Ying Zhan's words were merely courteous.
Ying Zhan didn't believe that Jing Yan would be a cultivator with strong power. Jing Yan was simply a cultivator whom Ying Lu had incidentally befriended during her recent outing. If one could randomly encounter a strong Wizard-level practitioner, the Shadow Clan Tribe wouldn't struggle with recruiting cultivators.
It's noteworthy that over several decades, the Shadow Clan Tribe has recruited only four Wizards, and each came at an immense cost.
Moreover, if Jing Yan were a cultivator of great power, how could he easily have followed Ying Lu to the Shadow Clan Tribe?
Therefore, subconsciously, Ying Zhan only viewed Jing Yan as an ordinary cultivator, perhaps with good looks that made Ying Lu favor him.
Good-looking people often garner more goodwill. This rule applies almost everywhere.
"Elder Ying Zhan, you're too kind," Jing Yan smiled, indifferent to it.
