"Among the non-direct members of the Jiang Family, there is indeed a hierarchy."
Jiang Lan looked at Cao Yong and said slowly, "But the specific level has to be determined by the family's senior members, which I am not in a position to judge."
Cao Yong said in a deep voice, "As the legitimate daughter of the Jiang Family, Miss Jiang should have some say, right?"
"Hmm..."
Jiang Lan pondered for a moment, then glanced at Xu Zhou and said, "If it were up to me, I would offer the highest D-level treatment."
"D-level?" Cao Yong's face changed slightly.
Even the principal's expression shifted.
Xu Zhou was the only one a bit puzzled. What level is D-level treatment considered to be?
Cao Yong said in a deep voice, "As far as I know, for members from outside the family line, the Jiang Family offers a maximum of S-level and a minimum of E-level, a total of six tiers."
"Isn't D-level a bit low?"
The principal also spoke slowly, "Once you become a member of the Jiang Family, it means maintaining this level for the next ten years."
He shook his head and said, "If it's just D-level, it's indeed somewhat low."
Jiang Lan looked at the two men, a faint and indefinable smile appearing on her delicate face, "Even if the family's senior members come over, they would most likely offer only D-level treatment."
"As for why, you should know better than I do."
Upon these words, the principal's face changed slightly.
He looked deeply at Jiang Lan, as if he had thought of something, and fell into silence for a moment.
Cao Yong, on the other hand, furrowed his brows and said slowly, "Miss Jiang, given Xu Zhou's current talent and strength, isn't that enough?"
Xu Zhou watched them argue, growing more confused in his heart.
Judging by his teacher and the principal's words, D-level treatment didn't seem that great.
Was it because his talent wasn't outstanding enough? But according to his teacher, his talent was supposed to be top-notch.
"D-level treatment is already very high."
Jiang Lan's face was calm, "Annually, there are millions in cultivation resources, and these can be obtained before he graduates from high school."
"These resources are the Jiang Family's investment in him, and regardless of whether he can grow in the future, this investment will be given as promised."
She looked at Xu Zhou with her beautiful eyes, "Xu Zhou, with all that's been said, are you willing to join the Jiang Family?"
Xu Zhou pondered slightly.
At this moment, Cao Yong spoke in a low voice beside him, "Xu Zhou, joining the Jiang Family means that for the next ten years, you won't be able to join any faction other than the Jiang Family."
Upon hearing this, Xu Zhou glanced at his teacher.
He understood what his teacher meant.
The next second, Xu Zhou looked at Jiang Lan apologetically, "Sorry, let me think about it."
Which was actually a polite refusal.
After all, Jiang Lan was just passing by and wouldn't likely come again.
Hearing this, Jiang Lan simply nodded slightly, the humor in her eyes fading, replaced by the indifference specific to those of inner city direct lineage.
"If that's the case, I won't stay here any longer."
She looked at the principal, "Principal Chen, no need to see me out."
Having said that, Jiang Lan turned around and strode away.
The middle-aged man in a suit accompanying her also left.
Once the two left, Cao Yong nodded towards Xu Zhou, saying, "Not agreeing to join the Jiang Family just now was the right choice."
Millions in cultivation resources per year, such temptation isn't easily resisted by just anyone.
Yet Xu Zhou, after hearing just a word from Cao Yong, immediately refused.
This made Cao Yong admire Xu Zhou even more.
In fact, Xu Zhou's refusal to Jiang Lan wasn't just due to Cao Yong; he himself wasn't interested in the sudden invitation.
It wasn't just that he didn't have a good impression of the inner city, but Jiang Lan didn't seem to value him highly either.
Plus, they only offered D-level member treatment.
With that in mind, Xu Zhou naturally saw no reason to agree.
However, Xu Zhou couldn't help but wonder, "In the Jiang Family, is D-level member treatment really that low?"
After all, millions in cultivation resources is a considerable amount anywhere.
"Looking at it now, certainly not low."
Cao Yong looked at Xu Zhou and said seriously, "But what about later? When you become a second-grade Martial Artist, or even a third-grade Martial Artist, the daily consumption of cultivation resources will be tens of thousands."
"Once you become a D-level member, it means that for the next ten years, you can only receive a million annually."
"By then, this identity will become your constraint instead."
Xu Zhou was slightly shocked in his heart.
He didn't expect the path of Martial Artists to be so costly.
"Don't dwell on this matter," Cao Yong continued, "Since the Jiang Family is willing to specially recruit you, surely other Inner City Families will also specially recruit you one day."
"Special recruitment?" Xu Zhou looked at his teacher in confusion.
The principal beside him explained, "Ordinary people from the Outer City District are unable to enter the Inner City."
"The Inner City is the true core area of Yan Country, where the top warriors and their descendants all live."
Xu Zhou nodded, indeed understanding that point.
The principal continued, "There is a huge disparity between the Inner City and Outer City District, so people from both sides rarely interact."
"People from the Outer City District may find it difficult to ever enter the Inner City their whole lives."
The principal sighed, "But, extraordinary talents do appear in the Outer City District."
