Chapter 2287: Mood Swings Shortly after Ren Xia emerged from her successful seclusion, she and Tian Yang went to find Kulas. However, when they arrived at the throne room, they were met with an unfamiliar sight. The usually unobstructed entrance was now guarded by two figures standing watch outside. "Guards? Did something happen?" Tian Yang wondered out loud as they approached the room. They have been living at the palace for thousands of years at this point, but this is the first time they’ve seen guards outside the room. When the guards noticed Tian Yang and Ren Xia, they immediately bowed and said, "We greet Senior Tian and Senior Ren." "Hey, we’re here to speak with Kulas. He’s inside, right?" The guards nodded, but they continued to say, "Yes, but we cannot let you inside without the Giant Emperor’s approval." "What kind of absurdity is this?" Ren Xia said sharply. "We’ve walked in and out of this place freely for thousands of years. What changed?" The guard offered an apologetic smile. "I’m aware, but these are His Majesty’s orders. He expressly commanded us to prevent the two of you from entering without his consent." "He mentioned us directly...?" Tian Yang had a bad feeling about their situation, and he quickly said, "Then can you let Kulas know that we’re here?" "Of course." One of the guards retrieved a communication jade slip and spoke into it. Moments later, the guard returned and relayed Kulas’s response. "His Majesty says he’s currently occupied and will meet with you next month." "Next month?" Tian Yang raised an eyebrow. Though a month was nothing to cultivators at their level, it still felt strange. Kulas had never made them wait before and had always prioritized them, no matter how busy he was. "Alright, we’ll come back later." However, Tian Yang didn’t linger and quickly left with Ren Xia. "Something feels off," he remarked as they returned to their room. "And it’s not just the situation with Kulas. The atmosphere in this place feels different." "When was the last time you left this room?" Ren Xia asked him. "About two hundred years ago, so a lot could’ve happened." "So what? Are we just going to wait?" she then asked. "It’s only a month. However, I can talk to someone else." "You mean Chao Shuying?" "Or Xie Mey." The following day, they went to look for Chao Shuying. However, they soon learned that she was no longer staying in the palace, having moved instead to the newly established alchemy school on the Giant’s Continent. "I forgot they created a school for Alchemists five hundred years ago after the success of their school for Array Master," Tian Yang remarked. Since these places were relatively small and operated more like ordinary schools, they were classified as such rather than as sects or other formal establishments. These schools accepted anyone willing to learn, regardless of background. They were also free to attend, making them immensely popular, so much so that humans would travel across great distances just to study on the continent. Over the years, the Giant’s Continent continued to expand, growing several times its original size. Not only that, its influence had already spread beyond the continent, and it was no longer an obscure power known to only a few. In recent times, the Giant Race had begun appearing outside their continent, albeit only within nearby regions. Though they continued to draw attention and disdain, it wasn’t as intense as before. Not wanting to disturb Chao Shuying, Tian Yang went to find Xie Mey instead. He quickly found her at the training ground. "Senior Tian! It’s been a while!" Xie Mey greeted him with a bright smile. He nodded. "Indeed, it has." "What brings you here?" she asked, eyes gleaming. "Don’t tell me you came to see me? If so, this would be the first time you’re the one seeking me out." It has always been Xie Mey who approached him in the past, never the other way around. "Yes. I have a few questions." The smile on Xie Mey’s face faded, and she asked, "Have you spoken to my father yet?" Tian Yang shook his head. "He’s busy, so I won’t be able to see him for another month." "I see. So you’re here to ask me about my father’s situation." "Did something happen to him?" Xie Mey scratched her head and sighed, "Something did happen, but it isn’t for me to tell you. If you want to know, you will have to hear it from my father." "..." Tian Yang fell silent for a moment before asking with a slight frown, "Is it really that serious?" "Honestly...? Not really." Tian Yang was left dumbfounded. How could it not be serious when everything pointed to the opposite? Seeing his reaction, Xie Mey shrugged. "You’ll know once you speak with my father." Since it was only a month, Tian Yang decided to wait it out. Time seemed to pass far more slowly than usual for him, but eventually the month came to an end, and he was finally granted an audience with Kulas. Tian Yang and Ren Xia followed the guard, who informed them that Kulas was waiting. Upon entering the throne room, they found Kulas seated on his throne, a perplexed expression on his face. "What’s going on? Did something happen while we were in seclusion?" Tian Yang went straight to the point and asked. Kulas didn’t immediately respond. After a long minute of silence, he eventually let out a deep sigh. "Honestly, I am still contemplating whether I should even tell you since it’s a little embarrassing." "Embarrassing?" Tian Yang raised his eyebrows, looking confused. "Stop beating around the bush and tell us already," Ren Xia said, sounding annoyed. Kulas sighed once more before nodding, a defeated look crossing his face. "I’ve been experiencing random mood swings that I cannot control lately—mostly anger. I thought I had completely moved past my old scars, but it seems my mental instability is slowly returning," he revealed.