The Epiphyllum’s Tribulation Across Three Lifetimes

(Note: Adapted from the mythological legend “A Moment’s Bloom for Weituo”) She was the most promising candidate to become the next lord of the Flower God’s Hall in the Flower Realm, possessing the most dazzling colors in the world and the strongest life force. He was the revered Golden Cicada Sacred Fruit of the Buddha Realm, born with the mission of saving all living beings and beloved by the people of the three realms. But an accident sent these two impossible souls down to the mortal world to undergo tribulations together. In their first life, he was a young monk in a temple, while she was a princess abandoned by a consort at birth. She was tricked into entering the palace. He followed her relentlessly, forsaking his vows for her. To save him, she sold her soul... In their second life, he was willing to become a demon to reclaim her soul. So they could stay together forever, he tore out his own Buddha heart and fell into hell for her... In their third life, during the war between gods and demons, she put righteousness before family and scattered her life force, all to guide him across the banks of the River of Forgetfulness... The Golden Cicada Sacred Fruit was destined to serve the Buddha in every life. Nothing could change that. Eighteen bowls of Granny Meng’s soup could sever love and desire, leaving one without sorrow or joy, love or longing, for all eternity... He gave a bitter laugh and drained the soup in one gulp. “Why not? After all... everything I long for is beyond my reach...”