I meet all the requirements for becoming a god in this world!

Chapter 257: Sir, please fight! !

"Am I... not practicing correctly?"

Cheng Laiyun looked at Gao Heyun's somewhat exaggerated expression.

I felt a little uneasy.

……

Gao Heyun's lips twitched slightly, and after a long while, he finally spoke:

"It's not that I practiced it wrong."

Her voice had regained its usual calmness, but the knuckles of her fingers gripping the knife hilt were still slightly white, clearly indicating that she had not yet fully processed the shock she had just experienced.

She took two steps forward, circled the illusory figure, her gaze sweeping from the Wind and Fire Wheels to the Universe Ring, from the three faces to the six arms, finally settling on Cheng Laiyun's face. Her tone carried an incredulity that she tried desperately to suppress but could not:

"This is the Dharma form, not a domain."

"A domain is an intangible yet tangible aura."

"But their forms are different."

"The Dharma Form is the embodiment of martial will, and it is the 'second true body' that can only be formed after a martial artist enters the second rank."

"My grandfather, the Prince of Zhenbei, had a Dharma image that was over a hundred feet tall, clad in black armor and wielding a long sword. His features were clearly defined, and a single strike from him could destroy a city and capture a stronghold."

"That's not an aura; that's a giant formed from the condensation of a true martial will."

She paused, looked up at the three-headed, six-armed phantom, and for the first time, a hint of uncertainty appeared in her voice:

"But your cultivation level is only fourth rank—you just broke through to the fourth rank less than an hour ago. It is absolutely impossible for a fourth-rank martial artist to condense a Dharma body; this is an ironclad rule of martial arts cultivation."

"So..." Cheng Laiyun looked at the towering, unseen figure behind him, then at Gao Heyun's face, which was filled with confusion:

"Is this considered a domain or an algorithmic approach?"

"I don't know." Gao Heyun pursed her lips and then said:

"It resembles a Dharma Image, but its strength is far from reaching the level of a second-grade Dharma Image. My grandfather's Dharma Image could shatter a city wall with a single slap from three hundred feet away. Although your phantom looks intimidating, its aura is less than one-thousandth of his."

"It's not like a domain—a domain is intangible yet tangible, but this thing of yours has three faces and six arms; even a blind person could see it."

"Therefore, it is neither a domain nor a Dharma image, but a Dharma image-like phantom condensed by a fourth-rank martial artist that has never appeared in the history of martial arts."

"Then what's the use? A true Dharma image can shatter a city wall with a single slap, so what can this illusory image of mine do?"

Gao Heyun was silent for a moment:

"You'll see once you try it."

With a thought, Cheng Laiyun's illusory figure behind him raised all six arms, and the Qiankun Ring flew out of its hand, drawing a golden-red arc in the night sky before crashing straight into the stone table in the courtyard.

The Qiankun Ring slammed onto the stone table with a dull thud, shattering the table and sending fragments flying, creating several shallow craters in the blue brick floor.

Cheng Laiyun looked at the pile of rubble, then at the phantom behind him, and a thought suddenly popped into his head—he hadn't used his full strength at all, not even half of it.

If he were to go all out, the combat power of this phantom would definitely be more than this.

Moreover, he had a vague feeling that as his cultivation improved, this illusory figure would continue to grow, become taller, stronger, and closer to the true Dharma form.

"It...is stronger than a domain..."

Gao Heyun took a deep breath:

"A martial arts domain that has just reached the fourth rank... can hardly exert substantial power. It needs to reach the mid-fourth rank, or even the late fourth rank, before the domain can demonstrate absolute suppression..."

She looked at the illusory figure behind him, paused for a moment, and then said, "And you, this illusory figure, have only just appeared..."

"Furthermore, I have never seen anyone's domain or Dharma form have three heads and six arms. What exactly is your martial will?"

Cheng Laiyun recalled the illusory figure into his sea of ​​consciousness and looked down at his palm—the mark of the Lotus Dharma Body flashed and disappeared in his palm.

