I ignored him and continued to observe the guests.

"This incense recipe is passed down from a secret manual. It uses precious ingredients and is made in a complicated process. When lit, the fragrance is faint yet penetrating the mind, leading one to deep thought and wander freely, allowing one to see the person one misses most and the things one desires most!"

What nonsense are you spouting?

I couldn't help but curse inwardly.

Then, I glanced over casually and saw him taking out a small piece of dark red incense stick, about the thickness of a finger, from a brocade box.

After taking it out, he brushed off the dust and inserted it into a small incense burner made of lotus flowers.

A waiter nearby lit a long-handled torch, and instantly, an extremely strange and indescribable aroma filled the air.

At first glance, the aroma smells like some kind of extremely old wood, carrying a decaying scent. But upon closer inspection, there's a faint, sweet, and slightly fishy smell, along with an indescribable, chilling aura that seems to emanate from the depths of a tomb.

The moment that smell came out, my scalp tingled!

This isn't some damn resurrection incense, it's soul-summoning incense!

Moreover, it was made with extremely sinister and evil materials to attract souls!

This thing is only used by tomb raiders or those who travel to the underworld. They will light it at a specific time and place to knock on doors or guide the way.

The smoke rising from the incense burner was not the normal bluish-white color, but a grayish-green, more like miasma.

Most of the guests, however, did not notice anything amiss. They looked on with delight or curiosity, and crowded closer to sniff and whisper among themselves.

Only a few people, such as Professor Tan, frowned and quietly took a half step back.

Seeing this, I couldn't help but feel a little relieved. At least not everyone was just a useless person. Those I had seen and determined to be capable had basically noticed something was wrong.

Just then, something unexpected happened!

A waitress standing in the corner suddenly began to tremble violently!

Her previously stiff smile instantly twisted, her eyes bulged, and a strange "hoarse" sound came from her throat, as if something was tightly gripping her neck!

The waitress staggered a few steps, fell to the ground, and knocked over the tea set on a small tea table next to her. The sound of the porcelain shattering was particularly jarring.

The guests were startled and cried out in alarm, making way for them.

"What happened?"

The fat man in the gray suit's expression changed, and he shouted sternly.

Two burly men in black uniforms, who looked like security guards, rushed over from the door and tried to help the waitress up.

But the moment their hands touched the waitress's arm, they recoiled as if burned, their faces showing horror.

The waitress lay on the ground, her body still convulsing violently. Her skin turned grayish-white and withered at a visible speed, as if all the moisture had been drained away in an instant!

Even more horrifying, dark red blood began to seep from her seven orifices, a sight that caused the guests to scream.

"Calm down, everyone calm down. It might be a sudden illness. Quick, get him out of here!"

The fat man in the suit gave the order, and I immediately realized that he must be in charge here.

The two security guards hesitated for a moment, but ultimately gritted their teeth and stepped forward. One lifted the woman's head and the other lifted her feet, quickly carrying her out of the room, leaving a wet, scarlet, and horrifying trail on the ground.

The guests were still in shock and gossiping, their enjoyment of the incense appreciation completely gone.

The fat man in the gray suit had a livid face. He whispered something to the person next to him, his eyes sweeping across the room with a sinister look.

My heart is pounding wildly, what sudden illness could this be?

It was clearly because the incense stick was lit too close to the soul, and the waitress here was already acting strangely, and she was overwhelmed by the extremely domineering evil energy in the incense!

This guy surnamed Wu is also suspicious. He probably came for the same reason as us: to cause trouble!

Although the person had been carried away, the guests were still in shock, their faces pale, especially those who had been close to the waitress.

Although they weren't quite right and couldn't notice the subtle changes in the waiters, the commotion just now was so loud that anyone who wasn't an idiot would have realized something was wrong!

Several people covered their mouths and noses, their faces showing disgust and fear, wanting to leave this eerie place as soon as possible.

For a moment, the place was in complete chaos, just like a vegetable market.

"Everyone, please calm down!"

The fat man in the gray suit had cold sweat dripping from his forehead, but he had to force a smile.

Although he didn't recognize the Soul-Guiding Incense, he knew something was fishy about the fact that this guy surnamed Wu lit the incense and then the female waitress closest to him had a problem!

"Mr. Wu has already extinguished the incense. What happened just now was a case of a few staff members with special health conditions suddenly falling ill. It will absolutely not affect the style and safety of this salon."

We have prepared some excellent calming tea and snacks. Please move to the Listening to the Rain Pavilion next door to rest for a while and calm your nerves.

While making polite remarks, he glared at Mr. Wu with a fierce look.

But this man surnamed Wu was not intimidated at all. He simply shrugged and then looked down at himself, as if it were none of his business.

Several security guards in black suits began to guide the guests.

It was called guidance, but it was actually semi-coercive; no one was allowed to leave.

I couldn't help but fall into deep thought; there was definitely a conspiracy behind this salon!

Although the three of us wanted to run away, we were caught in the crowd and there was nothing we could do but move towards Tingyu Pavilion.

Li Huai's legs cramped up, and I had to support his arm to keep him from collapsing. Luo Tianhe's face was ashen, and his hand never left his lower back; he was probably trying to find a way to force his way through.

However, those security guards were clearly trained fighters; they had sharp eyes, bulging temples, and were quite muscular, so they were probably carrying weapons.

Forcing it will probably not work.

Two fists can't fight four hands, so Luo Tianhe could only swallow his anger.

Tingyuxuan is much smaller than Pinxiangge, but it is decorated in a rather elegant manner, with a proper sandalwood incense burning in the corner.

Soon, a waiter brought tea and several delicate snacks.

I picked up my teacup, remembering what the man in the Zhongshan suit had said, but I didn't drink it; I just swirled it under my nose.

However, the tea is good, with a pleasant aroma, so there seems to be no problem.

But in this strange place, you have to be extremely careful about everything you put in your mouth.

Luo Tianhe and Li Huai pretended to swallow it, but didn't actually swallow it.

Most of the other guests were also distracted; some stared blankly at their teacups, while others whispered to their companions, their eyes filled with lingering fear and doubt.

Professor Tan sat alone in a chair by the window, his eyes closed, a string of ebony prayer beads in his hand, his lips moving slightly as if he were muttering something.

The fat man in the gray suit and his two henchmen stood at the door, whispering something, their faces so gloomy they looked like they could drip water.