Did that mean that she was somewhere in a Foundation Rank? How odd. She had only managed to successfully cultivate once. Besides, most of this cultivation stuff still didn't make much sense to her.
As she kept reading, her eyes lingered on the information that had been cut off after the immortal ascension rank.
"Is immortality the final rank?" She suddenly asked in curiosity, drawing her fingers across the blank space at the bottom of the paper.
Grandmaster Zhu Zhang let out a small chuckle. "You can say that for some of us, it is merely the beginning, but this should be of no concern to you right now. You're at the peak of your foundation, and you lack knowledge in harnessing energy as well as any other form of martial arts training, which a cultivator at your level should possess. Practise martial arts, train your body and meditate often. Learn to harness the energies around you, and inside you."
Li Meirong nodded her head in silence. Although She was completely confused by this mire of information, she kept on taking notes of everything the Grandmaster had spoken of.
Zhu Zhang recommenced the lecture. " As for your division's speciality, the Bestiary Coalition specializes in taming beasts, as well as merging a cultivator's combat skills with his or her spirit beast. The Saintly Soul technique will further allow you to merge yourself with your spirit beast as you battle, enhancing your senses and powers in accordance with those of your beast. However, that would be too much for you to be able to practise now. Start by honing your taming techniques, and your mental capacity to telepathically communicate with your contracted spirit."
While Li Meirong was writing everything down, she stopped mid-way to process Zhu Zhang's words.
The ink dripped from the quill, staining the scroll with spatters of black.
"Master, I don't have any taming techniques. And except for Snowball, my contracted pets already seem to be able to communicate with me telepathically." Li Meirong stated as a matter of fact.
Snowball sounded a hum of approval.
The Grandmaster questioned in a tone filled with reproach, "Oh, I suppose your contracted spirits simply dropped on your head and begged you to adopt them?"
"..." Li Meirong blinked a few times, wondering how to respond. 'It did kind of happen that way…'
Receiving silence as an answer, Bai Zhang assumed it had to have been because of his son's aura that the beasts wished to align themselves with her, despite her inadequate foundation.
With another sigh, the Grandmaster produced a few parchments from his storage bag and tossed them at Li Meirong.
"You must start from scratch. Study these scrolls and begin by taming low-level beasts in the mountains and islands near the sect. As for telepathic communication, it is impossible for an untrained mortal to telepathically communicate with anyone."
"..." Said Li Meirong.
She stayed quiet, wondering why everybody always found it difficult to believe her.
After a few further instructions, Grandmaster Zhu Zhang ended the lesson.
He cleared his throat and asked, "Dear disciple, you didn't happen to bring a few of those pastries with you again, did you?"
"No, master."
Bai Zhang's face blackened and he made a grumbling sound. 'Unfilial daughter-in-law.'
Seeing the Grandmaster's mood had worsened, Li Meirong immediately added, "I'll be sure to bring some next time!"
Her response seemed to have pleased him, and he nodded in acknowledgement. "Be sure that you do…"