He certainly knew how this phantom came to be. It was the power of the Lotus Dharma Body that resonated with the fourth-grade martial arts' transformation of intent into a domain in a way he hadn't anticipated, forcibly transforming the domain into this form.

But the Lotus Body is one of his greatest secrets, a secret that cannot be told to anyone for the time being.

"I don't know either."

He raised his head and looked at Gao Heyun with an innocent expression:

"I practiced exactly according to the booklet you gave me, without missing a single step."

"Guiding the mind into the soul, transforming the mind into a domain, and ascending to heaven upon the completion of the domain—it's all done step by step. The result isn't a domain, it's this thing."

Gao Heyun stared at his face, which looked like he was feigning innocence, and remained silent for a long time…

Then she left.

She needs to sort this out again and ask her grandfather.

Cheng Laiyun stood in the center of the training ground, watching Gao Heyun's figure disappear behind the moon gate.

He looked down at his palm.

The lotus mark on his palm was faintly burning again.

Just as he was about to completely retract the illusory image into his sea of ​​consciousness, the ancestral talisman deep within his sea of ​​consciousness suddenly trembled violently.

Having achieved the fourth rank in martial arts, the reward of the Ancestral Master's Manual has arrived.

The familiar small characters slowly emerged in the void, each character gleaming with a dark golden luster.

[Please select: 1. Summon the new ancestor and acquire new supernatural powers; 2. Upgrade existing supernatural powers and increase their grade.]

Cheng Laiyun's gaze swept over each of those supernatural abilities.

Finally, it stopped at the four characters "法天象地".

The "Law of Heaven and Earth" is the combat supernatural power he uses most frequently. From Yong'an County to now, every time he has defeated the strong with the weak and every time he has crossed borders to kill, he has been inseparable from this supernatural power.

Moreover, the divine power of Pure Heart Glazed Glass has already reached its limit of advancement.

The next level to be upgraded is the Law of Heaven and Earth.

Without further hesitation, he selected the Law of Heaven and Earth with his mind.

On the ancestral master's talisman, the statue of the giant spirit god suddenly lit up.

A purple-gold light surged from the statue, illuminating the entire sea of ​​consciousness.

This time, the light was more magnificent than ever before.

A purple-gold light surged into the phantom's body like a tide, causing the three-headed, six-armed phantom to tremble violently within the light.

Its height started to increase rapidly from ten zhang—ten zhang, fifteen zhang, twenty zhang, until it slowly stopped at thirty zhang.

The outline of the phantom was more solid than before.

Intricate spiritual patterns appeared on each of the armor plates, the flames on the Wind and Fire Wheels changed from pale gold to blazing purple-gold, and the inscriptions on the Universe Ring were denser, brighter, and deeper than before.

He stood in the center of the training ground, looking up at the purple-gold phantom that was already taller than the old locust tree, and then looking down at his own palm.

The lotus mark on his palm finally stopped burning, replaced by a very faint purplish-gold light that was slowly merging into the texture of his skin.

"The illusory form of the lotus Dharma body has created a connection with the Dharma Heaven and Earth?"

Cheng Laiyun paused, just about to say something.

But then they heard someone requesting an audience.

Then he met a young eunuch who said to him:

"His Majesty has decreed that Minister Cheng should come to the Imperial Study immediately."

After delivering the message, the young eunuch bowed and stepped aside.

Cheng Laiyun frowned.

It's so late.

Why did the Jianye Emperor seek him out?

After having a vague idea in his mind, he followed the little eunuch to the palace.

He had visited the Imperial Study countless times, each time for a major event.

Today, Emperor Jianye deliberately summoned Cao Ying to the palace after Cao Ying's visit.

The meaning couldn't be clearer—Cao Ying had brought the attitude of the Regent back to the palace, and His Majesty wanted to talk to him personally.

When I stepped into the Imperial Study, Emperor Jianye was sitting behind his desk reviewing memorials, holding a vermilion brush in his hand, his brows slightly furrowed, looking no different from usual.

Cheng Laiyun walked into the hall, lifted his robe, knelt down, and performed the standard court etiquette.

