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The master taught 'him' the spiritual method, and 'he' practiced reciting it almost every day. Throughout the more than two hundred years of pursuing 'her,' 'he' had never slackened or relaxed. However, 'his' meditative state remained stagnant in the realm of the skandha of consciousness; 'his' enlightenment, despite occasional minor progress, saw no major breakthrough, as 'he' faced repeated setbacks in 'his' pursuit of 'her,' coupled with constant reflection and introspection. Even so, during 'his' time with 'her' in this lifetime, 'he' often took advantage of 'her' rest periods to sit in meditation and cultivate concentration.

That afternoon, while 'she' was taking a nap, 'he' glanced out the window and noticed the serene daylight, a gentle breeze carrying the fragrance of flowers and grass, with insects and birds lying low, creating an unusually tranquil atmosphere. The rustling of leaves could even be heard. 'He' then strolled to the pavilion in the garden, sat cross-legged, and soon entered a profound meditative state. In the spiritual dimension, 'his' awareness was radiantly bright, free from any attachments or lingering affections, capable of illuminating the obscure and perceiving the countless subtle connections in the world "beyond the world." Suddenly, 'he' felt 'he' had broken through the barrier of the skandha of consciousness and instantly connected with the vast stream of cosmic consciousness! From the spiritual dimension, 'he' glimpsed the entire universe's past, present, and future in an instant — a cycle of endless generation, collapse, dissolution, and reconstruction, with no discernible beginning or end.

'His' spiritual wave resonated with the stream of cosmic consciousness, allowing 'him' to freely explore with 'his' thoughts. 'He' traced back hundreds of billions of years, witnessing the ceaseless cycle of this universe — galaxies, suns, moons, stars, and planets shattering and reconstructing countless times, with innumerable souls endlessly drifting, wandering, and floating adrift, boundless and limitless, without beginning or end! 'He' finally personally verified the truth of the world that 'his' master had once told 'him.' As 'he' watched, overwhelmed by emotion, 'he' shed two streams of tears in 'his' meditative state.

'She' had just woken from 'her' nap and habitually walked to the pavilion to find 'him.' "Darling... darling..." 'She' noticed 'he' had 'his' eyes closed but was shedding tears — 'she' had never seen 'him' like this before.

'He' sensed 'her' call and slowly emerged from 'his' meditative state, opening 'his' tear-filled eyes and smiling at 'her.'

"Darling, why... are you crying?" 'She' asked tenderly.
"I..." 'He' didn't know where to begin.
"What happened? Did you see something sad?"
"Mmm..."
"Then... tell me about it? What was it?" 'She' hugged 'him' from behind.
"I'll try..." 'He' pondered how to express it.

'She' then prepared to boil water and brew tea beside 'him,' listening as 'he' began to recount 'his' experience.

As 'he' started speaking, 'her' mouth gradually fell open in astonishment, until 'her' jaw nearly dropped.

"Wait, darling, let me catch my breath first..." 'She' poured 'herself' a full cup of tea, took a big sip to calm 'her' nerves, and then filled 'his' cup as well.

"Well, simply put, the universe we live in also has its life cycle — birth, aging, sickness, and death. It will be destroyed and reborn, but it takes an extremely long time. The smaller cycle refers to ordinary living beings — dying here, being reborn there, never able to stop." 'He' concluded.

"Hmm... I understand... but I think things are fine as they are now! With you by my side..." 'She' smiled at 'him', with a hint of dependence.
"Ah? You silly girl!"
"Calling me silly again! You're the silly one!"
"This is just a brief respite! Ever since life began on this big sphere, creatures have been devouring and fighting each other endlessly. Even humans scheme against one another, driven by greed and shortsightedness, with wars never ceasing. It's like ants in a well, tearing at each other for scraps of food, naively believing the world is as small as that well."
"Darling... you're so capable. If I leave, you can find me again, and we can continue living like this together..."
"Find... you again?" Recalling 'her' past five lifetimes, 'he' gave a bitter smile.
"What's wrong...?"
"Nothing... it's nothing..." 'He' took a sip of fragrant tea. "Reincarnation isn't as smooth as you imagine!"
"Is that so?"
"Sometimes it's very bitter, bitter enough to make you cry out to heaven and earth!"
"Is it really that bad...?"
"Hmm... then let me tell you a story." 'He' didn't dare mention the truly cruel past to 'her', so 'he' chose a less intense memory.
"Another story?"
"This story goes like this..." 'He' began narrating slowly.

In one of 'his' past lives, around the age of twelve, 'he' once found a thin, dirty, mottled white kitten in the roadside grass. It meowed incessantly at 'him', as if pleading for help. It looked pitiful yet adorable, so 'he' took the kitten home. 'He' fed it every day, bathed it, and even let it sleep in 'his' arms. Before long, the kitten became inseparable from 'him', utterly fond of its little owner. Whenever 'he' returned home, it would joyfully leap to 'his' side, rubbing against 'him' and meowing, endlessly affectionate.

"Then what happened?"
"Later, I grew up, found a partner, and got married. I ended up neglecting the cat. Several times it tried to approach me, but I coldly pushed it away or ignored it. In the end, the cat left home heartbroken and never returned."
"Ah... how sad, that poor cat..."
"That cat was you." 'He' dropped the bombshell unexpectedly.
"Wha — ?! I was a cat...?" 'She' was startled, unable to imagine herself as a feline in a past life.
"Wait! Darling!" Suddenly realizing something was off, 'her' expression instantly darkened as 'she' glared at 'him'. "How dare you treat me like that!" 'She' lightly punched 'him' a few times.
"Calm down! How was I supposed to know it was you back then?" 'He' caught 'her' hands.
"Hmph! I'm ignoring you!"
"Sigh... I knew you'd react like this..."
"If you knew, how could you still say it?!"
"Truth is, there are many things I don't dare tell you, afraid you couldn't handle them."
"Then don't say them!" 'She' huffed angrily.
"Fine, fine... I won't..."
"Hmph!" 'Her' angry face quickly softened into a smile as 'she' refilled 'his' teacup.
"Your mood changes faster than flipping a page..." 'He' muttered.
"What was that?" 'She' shot 'him' a glare.
"Nothing..."

The two of 'him' continued to savor the aroma of tea in the afternoon pavilion, enjoying the tranquility of the moment. The warm sun shone gently, wisps of steam rose from the tea, and the fragrance of the brew blended with the scent of the garden's greenery, refreshing the heart and mind. A light breeze rustled through the bamboo leaves, and the occasional chirp of a cicada added a touch of color to the serene scene. Time flowed quietly, with everything left unspoken.

"Honey, I've been feeling like you're drifting further and further away from me lately..." 'She' suddenly said softly.
"How could that be? I'm right here by your side."
"Hmm... It's more like a distance in the heart. It feels like you're standing somewhere very, very far away..."
"You're overthinking it."
"Am I?"
"Yeah."
"Honey, are you... lonely?"
"Not at all! Aren't you here with me? Why do you ask?"
"Please don't leave me, okay?"
'He' seemed to hesitate for a fleeting moment. "Mm..." 'He' gently held 'her' hand, smiling at 'her' with a hint of reluctance. 'She' seemed to sense 'his' hesitation, but 'she' didn't voice it.