Lin Xuan, who was caught in the storm of public opinion, remained remarkably calm.
His game had no natural enemies in this universe; it was only a matter of time before it became a massive hit.
If someone found Dark Souls too difficult and complained about its high barrier to entry, then he would release Plants vs. Zombies, a game suitable for all ages.
And if someone criticized Plants vs. Zombies for being too childish, then they could go ahead and release Cyberpunk 2077 themselves.
The number of games in his mind was like an endless tide—no matter how picky someone was, they could always find something that satisfied them.
Moreover, the three Spirit Gods had just privately messaged him, saying they would have their followers play Dark Souls.
Based on the feedback, most players had already reached Gundyr's second phase and were expected to achieve the first kill within the next few days.
Lin Xuan had already prepared the second chapter—The High Walls of Lothric—but today's unexpected developments made him change his original plan.
No rush to update Dark Souls Chapter 2. Let's release Plants vs. Zombies first.
There was still time to update the next chapter after someone cleared Gundyr.
In truth, Lin Xuan had initially been at a disadvantage, as he had only entered the New God Ranking halfway through the month.
Compared to the other new gods, who had already accumulated half a month's progress, his original goal had simply been to break into the top fifty before the end of the ranking period.
But somehow, it felt as if an invisible tailwind was pushing him forward.
From the recommendation post that gave him initial exposure, to the rewards from the three Spirit Gods, and now the incoming surge of traffic—Lin Xuan believed that as long as he proceeded steadily, reaching first place within the remaining ten days would not be a problem.
Soon, a bell rang from the temple of the Goddess of Night, signaling that midnight had arrived and a new day had begun.
On a lush forest planet, Elune Moonbrook washed her priest's robes and hung them neatly on the clothesline outside her treehouse.
Afterward, she didn't return inside. Instead, she stood on the balcony, gripping the railing as she gazed into the forest before her.
A cool night breeze swept through, causing the emerald sea of trees to ripple gently. Moonlight, like flowing water, bathed the world in a soft glow.
Yet in the places the moonlight could not reach, a faint melancholy lingered in Elune's heart.
Tomorrow was the annual temple assessment, and her mastery of natural spiritual energy was still only at the third level.
According to the latest requirements from the great [Source of All Trees], the standard for retaining priests would be raised next year—from the third level of spiritual power to the fourth.
As a gray elf with impure blood, she lacked the natural affinity of moon elves for spiritual energy, as well as the physical strength of mountain elves.
Elune was, by all accounts, an ordinary gray elf. Aside from thinking a little more slowly than others, she had nothing particularly remarkable about her.
This shortcoming made it difficult for her to concentrate during cultivation. Whenever she tried to calmly sense the spiritual energy of nature, she would inevitably be distracted by external stimuli.
Just like now.
As she gazed at the forest, what appeared tranquil to others revealed something entirely different to her. She could feel the overwhelming vitality permeating the entire woodland.
With each breath she took, the world seemed to slow.
A gust of wind passed by, and Elune could clearly see a ripe fruit falling hundreds of meters away. The orange-yellow fruit descended slowly, carving a sharp trajectory through the air.
Below it, an earthworm wriggled across the ground.
In three seconds, it would be struck.
Elune shook her head.
The slowed world instantly snapped back to normal.
Though it lasted only a moment, the faint throbbing in her head made her sigh softly.
Maintaining that state consumed an enormous amount of mental energy. Despite its impressive effect, it was ultimately inferior to the eagle-eye techniques used by trained priests.
She lay back on her bed, covering her forehead. Only after casting a minor healing spell did her tightly furrowed brows relax.
But when she sensed the spiritual energy within her body, her mood sank once more.
A normal third-tier priest could cast a second-tier divine spell five or six times in succession.
She, however, needed to rest after casting just one.
And judging from her reserves, she could only use it about three times per day.
"Sigh… If I can't remain a priest, becoming a preacher wouldn't be so bad," she murmured to herself.
Elves were known for their long lifespans. Even the most ordinary gray elf could easily live for two thousand years.
Over such long lives, they accumulated vast knowledge, and among short-lived races, elves were often regarded as excellent teachers.
However, due to their beliefs, most elves chose to remain on their home planet and serve as priests.
Only a small number became preachers, traveling across worlds to spread the teachings of the Source of All Trees.
The mix of thoughts and anxieties stirred her mind once more, bringing back the familiar headache.
Elune shook her head and quickly forced those thoughts aside.
To distract herself, she opened the Gods' Forum and browsed the trending topics.
She had been busy lately; the last time she logged in had been four days ago.
To her surprise, the top trending topic was no longer dominated by major gods, but by a demigod known as the Lord of Pleasure.
Curious, she clicked on a post and read through his recent rise, her expression gradually shifting to one of astonishment.
She hadn't expected a newly ascended demigod to attract such attention.
On his interface, two works were displayed.
One was Dark Souls.
The other was Plants vs. Zombies.
Judging by the timestamps, the latter had just been released.
Elune hesitated.
"Plants vs. Zombies" sounded closer to nature—something more familiar.
"Dark Souls," on the other hand, felt more like the domain of an evil god.
As an elf—and at least for now, a nature priestess—she already knew what she should choose.
Her lips curved slightly.
She entered Dark Souls without hesitation.
Just kidding. After a full day at the temple, even someone devoted to nature deserves something thrilling.
Less than ten minutes later, Elune logged out, completely bewildered.
At the same moment, all players of Dark Souls looked up.
Across the sky, a brilliant system message scrolled:
[Attention all players]
[Dark Souls boss Gundyr has been first defeated by player "Clear Breeze"]
[Second chapter unlocked: The High Walls of Lothric]
[Official trailer released]