One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

On the eve of the finals, Longhu Mountain was filled with a vibrant, almost carnival-like atmosphere, a stark contrast to the tense and somber mood of the past few days. Lu Linglong, the eldest daughter of the Lu family, spearheaded a grand bonfire party under the guise of "promoting exchange among the younger generation and building a harmonious world of supernatural beings." The location was chosen on a sheltered, open lawn on the back mountain, far from the core Taoist temple area, offering both ample space and privacy.

As night fell completely, dozens of bonfires were lit one after another, their orange flames leaping and rising, dispelling the chill of the mountains and illuminating the young, excited faces in shifting light. The aroma of roasting meat mingled with the sizzling sound of oil dripping into the fire, filling the air. Dozens of makeshift tables were piled high with all sorts of beer, drinks, snacks, and even a few jars of homemade rice wine that someone had somehow acquired. Contestants, spectators, young disciples from various sects, and even some curious Taoist priests from Longhu Mountain—over a hundred people in total—gathered, their laughter, clinking glasses, and drinking games creating a lively atmosphere, like a large open-air party.

Nie Lingfeng sat alone on a smooth, large blue stone far from the central campfire, leaning against an old pine tree. In his hands, he held a white thermos that seemed somewhat out of place with his demeanor. Four striking red characters were printed on the thermos: "Drink More Hot Water." Xu Si had insisted on giving it to him, claiming, "Young people should also know how to take care of themselves; it's especially important to be in top condition on the eve of the decisive battle." He unscrewed the lid, blew on the steam, and took a sip of the goji berry and red date tea inside. The warm, slightly sweet liquid slid down his throat, bringing a wave of comfort.

He gazed silently at the boisterous scene before him, a flicker of nostalgia and reverie in his eyes. The campfire, the barbecue, the beer, the laughter and banter of young people… this familiar yet strange atmosphere was strikingly similar to the camping parties his university club had organized in his past life. Back then, they too had gathered around the campfire, strumming guitars and singing off-key songs, sharing naive yet sincere dreams, or blushing furiously during games of truth or dare. He hadn't truly felt that pure, vibrant youthful energy for a full decade.

"Little Wind".

A calm voice sounded beside him. Feng Baobao had walked over at some point and sat down next to him. In her hand was a bottle of 56-proof Red Star Erguotou that hadn't been opened yet, and there was a transparent plastic straw sticking out of the bottle opening.

Nie Lingfeng's eye twitched slightly, his gaze shifting back and forth between the straw and the bottle: "Sister Bao'er, baijiu... you drink it with a straw?"

"Mmm." Feng Baobao nodded, looking completely at ease. "It's more convenient to drink like this. Otherwise, it's easy to spill." As she spoke, she skillfully used her teeth to bite open the bottle cap (along with the straw), then lowered her head, put the straw in her mouth, and began to sip it slowly, her expression as calm as if she were drinking plain water.

Nie Lingfeng remained silent for two seconds, then decided to abandon his pursuit of the question. Feng Baobao's logic was sometimes so simple and unpretentious, and... so hard to refute.

The atmosphere of the bonfire party gradually reached its climax, fueled by alcohol and the excess energy of the young people. And one of the undisputed focal points of the evening was none other than Zhang Chulan, the "Shameless" who had just defeated Zhang Lingyu and entered the finals.

At this moment, this guy was surrounded by a group of young people led by Lu Linglong, Zhi Jinhua, and Canglong. He had changed out of his signature NTDTV work clothes and was wearing a brightly colored Hawaiian shirt covered with tropical fruit patterns. Around his neck was a string of colorful plastic "gemstone" necklaces that looked like they came from a street stall. He was holding a half-empty bottle of beer and was playing a dice game with Canglong and the others, his face flushed and spittle flying everywhere.

"Three sixes! That's the best!" Zhang Chulan slammed his hand on the wooden stake that was temporarily serving as a table with great momentum.

"Four threes! I'll chop you up!" Canglong retorted, his eyes wide with rage.

"Open it! Hahaha! You drink! Hurry up!" Zhang Chulan laughed triumphantly, watching Canglong gulp down a large mouthful of beer with a bitter expression. He himself had obviously drunk quite a bit as well; his face was flushed, his eyes were starting to glaze over, and his tongue was beginning to slur its words.

After several rounds, two more empty wine bottles appeared in front of Zhang Chulan. Taking advantage of the situation, Canglong leaned closer, his chubby face beaming with a mischievous smile. He nudged Zhang Chulan with his elbow, lowering his voice, but many around could still hear: "Brother Chulan, hehe…we've all heard, haven't we? You…do you have that…legendary 'virginity mark' on you? I've never seen the real thing before! Show us what it's like! Let us broaden our horizons!"

