The giants mocked his father for marrying outside, and the humans ridiculed his mother for marrying out.

People from both worlds called him a bastard.

He looks tall and strong, but at most twenty years old.

For these twenty years, it's unknown how much confusion and pain have accumulated within him.

Mountain and River Origin suddenly laughed self-deprecatingly and asked, "How do you resolve such doubts and confusions? Zhang Xinglie, I heard you're an academic and martial arts prodigy, you must have a solution, right?"

Zhang Xinglie was silent for a while, then slowly said, "Ever since I was young, I've been out of place with those around me. After suffering a lot, I began to disguise myself while learning, pretending to be understanding, and learning how other children interact. I was so smart, smart enough that everyone thought I was gradually becoming like a normal person. But sometimes I'm also confused about whether I should stick to being the original me or keep learning to be like others."

Zhou Leng watched Zhang Xinglie in silence.

Always knew.

Zhang Xinglie continued, "If I went back to being my old self, treating everyone like fools and not caring about worldly judgements, I would immediately become a weirdo in others' eyes. But if I keep learning from others, trying to be a normal person, it always feels like something is missing inside me. I haven't found the answer to this problem either."

Mountain and River Origin looked at Zhou Leng and asked, "What about you?"

Zhou Leng didn't want to speak, but was overwhelmed by thoughts due to Mountain and River Origin and Zhang Xinglie's words.

Zhou Leng thought for a long time, then slowly said, "I also don't know what to do, but if I think carefully, growing up as one person, it seems I've become very good at protecting myself, very good since I was young."

Everyone sighed softly.

Zhou Leng continued, "If I had to say I have any experience or method, it would probably be thinking a lot about slaying demons. The more I think about it, the more I feel like I'm constantly cultivating, constantly getting stronger, and in the future, I'll be able to kill more demons, which makes me feel much better. As for the rest, I don't quite know."

Mountain and River Origin nodded and said, "I have similar ways, I can understand. What about you?"

Mountain and River Origin looked at Molten Hammer.

Molten Hammer pointed at himself and asked, "You're asking me?"

"Yes."

Molten Hammer tilted his head and thought for a long time, then slowly said, "I really haven't thought about this question. Actually, our dwarf world isn't that great either, we often fight with beastmen, we used to live underground, and it's only in recent years we've slowly started living in houses above ground. If I have to say..."

Molten Hammer nodded forcefully and said, "We dwarves simply don't think about such messy things. Enjoy one day at a time, why think about messy things from the past and future? Having a good life today, living well now, isn't that great? Mhm, it's great."

Molten Hammer and Black Barrel exchanged a glance and showed a happy smile.

Zhou Leng sighed, "Being carefree is one of the best ways to live."

Mountain River Oak suddenly realized, nodded vigorously, and said, "Turns out I'm suited to being a dwarf."

Everyone laughed.

Everyone set aside their gray memories and talked about happy things.

Soon, the cave shook with dust falling down in flurries.

"A new avalanche."

Everyone stood up quickly, packed their things, ready to end soon...

Rumble...

The ground shook, everyone swayed along.

"Something's wrong..." Molten Hammer suddenly fell to the ground, shouting loudly.

Everyone looked at each other, this time the tremor didn't seem like an avalanche, more like an earthquake.

The ground slowly sank, walls cracked, and loose rocks fell from the sky.

"Not good!"

Everyone looked towards the cave entrance.

The entrance collapsed, blocked by rocks, pitch black.

"Quick..."

Rumble...

Another loud noise, the ground suddenly shattered and collapsed.

Everyone fell together.

Zhang Xinglie and Zhou Leng, being the most agile, hurriedly searched for a foothold, but the entire ground shattered and collapsed with nowhere to land.

"Watch out..."

Unknown how many meters they fell, below came the sound of stones hitting the ground.

Everyone hurriedly adjusted their posture, bent their knees and prepared, but ended up falling to the ground succesively, even stumbling.

Fortunately, everyone was in the Body Refining Stage, prepared, and wasn't hurt.

The surroundings were pitch black.

Zhou Leng could faintly see they were in a large cave, one side sealed off, the other side extending into a passage.

Thick ice hung everywhere in the passage, the ground also covered in it.

Loose rocks kept falling from above, everyone hurriedly ran a few steps into the depths of the passage, avoiding the rocks above.

After adjusting to the darkness, they saw more clearly.

"Should we turn on the lights?" Zhang Xinglie asked.

"It's a bit dangerous, can you see enough?" Zhou Leng asked.

Molten Hammer said, "I can see clearly."

Steel Dwarves were born with dark vision, after all, they've always lived underground.

"I can see a little." Mountain River Oak said.

"I can see just about enough, maybe not the details." Zhou Leng said.

"Seems like everyone is about the same, let Molten Hammer observe first, we'll slowly adjust. If we really can't see, then use tactical flashlights."

"Okay."

Molten Hammer whispered, "This cave is a bit high, have you noticed?"

Zhou Leng nodded, "This passage is actually over twenty meters high, it must be dug by giants, right?"

"But I've never heard of such large passages in the Avalanche Mountains. Here is permafrost year-round, with terrifying winds, it can't be inhabited." Mountain River Oak said.

Molten Hammer said, "This place is ancient."

Mountain and River Origin was startled, "There is a legend that says Frost Giants who lived in the past in the Avalanche Mountains weren't afraid of the cold and terrifying winds."

"Frost Giants were very powerful, the leaders of all giants."

