Chapter 001: Prohibited Items

He picked up the brick and tapped it against the edge of the desk

At that very moment when the sound echoed, a faint golden dust suddenly began to disperse from an open copy of the "Secret Research Sutra" on the desk in the outer room. The drifting dust seemed to converge along a certain trajectory, as if attempting to form a character

Today, Hong Shengri is truly the foremost figure in the military of the Great Xia! In the entire Wudu, no one dares to provoke him. Even the heads of the other three families of the Four Great Pillars must retreat and keep their distance upon seeing him

Even the vast collection of Buddhist scriptures was burned, allowing only three texts to be passed down through generations

Once again, it was that kind of sound—though not loud, it imparted a sense of grandeur. In Hong Yu's mind, an image could not help but emerge: a massive vajra, descending from the heavens, striking heavily upon a great mountain.

Among these thirty-six entities, the top tier consists of the Four Great Pillars, followed by the Six Great Treasures, the Ten Golden Beams, and the Sixteen Golden Bricks.

In the moment he opened his eyes, Hong Yu still believed that he had been rescued

He was still feeling smug: within the grand Hong residence, one of the four great pillars, there was actually not a single forbidden item! How could this be? Once I manage to obtain a forbidden item, from my little sister to my grandfather, they will surely look at my abilities with new respect!

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Yunkong Temple has flourished for hundreds of years, and the wealth accumulated within the temple is exceedingly vast, all of which has been transferred to the imperial treasury. It is said that there are countless treasures among them, which have become the royal private collection. Moreover, all items that have been passed down from Yunkong Temple have become prohibited goods, only the royal family is allowed to collect them. Any subjects or ministers, regardless of their status, who dare to privately possess prohibited items will face the death penalty

Emerging from that profound realm, Hong Yu felt a distinct change within himself; his previously severely injured body was now able to move with ease and grace.

Yet no one anticipated that such a once-flourishing Buddhist community would vanish without a trace twenty years ago

Hong Lie quickly took his leave, assuring him to rest easy: "Everything outside is taken care of by me, so do not worry."

The text provided does not contain any meaningful content to translate.

And he also realized that ever since he woke up, he had been holding something in his hand: a brick.

Hong Yu now also does not wish to have too much contact with them; he is somewhat fatigued. Looking outside, he sees that the sky has darkened. On the desk, there are still some snacks laid out, and he randomly eats a few, feeling much better in his stomach. He then stuffs a brick under his pillow, lies down fully clothed, and soon falls into a deep sleep.

He set down the mirror and sighed inwardly. Regardless of his willingness, from now on, he would be Hong Yu.

He was speaking, yet the servants outside still dawdled and refused to come in to attend to him, and he immediately expressed his dissatisfaction: "These fellows only know how to be lazy and play tricks."

At that time, the most prestigious "Top Ten Martial Arts in the World" included three types that were collected by the Yun Kong Temple

The Sutra of Legal Discourse, the Sutra of Esoteric Studies, and the Sutra of Aburoye

The foolish master did not recognize him, and naturally, Hong Yu did not recognize the master either. However, he did not stop; instead, he continued to strike. With each strike, new luminous sand was released from the "Secret Research Sutra," and the faint golden light began to extend beyond the book, enveloping his entire room. A grand, magnanimous, transcendent, and benevolent aura spread forth, and Hong Yu, who had lived two lives, was bathed in this radiance and atmosphere, nearly moved to tears

After Hong Lie left, the servants outside immediately fell silent, let alone coming in to attend to him

However, now that twenty years have passed, Yun Kong Temple has become a fleeting memory, and the once glorious site is left with only crumbling walls and remnants of its former self

Hong Yu stood up to see him off, but was pressed back down by his elder brother, who once again urged him to rest and recuperate properly

The other party demanded an exorbitant price, and since he did not have that much money on hand, he resorted to strong-arming and seized the property of a merchant in the eastern city of Wudu, thus managing to gather the required funds

It was only during the transaction that I was completely taken aback by that piece of brick. No matter how eloquently the other party spoke, I knew I had been deceived. Indeed, Yun Kong Temple had become a wasteland, but while it might be difficult to find other items, locating a brick was truly too easy, as only bricks remained!

... ...

Due to the adoration from the wealthy elite, coupled with the passage of twenty years, the items that once circulated from Yun Kong Temple have become increasingly scarce and are now valuable yet hard to sell. Provoked by others, Hong Yu vowed to acquire a forbidden object.

