Chapter 5: New Orders, Old Warnings

At that moment, Ethan Young wielded his three-pointed, double-edged blade, having just defeated Great Strength Saint—unstoppable. He hadn’t been so eager when fighting the monkey before. Clearly, it wasn’t just us who resented the Mount Providence clergy. Ethan’s blade gleamed in the dim light, and his eyes burned with the same fury that gripped us all.

Mansfield saw Grant Baxter gnawing on the green lion’s head again and scolded:

"Curtain-Lifter, it’s one thing for you to consume the Golden Soul, but how can you let Grant eat them?" His voice was shrill, more outrage than reason.

I was puzzled. "You and Purcell let the six-tusked white bull and green lion eat people at Lion Ridge, with human limbs hanging from the trees. Why didn’t you mention it then? Now you protest!" My words were sharp, and the hypocrisy stung. The saints shifted, unable to meet my gaze.

You let the saints of Mount Providence have monsters eat people, but won’t let us eat monsters—what logic is that?

In the end, it’s all about whose fist is bigger!

Grant Baxter snorted, tossing the remains aside. "Rules for thee, not for me. That’s always how it goes."

The monkey, old Grant, and I joined the Heavenly Court gods to slaughter the remnants of Mount Providence. The saints weren’t so weak originally, but today, with merit backlash, Mount Providence’s luck was depleted, and their strength fell to its lowest.

The halls ran red, the air thick with smoke and prayers gone unanswered. The old stained glass shattered, raining colored shards over the fallen.

Only then did the saints realize that the powers of the Three Realms and many immortals who were usually friendly were only watching from afar—none came to help. Their so-called allies stood at a distance, arms folded, eyes cold. No one wanted to risk their own skin now.

Mansfield felt a wave of sorrow. His shoulders slumped, the weight of loss pressing him into the earth.