Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
The illusory prosperity of the initial market grab had completely faded. Economic chaos erupted across the entire continent, resulting in an irreversible, region-wide collapse.
At the Clear Sky Sect's headquarters, the atmosphere in the main hall was suffocatingly oppressive.
An elder rushed inside with an anxious expression and reported:
"Sect Master! Terrible news! All major forging workshops have ceased operations! High-grade metals, fire sources, and rare consumables have been completely cut off!
The forging industry we took over has no materials to work with at all! We're losing nearly a million Gold Soul Coins every day, and the treasury can barely hold on!"
Tang Chen sat in the seat of honor, his face dark as water and his brow tightly furrowed. He growled in a low voice:
"How could supplies be cut off? Didn't we acquire a large number of scattered material channels?"
"All channels have been completely sealed off! Someone has secretly intercepted every source of goods. There are no high-grade forging materials left for sale anywhere!" The elder's face was filled with bitterness.
"What about Gengxin City? I have connections with the president of the Blacksmith Association. What about his side?"
"Sect Master, the Blacksmith Association says their high-grade materials were bought out a month ago. Their current inventory can barely sustain the association's operations!"
Tang Chen clenched his fists, his eyes filled with gloom.
"Strange! Too strange! The Eternal Commerce Alliance has been closed for half a month, so why have resources across the entire continent been cut off?!"
It was not just the Clear Sky Sect. The Heaven Dou Empire and Star Luo Empire had likewise been driven into desperate straits.
In the Heaven Dou imperial palace, the court was in utter turmoil.
The Minister of