Chapter 265: White Star Source and the Chaos Method
At the gates of the Bright Brilliant Blade Sect.
Elton suddenly appeared in the skies atop his Blue Heavenly Star Destroyer, landing before the sect after a hasty journey. He let out a quiet sigh as he took in the many changes that had swept across the land during his long travel after leaving the Pocket Dimension.
"Such is war, I suppose. The me of back then and the current me are completely different now. With my current strength and status, I can finally change a few things, starting with the tumultuous situation in Brawlmanica. But first, I need to seek out Master." Elton muttered with furrowed brows.
Very few disciples were moving about as he approached the entrance. Rather than entering normally, Elton veered toward a distant location where a secret passage reserved for Great Elders, Exalt Disciples, and higher authorities was hidden. With a flash of his identity token, a small portal-like opening appeared.
Elton stepped through, instantly arriving within the area where core disciples and great elders resided. He glanced around at the unusually quiet surroundings and could only sigh.
"The sect feels strangely empty. The war has truly become serious…" Elton murmured as he continued forward.
After some time, he arrived before one of the sect's sacred forbidden zones. Nostalgia flickered through his gaze as a faint smile appeared. He raised his identity token toward the dimensional barrier sealing the zone and began weaving hand seals. The token glowed with a vibrant light before an opening slowly formed.
Elton stepped through with a determined expression and walked onward until a familiar voice finally echoed ahead of him.
"Boy Elton. So you have finally returned, though earlier than I expected. Come."
"Yes, Master." Elton halted immediately and gave a deep bow before proceeding.
After walking a short distance, Elton stopped once more. Standing before him was Master Bluesonics, wearing his usual calm smile while carefully inspecting him. A look of intrigue soon surfaced as the man nodded.
"Excellent work, boy. You have arrived just in time to receive a gift." Master Bluesonics said with a smug grin.
"Long time no see, Master. A gift?" Elton replied with a smile, curiosity quickly rising.
Suddenly, a figure shot forward like a bolt of lightning. Elton was completely caught off guard by its speed and suffocating aura. His eyes widened as he recognized the presence.
"Th-This is?" Elton stammered in shock.
Within his mind, a familiar voice stirred with unease. "This Sage feels an overwhelming sense of familiarity with this phantom. A profound familiarity…"
The blue entity stared at Elton with an intensity that made it feel as though every secret within him was laid bare.
Master Bluesonics spoke calmly at that moment. "Give him the source."
Without hesitation, the blue entity raised its hand. A thunderous fragment of white light, laced with faint white lightning, manifested within its palm.
Elton's inner voice immediately reacted in alarm. "What is this?! That's White Star Source energy. And it carries my aura. Could it be that I was incomplete? It makes sense now…"
Elton himself remained frozen in confusion, unable to follow his inner voice's frantic realization. Suddenly, the white fragment shone even brighter before drifting through the air like a specter. After wandering briefly, it halted and shot straight toward Elton.
He instinctively tried to defend himself, but the fragment phased through his body effortlessly. A surge of overwhelming power erupted within him as a massive aura flooded his system. His inner voice roared, resonating with power while also writhing in what felt like immense pain.
After some time, the energy gradually settled, and the area returned to calm. Elton examined himself in astonishment, sensing that he had briefly broken through to the Late Stage Mortal Shedding Realm, only for his cultivation to swiftly fall back to the Middle Stage.
"What is this?" Elton asked aloud, confusion clouding his mind.
"Hm? A deeper inheritance of the White Star Lightning Sage arts, of course. It is too early for you to remain at the Late Stage Mortal Lord, but it is only a matter of time." Master Bluesonics replied calmly.
"I see. It feels more like my cultivation is being forcibly suppressed, but I understand." Elton nodded before his expression turned serious. "Master, there are a few things that have been weighing on my mind."
"Oh? Go on, boy." Master Bluesonics said with a casual smile.
"Master… was everything that happened around me part of some plan of yours?" Elton asked, his gaze tense.
Silence fell briefly before loud, boisterous laughter filled the space.
"Buhahahaha! An interesting question, boy. Do you take me for some all-knowing master manipulator who controls every outcome?"
"To be honest, lately I wouldn't put it past you. You're simply connected to too many things no matter how I think about it." Elton said with a shrug, smiling wryly.
"Heeeh? And what if I was the mastermind behind everything that happened concerning you so far? Would that change anything?" Master Bluesonics replied with a playful expression.
"Hmm… maybe it wouldn't change anything, but it would at least give me some clarity. I just hope that whatever you're doing won't leave any of my close friends and loved ones in even more danger." Elton replied with narrowed eyes as his gaze sharpened.
"Oh? I like that look you have, boy." Master Bluesonics said as a faintly dangerous air leaked from his body before vanishing entirely. He burst into laughter. "Hahahahaha! There's nothing to worry about. While I certainly have plans for you, it's not as though I was orchestrating every event surrounding your life. That was simply your—"
"Fate this, fate that, yes, I get it." Elton interrupted with a sigh, shaking his head. "From your words alone I can already infer enough, whether you spell it out or not. I understand."
"Hehe, I'm glad you do." Master Bluesonics chuckled lightly. "Now then, you've already chosen your path. A far more difficult one, in fact. I originally thought you'd settle for this world's White Star Lightning path as your primary source, but instead you chose something beyond that."
"Yes, Master. And I don't regret it. Liberation. Power that defies the boundaries of Terraplane itself." Elton replied with unwavering determination.
"Excellent." Master Bluesonics nodded. "In that case, from this moment onward, I will plant the seeds of my teachings regarding the Chaos Method. The White Star Source energy you absorbed carried remnant knowledge of it from the predecessor who became the White Star Sage." His gaze briefly shifted toward the Blue Entity with a trace of pity.
Elton frowned slightly. "Chaos Method…"
"Yes. This method was never meant to be cultivated easily, even in the main world, let alone a lesser one such as this. There's no need to dwell on the finer semantics right now, but understand this. Its power is boundless the deeper your mastery becomes. I will teach you the fundamentals while you digest what you've already absorbed." Master Bluesonics then turned toward the Blue Entity. "Go ahead and cover this area. We'll save plenty of time during the training."
"As you wish." The Blue Entity nodded solemnly before raising its hands, which glowed with immense power.
-Chaos Convergence-
A vast dome of light formed almost instantly, enclosing the space. Elton felt an unfamiliar pressure wash over him. His movements became sluggish and heavy, as though the very air had thickened. Everything around him felt magnified, warped by an unseen force.
"This is Chaos Convergence. A technique capable of manipulating space and time at a fundamental level. What's happening outside the barrier continues normally, but within it, we are moving at an accelerated rate under its influence."
Elton gasped, shock flooding his expression as he comprehended the implications of such an ability.