As the God of Pain's donation floated above the forum interface, the previously calm atmosphere erupted like a boiling pot.
The God of Pain, a senior mid-level deity, had loyal followers scattered throughout countless realms. For such a revered god to bestow a reward was a signal of recognition and value.
With the blessing of 1,000 faith points, Lin Xuan's ranking rocketed upward like a missile, leaping from 82nd to 71st on the New God Ranking—a jump of eleven places!
In a distant forest kingdom, a massive lizard clung to the tallest tree in the center. Its dark green beast face was a mask of gloom and uncertainty as it stared at Lin Xuan's name on the leaderboard.
This was the [God of the Giant Lizard], an indigenous demigod who had risen to power on his home terrestrial planet. Relying on the believers he had gathered, he had reached 70th place.
In the ranking system, traffic is distributed daily according to ranking, with higher-ranked gods receiving more visibility. Watching the Lord of Pleasure's faith climb rapidly, the God of the Giant Lizard cursed inwardly.
What kind of monster is this Lord of Pleasure to attract a reward from a mid-level god?
He had endured countless hardships to reach the top 70, and before he could settle in, he was already slipping to 71st.
Just as he was about to close the ranking list, he noticed that the one now at 70th was not the Lord of Pleasure but an elemental demigod previously ranked 69th. His gaze swept upward, seeing rank after rank drop by one, yet the Lord of Pleasure's name was nowhere in sight.
Puzzled, the giant lizard god scrolled further and finally found the Lord of Pleasure:
[Rank 43: Lord of Joy, gained 3,457 Faith]
The God of the Giant Lizard swallowed hard, disbelief overtaking him. He immediately exited the ranking interface and entered the forum.
Within the interface, a longsword gleamed with blue and gold light. It spun in midair, slicing a black crack across the forum interface. From the crack emerged golden hope, slowly sealing the fissure.
Then a new announcement appeared:
[All Forum Messages]
The God of Hope has awarded Dark Souls 1,000 Faith Points.]
The forum, which had only just calmed, erupted once more, as if scalding oil had been poured over it. Confusion flooded the messages.
The Giant Lizard God collapsed onto his vine-entwined throne, shock etching almost human-like disbelief onto his rugged face. Broken hisses escaped his throat.
"Two gods have given me a reward…?"
At the same time, the Son of the Hearthfire, who had been researching the Lord of Pleasure, looked up. The first donation from the God of Pain had only startled him slightly, merely a curiosity, since 1,000 faith points still left a gap between him and the top positions.
But the God of Hope's reward completely shook his composure. He summoned divine power, creating a small three-person chat linked by their authority:
[The Great Insightful Forge: Do you know anything about this Lord of Pleasure? What's his background?]
Replies came instantly.
[Sleeping Beauty: No! Who is this guy?! He's terrifying! (Cat's surprised expression.jpg)]
[Little Moon: Could he be the illegitimate child of the God of Pain and the God of Hope? (Evil grin)]
[Little Moon: Anyway, I've seen a lot of people shipping them on the forum… I wonder if they know? (Raises an eyebrow)]
The Son of the Hearthfire groaned inwardly. The top three of the new God Ranking were assumed enemies, but in reality, they often communicated quietly, keeping appearances so as not to form a perceived clique.
Seeing the Lord of Pleasure's name, he exhaled softly and leaned back on his throne. For a moment, the only sound in the divine kingdom was the bubbling of lava in the pool behind him.
Judging by the information he had, this new god had entered the list only two days ago. His registered works indicated that he inherited the divine status of a dying evil god, transforming it into his own authority to become a newly born deity.
His work, titled Dark Souls, had initially received lukewarm reception, attracting only a handful of players. Many had been drawn in by his promotional posters, which, judging by the style, might be related to the [God of Art].
The Child of the Furnace shook his head and sank into the lava pool, flames licking around him. Immersing himself in molten fire helped him think clearly.
"If the Lord of Pleasure is truly related to the God of Art, his works should also involve painting. But judging from the feedback, his authority seems unrelated to art…"
He muttered to himself, "It's fine… he can't threaten your position for now, as long as—"
Before he could finish, another flash of blue light streaked across the forum. Like a shooting star, an ancient longsword appeared in the center. Unlike the refined Dawn Holy Sword of the God of Hope, this one looked unremarkable, as if forged casually by an ordinary blacksmith—but its divine significance was undeniable.
[All Forum Messages]
The God of Heroes has donated 1,000 Faith Points to Dark Souls.]
If the first two rewards had stirred the forum, this third was the spark that ignited the powder keg.
The Son of the Furnace leapt from the lava, hot streams cascading down his shoulders, his face frozen in shock. He stared at the three messages, stammering:
"Three… Three Gods have given me a reward…!"