The person behind the merchant in Dongcheng seems to be one of the Sixteen Golden Bricks. Although the Hong family is already in a declining state, dealing with the Sixteen Golden Bricks is still quite easy. Therefore, Hong Yu is not worried about his elder brother's ability to handle the situation

Its sound is akin to the echo of a mountain struck in a hollow valley

The master was not well-received at home, accompanied only by two ninth-grade Yongquan warriors. The opponent came prepared and was stronger. The two guards fought valiantly but perished, and the master was directly killed. It was only discovered by passersby and, after several twists and turns, was finally sent back to the Hong residence.

In comparison, the Yuqing Temple, representing the Daoist school, and the Liling Academy, representing Confucianism, were far inferior in strength to the Yunkong Temple at that time

At the beginning, Old Master Hong would personally handle these matters and then give Hong Yu a severe beating. Later, Old Master Hong became so enraged that he treated this grandson as if he did not exist. Then it was Hong Yu and their father, Hong Chengye, who intervened. When that incident occurred, Hong Chengye became sensitive, and the entire Hong family was left with only the eldest brother, Hong Lie, still protecting this younger brother.

He was in pain all over, still clutching something in his hand. The antique wooden bed, railings, round table, and stools were present, along with vases, ancient books, an inkstone, and a brush. Faint sounds of arguing could be heard from outside. This was certainly not a hospital, nor was it his own humble abode

Twenty years ago, Yun Kong Temple was at the height of its glory. At that time, the Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian schools coexisted, yet the strength of the Buddhist school, represented by Yun Kong Temple, was the most formidable.

Over the years, due to Hong Yu, the illustrious Hong family, one of the Four Great Pillars, has been confronted at their door and subjected to insults countless times. While people indeed fear the power of Old Master Hong, standing at the door to shout insults is something everyone can hear. It is the Hong family that is in the wrong. Must Hong Shengri resort to bullying others with his power every single time?

Hong Yu was taken aback, thinking he was seeing things. He rubbed his eyes vigorously and looked again at the scroll of the "Secret Research Sutra," which appeared normal. He suspiciously picked up the brick again and threw it once more.

Hong Shengri rose from humble beginnings, relying solely on his ironclad military achievements to ascend step by step to the pinnacle of ministerial power, standing proudly above the Great Xia

Hong Yu has already received the memories of the master, but he is still somewhat unaccustomed to this identity, forcing a smile as he says: "Elder brother"

In the "Secret Research Sutra," a golden light sand dances in the air with that sound, as if it possesses life, swirling and rising above the pages, mysterious and beautiful

Hong Lie noticed that his expression was somewhat peculiar and thought he was worried about today's events. Although he felt quite bitter inside, he still comforted him, saying: "Second Brother, rest assured, I have already taken care of that matter... Grandfather and the others will not inquire about it. You need not worry about being punished; just focus on your recovery."

Among the three major rankings of the martial arts, namely the Martial Scholar Ranking, the Martial General Ranking, and the Martial Emperor Ranking, nearly half of the entries in each ranking are occupied by the martial monks of Yun Kong Temple

The scar on his forehead radiated a solid golden light, illuminating a sense of tranquility within Hong Yu's heart. ... From that golden light, it seemed possible to perceive the cycles of birth, aging, illness, and death, the gathering of resentment and hatred, the separation from loved ones, the unattainable desires, and the five aggregates ... . ... One could see the sun and moon shining anew, and witness the vanishing of the stars.

As soon as he thought of the main entity, a splitting headache struck him, and the aftereffects of his soul's crossing began to manifest. The memories of the main entity surged into his mind like a flood; coupled with the significant mismatch between his soul and this body, it resulted in a feeling of weakness in his limbs. He fell back onto the bed, drenched in cold sweat.