Emperor Jianye raised his head, put down his vermilion brush, a smile appearing on his face, his tone gentler than usual:

"Minister Cheng has arrived. Someone, please offer him a seat."

Cheng Laiyun thanked the emperor and sat down, his back ramrod straight.

Emperor Jianye picked up his teacup, took a sip, and instead of speaking immediately, asked a few questions about the implementation of the new policies—the autumn tax data for Changle County, the progress of the distribution of iron rulers in various prefectures, and the reaction of the Edict of Grace in the vassal states.

Cheng Laiyun answered each question clearly and logically, providing data readily.

The emperor and his minister engaged in a question-and-answer session, and the atmosphere appeared no different from usual.

However, Cheng Laiyun noticed that Emperor Jianye asked more detailed questions than usual today, and some of the data he had already written in his notes.

His Majesty asked again, as if deliberately steer the conversation toward the "new policies," or as if laying the groundwork for what he was about to say.

Sure enough, after asking about the last piece of data, Emperor Jianye put down his teacup, leaned back in his chair, and spoke in a serious tone:

"Minister Cheng, I have summoned you here today to discuss something with you."

"You have implemented new policies, investigated major cases, and quelled rebellions for me. I have seen all your merits and hardships."

"You were the one who spearheaded the pilot program in Changle County, you were the one who issued the Edict of Grace, and you were the one who brought Yang Shi'en's head to the Golden Palace at Chengtian Gate."

"Sometimes when I can't sleep at night, I feel more at ease knowing that there are still a few capable ministers like you in the court."

He paused, leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on Cheng Laiyun's face, and his tone became increasingly gentle, as if he were having a heart-to-heart talk with his own nephew:

"But the implementation of the new policy is at a critical juncture. The iron rulers of the various prefectures have just been issued, and the illegitimate sons of the vassal states have not yet been properly settled. None of these matters can be accomplished without your help."

"After much consideration, I feel that your burden is already heavy enough."

"The position of Commander of the Regent's Office not only involves overseeing the new policies, but also criminal cases, inspections, and the conduct of officials. The work is numerous and complex."

"I am thinking of you—why don't you focus on implementing the new policies and leave the commandant's duties to Cao Ying?"

"He has been keeping an eye on the border troops for me in the north for five years. He is reliable and steady, and with his third-rank cultivation, he is qualified enough. If you and he each perform your duties, I can have less to worry about."

These words were perfectly watertight.

There wasn't a single "no" or "you can't do it" from beginning to end; it was all about "thinking of you," "the burden is too heavy," and "everyone should do their job."

But the meaning is clear—don't even think about the commander's position.

Cheng Laiyun held his teacup without responding, simply waiting quietly for Emperor Jianye to finish speaking.

Only after uttering the last word did he gently place the teacup back on the table, raising his head to meet the gaze of the Jianye Emperor:

"Your Majesty's compassion is deeply appreciated."

"But I would like to ask Your Majesty a question—Eunuch Cao spent five years in the northern border and has only been back for less than half a month. How much does he know about the Regent's Office?"

The smile on Emperor Jianye's face faded slightly.

He leaned back on the dragon throne, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest, without saying a word.

Cheng Laiyun did not agree directly; he directly refused.

Cheng Laiyun realized that he had spoken too harshly.

If you don't say something clearly today, you'll never have the chance to say it again.

"Your Majesty just said that my burden is too heavy, and I admit it."

"Criminal investigations and the discipline of officials—none of these are easy tasks."

"But I am not afraid of heavy responsibilities."

"What I fear is that the new policies I have worked so hard to implement will be distorted if someone else takes over."

"The Regent's Office is the regent's office for all the people of the land, not the private tool of any one person. I, Cheng, am His Majesty's subject, and even more so, a subject of the Great Yuan Dynasty."

"It is my duty, and also the duty of the Regent, to safeguard the new policies for the people of the world."

The Imperial Study was quiet for a moment.

Emperor Jianye's fingers stopped on the armrest. He looked at Cheng Laiyun, his gaze no longer gentle, but scrutinizing and weighing.

There is also a kind of silence that only arises after someone has directly contradicted you.