord, please!"
He pointed to the straw cushion opposite him.
The Dark Lord had no interest at all and did not even enter the meditation room. "Is that the Cause Zither?"
Master Fading Lamp shook his head. "No!"
"Then why do you sit holding a zither?" the Dark Lord said.
Master Fading Lamp said, "I originally wanted to use it to pretend to be the Cause Zither, to make the Lord feel some apprehension. But after seeing you, I knew I could not deceive you."
"You are so sincere that I find it hard to kill you now!" the Dark Lord said.
Master Fading Lamp said, "Kill me? To seize that Dark Hand?"
The Dark Lord was also very sincere. "Correct! Because I, the Master, do not intend to hand over the Earth Cauldron to you."
Master Fading Lamp pondered for a moment. "Imperial Dust said you promised him."
"People like you and him should place great importance on the word 'promise.' But here, with me, these two words are not as important as the Earth Cauldron," the Dark Lord said.
"That is reasonable!"
Master Fading Lamp nodded. "Has the Dark Lord sensed that Dark Hand?"
The Dark Lord stared into Master Fading Lamp's eyes.
This was no ordinary stare!
An Ancestor's gaze was enough to pierce through the soul and heart, to see through a cultivator's deep-seated memories.
Master Fading Lamp met his gaze, calm and composed. "So the Lord does not know where that Dark Hand is, correct? I can assure you that if you make a move today, no matter how high your cultivation, you will never find it."
"Is that so? If I suppress you and directly search your soul?"
The Dark Lord took a step forward.
"Boom!"
Endless darkness devoured all things, surging into the meditation room.
"If that is the case, then today I will take off this monk's robe and have a thorough discussion with the Lord."
Master Fading Lamp unclasped the prayer beads around his neck. Instantly, half of the Buddha aura on his body dissipated, but his majestic and unparalleled momentum doubled, driving all darkness out of the meditation room.
He had already stood up, holding a halberd in his hand, pointing it at the Dark Lord outside. His gaze was proud and sharp.
That momentum, that battle intent, seemed capable of splitting the entire universe with a single strike of the halberd.
Buddhism was like a spell bound to his body, the sheath of a sharp blade.
Without Buddhism, he would be invincible in battle, unstoppable.
"The vast universe truly hides crouching tigers and lurking dragons. I, the Master, have underestimated you! No wonder Zhang Ruochen wanted you to receive the Earth Cauldron!" The Dark Lord showed a contemplative expression, then withdrew his dark energy and took out the Earth Cauldron.
The Dark Lord said, "Zhang Ruochen is a man who keeps his promises. How could I, the Master, betray him?"
Monk Mortal Dust took the Earth Cauldron from the Dark Lord's hands.
"And the Dark Hand?"
Master Fading Lamp said, "No rush. Would the Lord care to listen to me play a tune?"
"Swoosh!"
As the zither music sounded, ten thousand Buddha lamps flew out from Master Fading Lamp's body, suspending themselves within the Heaven and Earth Temple.
The Dark Lord frowned and looked at the spot where Mortal Dust had been standing, only to find that the monk had already left the Heaven and Earth Temple and disappeared from the planet.
The Dark Lord had no interest in listening to zither music. "Is Zhang Ruochen still alive?"
"If he were still alive, would the Lord regret handing over the Earth Cauldron?" Master Fading Lamp asked.
The Dark Lord walked step by step into the meditation room and sat down on the cushion facing Master Fading Lamp. "It doesn't matter. With you here, I, the Master, would find it difficult to pursue that monk. Since I have handed it over to you, I will not regret it. Besides..."
"Perhaps no one will believe it, but I, the Master, actually have some hope that Zhang Ruochen is still alive."
"How so?" Master Fading Lamp asked.
The Dark Lord said, "Compared to the Nether Ancestor and the God Realm, Zhang Ruochen is actually not bad. As long as one does not become his enemy, he is a harmless person. So I rather look forward to the day when he breaks through to the Ancestor realm and stands as a rival to the Nether Ancestor and the God Realm. Now, bring out the Dark Hand. How long does the Master intend to keep me here?"
Addressing him as "Master" was an acknowledgment of Fading Lamp's strength.