The morale of the Di Rong was severely diminished, and the elite troops of the Great Xia seized the opportunity to counterattack, ultimately achieving a great victory, decapitating 30,000 enemies, capturing countless others, and seizing 12,000 warhorses. This was the greatest victory of the Great Xia Dynasty over the northern Di Rong in the past twenty years

The external narrative states that Emperor Wuzong of the Great Xia was a devout believer in Daoism, venerating the leader of the Yuqing Temple and the Daoist sect, Master Zhuo Yi, as the national teacher, which led to the preference for Daoism over Buddhism

Within the city of Wudu, some well-meaning individuals have combined the Hong family with the He family, the Baili family, and the Song family, referring to them as the "Four Great Pillars" of the Great Xia Dynasty. Although the Great Xia government cannot possibly acknowledge this claim, it has become widely circulated among the populace. Moreover, it is well known that these Four Great Pillars are the true top-tier aristocratic families, second only to the royal family

He continued to strike with his hands, releasing a constant stream of light sand. Countless grains of light sand coalesced into numerous golden runes, which then began to accumulate. After reaching a certain threshold, they suddenly exploded, and the scattered golden light subsequently transformed into the image of a small novice monk.

This seems to be a means for major aristocratic families to assert their strength: daring to collect forbidden items and being able to acquire them

He struck the brick again with his hand, the sound remained, but the "Secret Research Sutra" no longer responded. Presumably, this scripture could only condense into a representation of a novice monk.

With such a good family background, he does not know how to cherish and utilize it. By the age of twelve, he had already mastered all vices, including drinking, gambling, and debauchery. Now at fifteen, in just three years, he has already ruined his health. He is exceptionally foolish, yet he insists that he is the smartest person in the world

A person gently pushed the door open and entered, with a square face, a sturdy build, and a simple demeanor. Upon seeing Hong Yu sitting up, he visibly sighed in relief and joyfully exclaimed, "Second brother, you are awake!"

However, it appeared to lose momentum, gradually dissipating before achieving success, and sinking back into the scroll, becoming plain and formless

The Mother River of the Qingyuan Continent nurtures all living beings. In addition to the human race, there are countless wild regions harboring formidable savage beasts, fraught with danger! The warriors of the Great Xia cultivate martial skills and refine their martial energy. Once they condense "martial energy" within their bodies, they can be classified as ninth-tier martial artists, which is akin to ascending to the heavens in one step

He carefully placed the brick on the desk, then reopened the "Secret Research Sutra." Taking a deep breath, he prepared to begin the experiment. At that moment, a sudden realization struck him: perhaps his future in this world depended on the outcome of this experiment.

According to the seller, this is a brick that was placed under the feet of the statue in the main hall of Yun Kong Temple, which stands at a height of 9 zhang, is made of pure gold, and is embedded with countless gemstones

I will never forget again

Although Hong Yu was very reluctant, he had no choice but to accept the fact that he had crossed over into the life of a useless second-generation rich kid, a spendthrift and foolish dandy. Regardless, he was still alive, and thus he needed to establish a peaceful existence in this world. He did not want to live a life where he was looked down upon, and he was aware that this world remained chaotic. Therefore, martial artists were held in high regard. If he could inherit the ultimate teachings of Buddhism, even if they were not publicly acknowledged, he would at least have some means to protect himself.

However, the master does not care what it is, as long as it is a forbidden item and has face value

He sighed, recalling the merchant from the East City who had been robbed of his family wealth, seemingly backed by a certain minor clan, fearing that they had come to his door.

Thus, the master inquired through various channels and finally got in touch with a group of individuals willing to sell a forbidden item. However, they did not disclose what it was in advance, as this is, after all, a clandestine transaction

Only thirty-six families can be referred to as noble houses, all of which reside in the "Noble District" located in the northwest of Wudu. This area has been delineated since the founding of the Great Xia Dynasty and cannot be expanded. In other words, from now on, there will only be thirty-six noble families within the entire Wudu.

With this shout, the outside became chaotic, as several maids responded and hurriedly tidied up the items

The imperial city of Wudu is located slightly to the north at the very center, representing the most esteemed position within all of Wudu

At this moment, he could not help but let out a wry smile: the master was truly useless, neither practicing martial arts nor studying literature. He estimated that this novice's dharma form should be hidden within one of his acupoints, but from the master's memories, he could not find the name of this acupoint

Hong Yu was taken aback; he looked down at the brick. Could it be that he had truly stumbled upon a rare treasure by sheer luck, completely unaware of its value?

In the "Secret Research Sutra," a faint golden dust once again emerged, confined to a small space above the scroll. This dust struggled to gather, yet appeared somewhat powerless in its efforts.

A deep male voice sounded from outside the door, slightly dissatisfied, saying: "Where is everyone? Second brother is injured, and there isn't even anyone to take care of him. How can this be..."

