The moment the fatty asked, the Scarlet Ghost replied, "It was precisely because I noticed the anomaly that I came to check on the situation."
The fatty said, "Same for us!"
Hearing this, the Scarlet Ghost was taken aback. He glanced at the Emperor Realm expert shrouded in black energy and asked, "Could it be that it was you, Yao Si, who caused this?"
The Emperor Realm cultivator called Yao Si let out a cold snort. "What makes you think I had anything to do with it?"
"Just a guess..." The Scarlet Ghost sniffed.
The sturdy young man said gravely, "It's not Brother Yao Si's fault. The Origin power in the Origin Sea is flowing toward this direction. This little island seems to be the source of the problem."
At these words, five pairs of eyes turned simultaneously toward Yang Kai.
Yang Kai's face darkened. "Why are you all staring at me? I don't even understand what you're talking about. What happened? Instead of staying in your own spots absorbing and refining Origin power, you come here to make trouble?"
The sturdy young man frowned. "The Origin power in the Origin Sea has decreased significantly over the past half month, and the flow of it all points to this place. What do you think we're doing here?"
Yang Kai's eyes went wide, and he put on an expression of pure innocence, exclaiming in shock, "Really? No way?"
These words could not have sounded more false. After all, the decrease and flow of Origin power were plainly visible. Forget that Yang Kai was at the Third-Order Dao Source Realm—even a cultivator of much lower cultivation could sense it. Yet here he was, putting on an act of complete ignorance, about as subtle as posting a sign that read "the treasure is not buried here." But looking at his expression, he didn't quite seem to be lying. His eyes, in particular, were clear and bright, calm as a still lake, without the slightest hint of pretense.
This left the five of them somewhat uncertain, wondering if perhaps they had been mistaken.
But the flow and decrease of Origin power had just now, strangely, stopped.
"Is it really not related to you?" the Scarlet Ghost asked, frowning.
Yang Kai snorted. "I'm just a Dao Source Realm cultivator. How could I possibly pull something like this off right under the noses of all you Emperor Realm experts? If the decrease in Origin power here really was caused by someone, it has nothing to do with me. It was definitely one of you who did it, and now you're trying to pin it on me! A person shouldn't be so despicable! Whoever did it, step forward yourself!"
Seeing him speak with such righteous indignation, the others couldn't help but feel uncertain again. Although all evidence pointed to this little island as the source of the problem, what Yang Kai said wasn't wrong—how could a mere Dao Source Realm cultivator possibly accomplish something like that?
The sturdy young man said thoughtfully, "The anomaly in the Origin Sea began half a month ago. At first the disturbance wasn't significant, but it grew more and more obvious as time went on. And you, kid, arrived here half a month ago."
Hearing this, the other four cast strange, suspicious looks toward Yang Kai once more.
After all, the timing was just too convenient.
"You can eat whatever you want, but you'd better watch what you say!" Yang Kai glared at him. "If this friend keeps making baseless accusations, don't blame me for getting unpleasant."
"Getting unpleasant with me?" The sturdy young man's eyes went round as though he had heard the funniest joke in the world, and he burst out laughing. "I'd like to see what you can do to me."
He was an Emperor Realm cultivator after all. Although Yang Kai had previously withstood a strike from him, showing considerable strength, he truly did not believe Yang Kai could be his opponent. In a real fight to the death, he was confident he could take Yang Kai's life within three moves.
"Alright, alright, since it's not a problem from this side, then there must be some kind of abnormal change in the Origin Sea." Wuchang, for reasons of his own, chose this moment to step in and smooth things over, effectively getting Yang Kai off the hook.
Yang Kai shot him a suspicious glance, but Wuchang pretended not to notice. He simply said, "Rather than bickering here over baseless claims, we'd all be better off going back and focusing on absorbing and refining. Although a lot of the Origin power in the Origin Sea has decreased, it hasn't disappeared entirely. I believe it's still sufficient for everyone's needs."
The fatty nodded. "Hmm, well said."
The sturdy young man and the Scarlet Ghost seemed to have no better solution, but Yao Si—the Great Emperor's son—said in a deep voice, "Kid, regardless of whether the previous anomaly in the Origin Sea was caused by you or not, you must leave this place now. This is a place for Emperor Realm experts. With your current strength, you have no right to set foot here!"
Yang Kai turned to look at him and let out a soft, cold laugh. "You say I have no right, so I have no right? Did you even ask for my opinion?"
This guy actually wanted to drive him away. Yang Kai naturally had no intention of cooperating. Although he had already siphoned off the vast majority of the Origin power in the Origin Sea, there was still a considerable amount left. The laws of heaven and earth in his Small Profound World had yet to be completed, his Dharma Body showed no signs of breaking through to the Emperor Realm, and he himself had not yet sensed any opportunity for a breakthrough. Leaving now would mean all his efforts were for nothing.
Yao Si narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Leave, or die. You have three breaths to choose!"
"Try me." Yang Kai glanced at him sideways.
Everyone was stunned, staring at Yang Kai in horror.
If it were any other newly advanced Emperor Realm expert, it might have been understandable. Although Yang Kai was only at the Third-Order Dao Source Realm, he clearly possessed considerable strength and had some grounds for arrogance. But who was Yao Si? He was the son of a Great Emperor!
A descendant of the Youhun Great Emperor of the Eastern Domain!
Every Emperor Realm expert present held him in considerable regard. They might not have been cowardly before him, but none of them would have dared speak to him like this.