Chapter 2288 — Chapter 2288 Mood Swings(2)

Kulas continued, his voice heavy. "Because of these mood swings, my family has started avoiding me. They try to hide it, of course—but it's obvious to me."

"Wait… mood swings? That's it?" Ren Xia said, staring at him in disbelief. "Are you certain this isn't simply stress?"

Kulas nodded and elaborated, "The mood swings came out of nowhere and have only been growing more frequent. Not only can I no longer control them, but I'm starting to lose awareness altogether. I don't even realize it's happening until it's already over. There's no way stress would cause this."

Tian Yang then said, "I agree that this doesn't resemble stress. However, that doesn't necessarily mean your mental instability has returned. You've been stable for thousands of years—why would you suddenly regress? Was there some kind of trigger?"

Kulas pondered his question for a moment before shaking his head.

"No, not that I can think of any."

"Then there must be another explanation."

"Have you seen a doctor yet?" Ren Xia asked.

"That was the first thing I did when it started happening. I saw several of them, too. However, they were unable to find anything wrong with me."

"If I'm not ill and it isn't stress, then there is only one explanation remaining—my mind," Kulas sighed. "Despite our strong physiques and resilient mental fortitude, cultivators are not immune to mental damage. In fact, we are often more susceptible to it."

"What about a heart demon?" Tian Yang asked. "It's one of the most common issues cultivators face. What if a part of your mind still believes you're trapped in the Immortal Clan's dungeon?"

"I don't possess any heart demons. I've already taken the Demonic Manifestation Pill, a medicine designed to forcibly expose them, and it produced no response."

"Anyway, regardless of the cause, the reality remains that I'm causing trouble for my family," Kulas said. "Thankfully, you haven't seen my mood swings yet, and I intend to keep it that way."

"How do you intend to do that? These mood swings are random, right? Are you only going to meet us after you've had one? And how bad are these mood swings?" Tian Yang bombarded him with questions.

"From what I've heard, the mood swings aren't severe," Kulas explained, "but they're… unsightly. As for how I plan to make sure you don't witness them—I don't know yet. I'll think of something. Until then, it's best we limit our interactions."

Tian Yang narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying that because you don't want to trouble us?"

"Of course. What else would it be?"

"And yet, that's exactly what you're doing," Tian Yang replied calmly. "Avoiding us isn't a solution. Even if you believe it's unbecoming, distancing yourself won't fix anything. You're simply running from the problem when we should be addressing it together. What do you think sworn brothers are for?"

"That's…" Kulas was left speechless by his words.

Tian Yang continued a moment later, "If you get it, let us help you."

A warm smile appeared on Kulas' face.

"Thanks."

Some time later, Kulas asked.

"By the way, why did you want to see me?"

Ren Xia smiled and replied, "I wanted to gloat."

"About what?"

"That I have managed to sense Celestial Qi all by myself," she revealed with a prideful look on her face.

"..."

Kulas offered no reply, only staring at her in stunned silence, his eyes widened and his mouth slightly open.

After a moment of silence, he shifted his gaze to Tian Yang and asked, "Is she telling the truth? You didn't help her at all?"

Tian Yang nodded with a smile.

"Yes, she's telling the truth. I offered to help her, but she refused."

"And it took me less than five thousand years," she added. "Now watch me enter the next realm before either of you will!" "Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Kulas shook his head.

They continued chatting for a little longer before Kulas brought up a new topic.

"By the way, this may sound random, but I have been wanting to do this for a very long time."

After taking a deep breath, he continued, "I am going to host a tournament on this continent."

"A tournament?" Tian Yang raised his eyebrows at this news.

Kulas confirmed with a nod.

"The participants will only be allowed to use their physique and techniques limited to strengthening their bodies, so there will be no weapons or martial techniques allowed. I am going to call it… the Tournament of Strength!" "Why are you suddenly hosting a tournament?" Tian Yang asked, puzzled by his intentions.

"Although anybody can participate, the giants will likely dominate it since we inherently have a superior physique. As for the purpose… I want to showcase the power of giants to the rest of the world. Oh, I also want to see if there are any excellent warriors out there for my children." "When are you going to host it?" "I don't have an exact date, but I have already begun the preparations. Maybe around fifty years from now."

"I see… I'm looking forward to it."

"You're participating, right?" Kulas suddenly asked with expectant eyes.

"What? Me?" Tian Yang almost couldn't believe his ears. "You want me to participate in a tournament? With my cultivation?"

"You won't be using your cultivation, though."

"It doesn't change the fact that I'll likely be competing with people with far less experience."

Kulas chuckled and said, "You don't have to give me an answer right now. Just think about it for now. I'll ask you again once I have all of the details ready."

"Whatever." A year later, Kulas officially announced the Tournament of Strength. It instantly became a sensation across the Giant's Continent and even drew the attention of those beyond its borders, especially after word of the tournament's rewards spread.

The tournament was scheduled to take place in fifty years, but people were already heading to Giant's Continent mere days after it was announced.

In the years that followed, the Giant's Continent became more crowded with visitors than ever before, including unexpected visitors from the Holy Continent.