At that time, Yun Kong Temple had five hundred martial monks at the fifth rank of the Yuan Ding realm, one hundred at the fourth rank of Tong Fa, thirty at the third rank of Xian Sheng, and eight at the second rank of Kai Shen. There were even three individuals at the legendary first rank of He Zhen, who were nearly divine!

The ancestor of the Hong family, Hong Shengri, was the foremost general of the Great Xia Dynasty, holding the title of Grand General of the Nation. Forty years ago, the then unremarkable Hong Shengri was merely a junior officer in a logistics battalion, commanding three hundred logistics troops. He traversed the "Qingxia Corridor" between the Great Xia and the Di Rong, delivering supplies to the elite troops of the Great Xia who were engaged in fierce battles with the Di Rong cavalry.

The text provided does not contain any meaningful content to translate.

This statement is not an exaggeration; nearly half of all martial artists in the Great Xia either come directly from Yun Kong Temple or have martial skills and techniques that are closely related to it

The scriptures are merely products of a certain publishing house in Wudu, produced through woodblock printing, with a circulation of at least 5,000 copies. Such ordinary items can provoke extraordinary phenomena, clearly due to that block of stone

He raised his hand, and that pair of hands appeared somewhat unfamiliar, thus he instantly understood that this body was not his own

With a shift in thought, the entire text of the "Secret Research Sutra" naturally emerges in my mind, clear and comprehensible

Some memories gradually become clearer in the mind

This harsh prohibition was terrifying at the time. There was even a high-ranking official of the court whose wife was a devout Buddhist. She merely collected a Buddhist scripture that had been circulated after the destruction of the Yun Kong Temple. She was reported, resulting in the confiscation of their property and the extermination of their family, with all members executed.

This item actually cost me 100,000 taels of silver! Hong Yu shook his head repeatedly and casually tossed it aside.

He treated this absurd matter as a "merit" to be accomplished! This shows just how foolish the master truly is

If you wish to enter Wudu and become part of the elite, you must find a way to replace one of the existing families. Otherwise, even if you purchase all the other land in Wudu, the proud people of Wudu will not acknowledge your status as part of the elite

The three hundred supply troops of that year have now transformed into the great Xia's foremost army, the "Wulie Elite Camp"

How powerful is the strength of the nation? The battle to eradicate Buddhism turned the Yun Kong Temple to ashes overnight, and Buddhist temples across the land were swiftly destroyed as well

Hong Yu recalled that when he woke up, he vaguely heard some arguing outside, presumably the aggrieved party had come to his door

If Hong Yu, a person who was once destitute and could only rely on hard work to make a living, were to summarize, he would truly consider himself to be utterly worthless

The four great pillars of heaven, how disgraceful to have fallen to this extent

If there is anyone in this family who truly regards the master as a relative, it would only be this biological elder brother standing before him.

As for the other noble families in the "Xungui District," their strength is considerably inferior, and they do not dare to compete with it nor can they.

Before Hong Yu's soul was usurped by Hong Yu, he was engaged in the task of collecting the forbidden items of Yun Kong Temple—among which, the most amusingly absurd was this very brick

At that time, there was a saying circulating in the Great Xia: Great Xia warriors, half out of the clouds and sky

The sound is vast and distant, as if it comes from the ancient source of the river of time

The supreme quality is unparalleled and cannot be surpassed

In between, there are the Eight-Rank Body Gang, Seven-Rank Soul Star, Six-Rank True Refinement, Five-Rank Origin Stabilization, Four-Rank Communication Method, Three-Rank Manifestation of the Sacred, and Two-Rank Opening of the Divine

But the master, when it comes to causing trouble, is more fierce than anyone else. Once the other party comes knocking, he immediately becomes timid, does nothing, and only knows one move: to hide back at home

Thus, the master absolutely refused to agree and insisted on holding the other party accountable. Those who sell prohibited items are all desperate individuals, regardless of your status; in the chaos of battle, they will seize the silver notes and flee.

Upon looking in the mirror, I unexpectedly discovered that my appearance bore a striking resemblance to that of another person, almost seven or eight parts alike! However, the other person had toiled hard in their previous life for a living, appearing much more capable and healthy. In contrast, I looked pale and sickly.

Hong Yu? He muttered instinctively, then revealed a bitter smile: Is this what is called fate? The earlier praise of the master as "brave and fierce" has also become a joke

It is unclear how much time has passed, but within the tranquil lake of his heart, