Unstoppable Martial Arts: Starting with brother's wife and young sister Chapter 968 503: Holy Land! (Part 2)

Furthermore, this hall bore no name.

"Do not utter a word after entering!"

At length, the Stonemason spoke, his tone laced with a hint of impatience.

However, this did not trouble Chen Xuan. After a brief acknowledgement, the two stepped inside the hall.

"This...!"

Within the hall stood hundreds of members of the Stone Race, each in pairs. What truly astonished Chen Xuan was a colossal stone, a hundred meters in sheer size, hovering ominously in the air.

It emanated a soft, earthy yellow luminescence.

As the Stonemason and Chen Xuan made their entrance, the assembled Stone Race members turned their attention towards them.

"Greetings, Master Stonemason!"

A unified chorus of bows and exclamations filled the space.

"No need for formalities!"

The Stonemason, whose demeanor had been previously indifferent, finally offered a smile. "You represent the future of our Stone Race. As you venture into the Holy Land this time, it is my fervent hope that you will cultivate top-tier Crystal Stones!"

"Yes!"

The assembly responded in perfect unison.

Then, his smile vanished as he turned away. "Find a place for yourselves and await Lin'Er separately."

Chen Xuan gave a slight nod. Under the scrutiny of these young Stone Race members, he located a quiet corner and sat alone.

"Is he the one Shi Lin has chosen?"

"Why would she choose someone bearing a lower surname?"

"Indeed, what right does someone with a lesser surname possess to enter the Holy Land!"

...

Chen Xuan could clearly discern these murmurs but offered only a faint, unconcerned smile.

As for the Stonemason, he made no move to intervene, harboring no particular fondness for Jiang Tian himself—he allowed their sentiments to be voiced.

"Hmm?"

A peculiar sensation of doubt suddenly stirred within Chen Xuan's heart.

It was as if his Divine Soul had become unusually active within the confines of the hall, pulsing with an almost drug-induced excitement.

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze drifting towards the immense stone suspended overhead. "Could it be because of this?"

"What exactly is this object?"

A profound sense of bewilderment washed over him, yet he consciously compelled his Divine Soul to regain its composure.

Such a hallowed place was hardly suitable for unrestrained excitement; any disruption could very well spell disaster.

"That is the gateway to the sanctuary."

Just then, a young Stone Race member, standing merely a yard away from Chen Xuan, broke the silence.

Curiosity piqued, Chen Xuan turned to him. He noted that these members, unlike the royal Stone Race individuals, regarded him with a distinct air of disdain, making it highly improbable that they would engage him in conversation, let alone offer explanations.

Upon closer observation, he discerned that this pair did not hail from the Royal lineage—their chest Crystal Stones lacked the same pristine purity, suggesting they belonged to one of the three prominent surnames.

"Gateway to the sanctuary?"

Chen Xuan inquired.

"Yes!"

The young man offered a smile. He seemed inclined to approach Chen Xuan, but the woman beside him gently pulled him back, shaking her head in a clear gesture of caution.

"It's alright!"

The young man reassured her, fully aware of her concerns and the disdainful glances cast their way by the surrounding Royals.

However, even if they chose not to speak with Chen Xuan, the Royals would still view them unfavorably.

Their dislike was simply not as potent as their animosity towards Chen Xuan, but to him, the distinction was negligible.

Thus, enduring the Royals' scornful gazes, he traversed the distance to Chen Xuan and took a seat directly opposite him.

"Hmmph!"

"Inferior individuals are simply that—inferior!"

At that precise moment, a frigid insult reverberated through the hall.

Despite the blatant hostility, both Chen Xuan and the young man exchanged smiles, unaffected.

Conversely, Chen Xuan felt a surge of surprise; this individual possessed a character distinct from that of the other Stone Race members he had encountered.

To dare brave the palpable pressure emanating from so many Royals simply to approach him was an act few would undertake.

Even the Stonemason, on the verge of departure, appeared visibly taken aback.

"They appear to be the most exceptional pair from this generation of the Zhang surname, do they not?"

Among the upper echelon of the three primary surnames, only those who achieved significant accomplishments were granted special favor by the Third Ancestor, securing an additional allocated spot.

Indeed, they constituted the sole pair representing the top three surnames in this particular instance.

He slowly shook his head, a flicker of regret crossing his features, before exiting the hall.

To finally gain entry into the Holy Land, only to associate with someone of a lower surname—the Zhang surname would undoubtedly be incensed upon learning of this development.

"Zhang Qiu!"

"Jiang Tian!"

Following their introductions, Chen Xuan posed a question, his curiosity palpable: "Aren't you afraid?"

He recalled the Stonemason's earlier declaration: these were the Royal families, the very future of the Stone Race.

Should they choose to create difficulties for him later, it could escalate into a far more significant predicament.

Even within the Royal circles, the three main surnames held scant significance.

"We are all part of the Stone Race; they would not dare."

Zhang Qiu responded diplomatically, demonstrating an astute understanding of Chen Xuan's underlying concern.

However, in the presence of so many Royals, this was the extent of what he could openly articulate.

Internally, he harbored a different sentiment altogether.

The Stone Race, as a whole, should not be categorized by such distinctions; the three primary surnames constituted the vast majority, vastly outnumbering the Royals.

Moreover, when confronting the Human Race, it was precisely the three main surnames that formed the vanguard.

Yet, lamentably, the lion's share of the Stone Race's resources remained firmly under the control of the Royals, resulting in a disparity in cultivated experts, with the Royals far surpassing them.

When it came to peak experts, the strongest cultivator among the three main surnames had only reached the Zenith of the Seventh Layer within the Dao Realm.The three prominent surnames within the Stone Race suffered from diluted influence, their power further choked by the suppression of the Crystal Stone.Though they recognized the inherent unfairness, they dared not utter a single word of protest.Yet, Zhang Qiu was an anomaly, standing apart from the rest, and despite the imposing presence of numerous Royals, he approached Chen Xuan.He hailed from a lesser surname, but Shi Lin had still selected him; furthermore, Zhang Qiu had noticed – the Crystal Stone within his chest was more refined than his own, which sparked certain ambitions.Without this, he would never have dared to undertake such a reckless act."Indeed."Chen Xuan readily agreed, nodding in affirmation.However, it must be acknowledged...A undercurrent of discontent undeniably existed within the Stone Race.At the very least, opinions were divided among the three major surnames.But this was to be expected; a rigid caste system devoid of any opposition would truly be abnormal.Following Zhang Qiu's explanation, Chen Xuan finally grasped the full picture.This colossal stone was actually the transformed remains of an ancestor from the Royal Stone Race, who, through the concerted efforts of subsequent generations, eventually established the current Holy Land.In essence, the colossal stone was the materialized corpse of the Royal Stone Race's progenitor.