Upon hearing this, several other boys who were also a bit tipsy immediately joined in the commotion:

"Yes, yes, yes! A virginity mark! A forbidden mark!"

"Zhang Chulan, if you're a man, show yourself!"

"Let us observe and learn from them!"

"Exactly! Sharing happiness is worse than enjoying it alone!"

Under the influence of alcohol, Zhang Chulan, provoked by his group of mischievous friends, instantly forgot his already meager sense of restraint and shame. He patted his chest, stood up with an air of heroic pride, and even stumbled slightly due to the abrupt movement: "Look...look then! Who, who's afraid of who! Let me tell you, this is...a symbol of a pure yang body! Glory!"

He shook off Lu Linglong and Zhi Jinhua, who were trying to pull him away (the two girls had already sensed what was going on and covered their faces, unable to bear to look), and staggered to the brightest bonfire in the center of the field. He took a deep breath, as if he were about to complete some sacred ritual.

Then, under the gaze of dozens of people—some curious, some mocking, some shocked—

He began to unbuckle his belt.

"Pfft—!" Nie Lingfeng, who was in the corner, was caught off guard and spat out a mouthful of hot tea, coughing repeatedly.

Feng Baobao, with a straw in her mouth, tilted her head in confusion and looked towards the center of the field: "What is he going to do?"

Nie Lingfeng quickly reached out and tried to cover her eyes: "Sister Bao'er, don't look, it's dirty to look at, not suitable for children."

It's a pity it's too late.

With astonishing efficiency (perhaps due to a loss of fine motor control under the influence of alcohol), Zhang Chulan pulled down his beach shorts, revealing two thighs that gleamed exceptionally white in the campfire light. On his left thigh, near the hip bone, a coin-sized, bright red, and peculiarly shaped mark was clearly visible to everyone. Bathed in the flickering firelight and the cool moonlight, the mark seemed to radiate a soft glow, making it incredibly striking.

The noisy lawn instantly fell into an eerie, pin-quiet silence.

All eyes were fixed on the bright red mark, their expressions frozen, their brains seemingly shutting down collectively.

Three seconds later.

"Hahahahahahahahaha—!!!"

A deafening roar of laughter, whistles, slapping, and chest-pounding eruptions erupted, almost shaking the campfire's flames!

"Holy crap! It really exists! A living virginity mark! This rune is absolutely exquisite!"

"Hahaha! Zhang Chulan! You're really a virgin?! You're such a grown man!"

"Quick, quick! Does anyone have a phone? Take a picture! No, record it! This is a historic moment!"

"Zhang Chulan! From this day forward, you are the number one pure-hearted male god in the world of supernatural beings! Hahahaha!"

The deafening laughter nearly lifted the lawn. Zhang Chulan was jolted awake by the sudden burst of laughter. The bravado brought on by the alcohol vanished instantly, replaced by a wave of immense shame that washed over him like ice water, turning his face red to the roots of his neck and even spreading to his chest!

"I...I..." He frantically tried to pull up his pants, but in his panic, the pant legs and belt got tangled together, making things worse the more he tried. He tripped over his own pants, lost his balance, and fell flat on his face with a "thud," burying his face in the grass, leaving only his flowery shorts-clad backside sticking up to the sky.

This pose undoubtedly made the scene even more "tragic," and the laughter reached a new peak. Many people laughed so hard they fell over, and tears streamed down their faces.

Nie Lingfeng clutched his forehead in anguish, unable to bear the sight any longer. This guy… the phrase “shameless” was practically tailor-made for him; it was ingrained in his very bones, beyond redemption.

He was just about to get up and pull that embarrassing guy back from the ground to prevent him from suffocating or being drowned out by laughter when suddenly, he frowned, paused slightly, and turned to look at the dark and deep forest surrounding the bonfire party.

He keenly sensed an extremely subtle yet cold and pure killing intent, like the forked tongue of a venomous snake peeking out from the darkness.

They weren't wild beasts. They were people. And... there were quite a few of them, at least a dozen. Although the killing intent was deliberately suppressed and restrained, the well-trained ruthlessness and targeted hostility it contained were far beyond what could be produced by ordinary conflict or accident.

Feng Baobao raised her head almost at the same time, still holding the straw in her mouth, but her originally calm eyes instantly became sharp as knives, locking onto the same direction that Nie Lingfeng was looking in.

"Xiao Feng," she spat out the straw, her voice calm yet tinged with a hint of wariness, "there are people in the woods. A lot of them. Unfriendly."

"Hmm." Nie Lingfeng put down his thermos, stood up, and brushed the grass clippings off his clothes. "The killing intent is strong, and... it's aimed at us. It seems someone doesn't want us to participate in tomorrow's finals peacefully."