In the adjacent courtyard, Lydia (Ava), who is Charlie’s mother, observed Nanako on the monitor. She turned to Sister Sun beside her and inquired, “Sister Sun, Jingqing took eight years toprehend Taoism. How long do you believe it will take for Nanako?”


    Sister Sun smiled in response, “Madam, you only needed half a year to grasp Taoism. Considering that, I believe it will take Miss Ito no more than two or three years to achieve enlightenment.”


    Lydia (Ava) shook her head gently, stating, “Nanako possesses greater talent than I do, so her path to enlightenment will certainly be shorter. Who knows, she might even reach it within a month.”


    Sister Sun raised an eyebrow in surprise, “Madam, do you hold Miss Ito in such high regard?”


    Lydia (Ava) nodded affirmatively, “She is more innocent than most adults in this world, and it is this purity that will naturally make her journey to realizing the Tao easier.”<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    Meanwhile, in the Buddhist hall, Ito Nanako sat cross-legged before the futon, closing her eyes. She skillfully mobilized her true energy and spiritual awareness, entering a state of inner vision.


    Having mastered the entire process of introspection, Ito Nanako effortlessly found herself in the sea of consciousness once more.


    The sea of consciousness appeared just as it always had—calm and undisturbed.


    As Nanako Ito pushed her consciousness upwards, she felt her awareness drifting further from the tranquil sea below. However, with each ascent, an unfamiliar resistance began to build. After exerting herself to reach the peak, she could no longer maintain her grasp and her consciousness began to descend.


    In that moment, Ito Nanako contemted the concept of selflessness and the desire to be devoid of thought. She strove to quiet her mind, yet the more she tried, the more memories surged forth, flooding her consciousness.


    She recalled her childhood, her parents, her first encounter with Charlie Wade, and that snowy evening in Kyoto…


    Suddenly, her consciousness halted and rushed back into the sea of consciousness. However, the surface remained eerily still, as if enchanted.


    Surrounded by the sea of consciousness, Nanako felt an immense force pressing in from all sides, making it challenging to adjust her awareness. Then, she experienced a powerful surge that propelled her upwards.


    In that moment, her consciousness felt like a bubble trapped at the bottom of the sea, beingpressed by the surrounding water, hastening towards the surface.


    Before long, Ito Nanako’s consciousness broke through the surface of the sea of consciousness.


    The instant her consciousness emerged, Nanako opened her eyes, gasping for breath, suddenly aware that her body was drenched in sweat.


    Master Jingqing, who had been observing,mented, “It seems the sea of consciousness has pushed you out, donor.”


    Nanako nodded slightly, fatigue evident in her voice as she replied, “Controlling my consciousness to reach such heights is truly exhausting. Yet, the most challenging part was the overwhelming pressure that suffocated me as I struggled against it. Ironically, the more I aimed for selflessness, the more memories flooded back to me…”


    Master Jingqing responded gravely, “Achieving enlightenment is indeed as daunting as scaling a mountain. Not only is sess hard to achieve, but the journey itself is fraught with difficulty. I spent eight long years in this endeavor, enduring countless failures. However, I believe your talent surpasses mine, so you will likely find your way much sooner.”


    He added, “When you delved within just now, your expressions shifted multiple times in mere seconds. This indicates that your thoughts were too distracted. To ess the realm of unconsciousness, one must relinquish all desires and attachments; otherwise, sess may remain elusive.”


    Determined, Nanako Ito pursed her lips and dered, “I want to try again…”<fna2f3> For original chapters go to F?ndNovel</fna2f3>