"For these talents, the Inner City will extend an olive branch, recruiting them to become Inner City residents through special recruitment."
He looked at Xu Zhou, somewhat wistful, "This time, it's really a pity."
"But Cao Yong is right, the Jiang Family is willing to specially recruit you, so other Inner City Families might come too."
Xu Zhou understood, yet felt a bit shaken inside.
It's almost impossible for people from the Outer City District to enter the Inner City in their lifetime?
No wonder Liu He's status at school was so high; the great families in the Inner City must be more prestigious than he imagined.
At this moment, he further realized the gap between the inner and outer city.
...
As Xu Zhou comprehended the Inner City.
On the other side, Jiang Lan was sitting in the front passenger seat of a luxury SUV, leaving Linjiang First High School.
The middle-aged man in a suit driving the car wore a look of confusion and asked, "Miss, is Xu Zhou really only worth a D-level?"
"I heard the talent he awakened is a top level S-class talent. If that's true, his future prospects are immeasurable."
As Jiang Lan's travel companion, he was responsible for her protection.
He did not speak up during the decision Jiang Lan made in the office, nor did he have the right to.
Now that they had left, he couldn't help but voice his doubts.
Hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Jiang Lan's neat little face.
"If there really is a talent like the 'Immortal Dragon Body' in this world, then he is indeed worthy of being an S-level member of the Jiang Family."
She lifted her slender hand to lightly brush her hair behind her ear, shaking her head slightly, "Unfortunately, his talent is fake."
"Fake?" The middle-aged man's face changed.
Jiang Lan took out a USB drive and inserted it into the car's console.
"Buzz!"
Immediately, lights converged on the SUV's windshield, forming a light curtain projection.
"Many people know our Jiang Family is the creator of the virtual world."
Jiang Lan smiled, "My ancestor had the power to open up the spiritual world, and with his vast divine skills, he created the virtual world, benefiting countless descendants."
"Now, whether in the Inner City or Outer City, to awaken, most have to enter the virtual world to experience the great calamity from three hundred years ago."
"What they don't know is that all Awakeners' data is recorded by our Jiang Family."
"Naturally, this includes Xu Zhou."
As she spoke, Jiang Lan's fair fingers moved across the light curtain in front of her.
"Look, here is Xu Zhou's information." Jiang Lan pointed to the light curtain.
The middle-aged man in a suit stopped the car and turned his head to look.
In the next moment, astonishment appeared on his face, "Beast-class talent... Dragon Transformation?"
As a follower of the Jiang Family, he understood the significance of this talent.
Beast-class talent is almost universally recognized as a difficult talent to cultivate!
"But... what about his Qi-Blood?" The middle-aged man was still somewhat incredulous.
"That is precisely the reason I invited him to join the Jiang Family."
A smile appeared on Jiang Lan's pretty face, "Being able to cultivate to this level with a beast-class talent proves his extraordinariness."
"But ultimately, it is a beast-class talent, making breaking through to second grade extremely difficult and breaking through to third-grade even more unlikely."
"Offering him D-level membership in the Jiang Family was my greatest gesture of goodwill."
Jiang Lan sighed softly, "Unfortunately, he is too ambitious for his own good, yet as fragile as paper."
Hearing this, the middle-aged man in a suit finally understood.
"I see..."
He nodded, "Miss offered him D-level treatment to give him a chance, but regrettably, he didn't cherish it."
"Even if other families find him in the future and discover his beast-class talent, at most they will also offer D-level treatment."
He sighed slightly.
The Jiang Family is the largest family in Jiangzhou, and being a D-level member of the Jiang Family is already a very high status.
Even if other families offered D-level treatment, it wouldn't be better than the Jiang Family's.
However, Jiang Lan shook her head, "Other families? They may not even offer D-level."
"Although his Qi-Blood is good, as far as I know, his martial arts techniques have only reached the second level. Achieving the second level of martial arts techniques by first grade is nothing remarkable in the Inner City."
"His combat techniques are average, his talent is average, and only his Qi-Blood slightly surprised me."
A faint self-mocking expression appeared on Jiang Lan's exquisite face:
"Offering D-level treatment was partly a gamble on my part; most other families, if they knew his situation, would likely only offer E-level treatment. Joining the family would be possible, but entering into the household of the inner city would be out of the question."
Entering the household of the inner city truly means having the identity of the Inner City.
But even within Inner City Families, not all members are allowed into the household of the inner city.
Only D-level and above members receive such treatment.
As for E-level? Their household registration remains in the Outer City, with a world of difference in status and position compared to D-level.
Hearing this, the middle-aged man in a suit finally came to a realization.
Then he sighed, "Geniuses from the Outer City, without entering into the household of the Inner City, are destined to be merely a fleeting moment."
"This person will regret refusing you, Miss."
"No matter, whether he regrets it has nothing to do with me," Jiang Lan said indifferently, "After all, this person will no longer intersect with me in the future."
She commanded, "Find me a place for seclusion, the Thousand Demon Cave is about to open, and this time in the forbidden zone, I want to be number one in Jiangzhou."
"Yes." The middle-aged man in a suit restarted the car, driving off into the distance.