Mirror of Flowers, Black Robe Town.

In the Fox Lamp icehouse, the whiteboard used for recording intelligence hadn't been removed. Although the four major inheritances had ended nearly a week ago, information exchange is a fundamental need for Mages. Previously, this need for Senluo Mages had been suppressed, and now that it's erupting, it won't be stifled back, just like how you find underwear annoying after getting used to sleeping naked.

Moreover, let's not forget that the Senluo Wasteland is still in a war period between the Qinri Alliance and the Four Pillars God Sect, and Black Robe Town is a major transportation hub where countless pieces of intelligence flood in every moment. Meanwhile, the new situation in the Void Realm also makes Mages eager to explore and exchange insights.

"Why are there fewer dishes again? And why have prices increased all across the menu?" The red-haired beautiful girl started complaining the moment she sat down.

"Because the steak vendor raised their prices." The peach-like female manager leaned lazily against the counter, her ample chest pressed flat against the table, the buttons holding her clothes seeming like gallant fighters gritting their teeth, barely managing to hold on, as if they might burst open any second.

"I ordered the LaLa Fat Set, not steak!"

"But I eat steak." The female manager shrugged. "If you don't like it, you can pay in Gold Coins; prices have actually gone down."

Ash was momentarily at a loss for words and turned to Igula: "About tonight's meal money..."

"The budget remains unchanged," Igula said calmly.

"It's not like I have to eat that much, but you see, Harvey and Qikara still need to grow, and this way, they definitely won't get enough to eat..."

"Oh, don't worry about me," Harvey said. "If I really don't get enough, I can mooch Alice's meals. Qikara can do the same; after all, he's Alice's slave anyway."

Alice... the food for that corpse... I seem to remember it was...

Ash covered his mouth to stop himself from throwing up. Qikara clearly had his own opinions on this but dared not speak. Igula raised an eyebrow: "Didn't expect a Necromancer to be useful occasionally—are you guys less hungry now? Good, means you eat less."

These days, the spending surge in Black Robe Town has skyrocketed as if it had wings, increasing over threefold compared to before the war.

The main reason is that silver and gold coins, serving as general equivalents of strategic assets, are naturally hoarded and recovered when war breaks out, causing the value of those still in circulation to skyrocket.

This means, in theory, that those holding money need do nothing these days, and their assets will appreciate with the situation out of thin air!

—That's in theory.

However, silver and gold coins are divided into silver coins and Gold Coins. Among them, Gold Coins are strategic assets for two-winged and three-winged Mages; both two-winged and three-winged Technique Spirits can be nourished with Gold Coins, and two-winged and three-winged Mages are mid-level, core combat power cadres of various sects.

Conversely, silver coins can only feed one-winged Technique Spirits, and one-winged Mages struggle to play important roles in war, serving mostly as logistics personnel.

On one hand, you have materials needed by logistics personnel; on the other, materials needed by core combat power. Naturally, the consumption speed of Gold Coins vastly outpaces that of silver coins, and as the value of Gold Coins soars, the value of silver coins plummets!

If in the Peace Kingdom the exchange rate was 1:100, past Senluo was 1:150, now it's nearly 1:1000, and in a few days, 1:1500 isn't impossible!

Instances like the Fox Lamp icehouse increasing silver coin consumption prices and decreasing Gold Coin prices aren't uncommon in Mirror of Flowers, Black Robe Town; even street vendors selling skewers advertise Gold Coin 'super low prices.'

The reason is, of course, that silver coins are the main asset for ordinary people and one-winged Mages. The consumption speed of silver coins is much lower than that of Gold Coins. During war times, Gold Coins are akin to luxury goods, while silver coins are closer to 'general equivalents,' hence they are mercilessly harvested.

If initially, the sects were tightening Gold Coins for strategic reserves, now more than anything, they are trading on Gold Coins for speculation. Whoever has the most Gold Coin reserves can leverage economic advantages to crush other sects post-war; anyone can see this opportunity!

However, before economic victory arrives, an economic crisis must erupt first. The fact that the Fox Lamp icehouse has fewer dishes is a sign. In a few months, the Fox Lamp icehouse will likely shut down with nothing left to sell—silver coins have devalued so ridiculously that production sides prefer bartering over accepting silver coins!

If in other nations, an economic crisis represents a severe societal event, in the Senluo Wasteland, which lacks a coherent monetary system and has lost the economic learning tradition, an economic crisis instead means little—sect societies are closer to pastoral feudalism, able to self-sustain even without trade; just endure, and after winning the holy war, all of Senluo will be ours!

Moreover, every day, thousands, tens of thousands die on the front lines. Can an economic crisis kill more efficiently than Mages? How many divisions does an economic crisis have?

It's especially tough for Ash, who is a Holy Sanctuary Mage working irregularly.

After the high-intensity battle in Dream Heaven, the three-winged Technique Spirits of Qikara, Igula, and Harvey, almost like they'd starved for a month, consumed a month's worth of Gold Coin rations to recover, massively depleting their Gold Coin stockpiles. Ash also now had two four-winged Technique Spirits, Heart Sword and Sword Trace. He didn't dare to feed them fully; he gave them only five Gold Coins a day to maintain basic combat power, which also significantly increased the team's expenses.

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