"But later on, they disappeared for unknown reasons. Some say it was the work of a Giant Dragon, some say the Frost Giant race flew into the cosmos to become Starry Giants, and others say they perished to natural disasters, but it's been too long to conclude."

Molten Hammer suddenly shivered, "Do you feel that it's particularly cold here even though there's no wind?"

"Colder than outside." Mountain River Oak said.

Zhou Leng glanced at the Demonized Watch.

"Minus 98 degrees, it's indeed more than ten degrees lower than outside," Zhou Leng said.

"Should we go forward or climb back the way we came?" Mountain River Oak looked back.

The rear had completely collapsed, with boulders piling up.

Zhang Xinglie said, "If it's just rubble, we can clear it slowly, but if large sections of the mountainside have collapsed, it would require at least someone at the Innate stage to break through."

"Brother, can you do it?" Mountain River Oak asked.

Mountain and River Origin shook his head, "The boulders are numerous and huge; even if we cleared a way out, it would take many days, leading to trial failure."

"Right, we need to find an exit quickly and leave early, we can't fail, or those giants will laugh at my brother again!" Mountain River Oak said urgently.

Zhou Leng said, "At times like this, leaving quickly and staying alive is most important."

Besides Mountain River Oak, the others nodded gently.

"But don't you think it's all too coincidental?" Zhang Xinglie asked.

Zhou Leng said, "I also feel it's too coincidental, something's off."

Molten Hammer said, "Who cares about the seven or eight tricks, as you humans say, just do it! I love that saying."

Black Barrel nodded repeatedly.

"I like it too!" Mountain River Oak's eyes lit up.

Zhou Leng, Zhang Xinglie, and Mountain and River Origin, the three with brains, exchanged glances and shook their heads helplessly.

Zhou Leng said, "In such a clueless situation, sometimes charging forward is indeed a way out, but we also need to be rational. This place could very well be a Frost Giant's ancient territory, extremely dangerous."

"Molten Hammer is in charge of charging, we are in charge of being cautious," Zhang Xinglie said.

After a brief discussion, they moved forward slowly.

Molten Hammer, who had the best dark vision, led the group, with Black Barrel bringing up the rear.

Thud...

Molten Hammer slipped and fell to the ground.

"Be careful in this area, even with my stable footing, I slipped..."

Before he finished his sentence, Mountain River Oak fell with a thud onto the icy surface, sprawled out.

Molten Hammer grinned and quickly stopped himself.

"The ice here seems to contain some sort of magical power, otherwise it wouldn't be so slippery," Mountain River Origin said.

Zhou Leng surveyed the underground passage, seeing nothing but layers of ice in all directions.

The team moved cautiously forward; they fell many times but slowly adapted to the slippery ice surface.

Zhou Leng was the only one who didn't fall once.

The team kept moving forward, gradually curling up slightly as the cold took hold.

"Put on your clothes; the cold here is a bit strange," Molten Hammer said.

Mountain River Oak said, "If you are cold, wear them, but we won't."

"What about you?" Molten Hammer looked at Zhou Leng.

"This level of cold isn't enough to make me wear clothes," Zhou Leng said.

"You're so superior, you must be something," Molten Hammer said, gritting his teeth and continuing.

Gradually, the group, due to the meeting of emitted heat and cold air, formed white frost on their hair and beards.

Only Zhou Leng remained unaffected, with not a hint of frost on his hair.

After half an hour of walking, they encountered nothing, but it grew increasingly colder, forcing them to consume forbidden substances to fend off the chill.

Mountain River Origin whispered, "No doubt about it, this place must be related to the Frost Giants. No ordinary place could have such intense cold."

Molten Hammer said joyfully, "So, even if we fail the Giant Trial, if we can find some treasure here, it won't have been for nothing?"

"Or we might freeze to death here. Stop thinking about treasure. Too many people have died over treasure," Mountain River Origin said.

Zhang Xinglie said, "Exactly. If we were prepared, we could claim the treasure confidently. But since we know nothing of this place, we shouldn't be greedy. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush; the Giant Trial is still our top priority."

Molten Hammer nodded helplessly; Dwarves are natural excavators, instinctively wanting to dig something up in such environments.

After a while, Molten Hammer suddenly raised his hand, and everyone immediately stopped.

Everyone held their breath and listened carefully.

The wind blew by.

Molten Hammer lay on the ground, ear to the earth, listening.

He furrowed his brow and asked in a low voice, "Did any of you hear something?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"I feel there's something unusual."

The six of them tiptoed forward carefully.

Suddenly, Molten Hammer raised his hand again.

The team stopped once more.

Crackling...

The sound of pebbles rolling across the ice surface echoed.

Molten Hammer breathed a sigh of relief and laughed, "I told you there was something strange."

They all chuckled, then resumed walking normally.

After a few steps, faint demonic whispers and footsteps wafted over from ahead.

Everyone halted immediately, faces frozen with concern.

They exchanged glances; how could there be Demons talking in this place?

Molten Hammer raised his hand and drew a line across his neck.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

This wasn't the trial area; encountering Demons, Giant Dragons, or Beastmen meant immediate action was the best strategy.

"Leave one for capture," Zhou Leng whispered.

Molten Hammer nodded heavily, Zhou Leng stepping forward, closely following Molten Hammer.

They moved cautiously, soon arriving at a cross-shaped passage ahead.

From the left side of the lateral passage, a group of Demons came walking out.

Both sides looked at each other simultaneously.

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