At first.
The food merely looked, smelled, and tasted wonderful.
Its colors were enticing, its aroma rich.
But it remained within everyone's ability to resist.
Yet, as time passed.
That aroma grew stranger and more overpowering.
As though alive, it burrowed into people's noses, throats, and internal organs.
It hooked their souls, leaving them entranced and unable to control themselves.
That was no normal fragrance.
It was a sinister aroma that could stir people's deepest desires.
An eerie temptation that made them swallow frantically, no matter how full they were.
To prevent accidents.
The convoy's Transcendents had no choice but to take turns keeping watch.
They watched the ordinary people without leaving their sides, forcibly holding back those on the verge of losing control.
But the temptation came like a tide, each wave stronger than the last.
No matter how they tried to stop it, they could not keep people's resolve from crumbling.
Finally, on this day.
A woman in the convoy broke down completely, unable to endure that overwhelming temptation any longer.
Taking advantage of a lapse in vigilance, she lunged at the dining table like a madwoman, grabbed a piece of food, and crammed it into her mouth.
Just one bite.
Disaster struck.
It was as though some long-dormant rule had been fully triggered.
The ordinary people barely sensed it, but the convoy's Transcendents clearly perceived it-
The allure of the food in the Ancient House skyrocketed exponentially!
The aroma grew so dense that it became tangible, coiling around everyone.
It burrowed into their marrow and shook their souls.
Even Yang Yong stared at the food, his Adam's apple bobbing hard and uncontrollably.
He instinctively swallowed.
Then he briefly closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, only clarity and restraint remained in his gaze.
It smelled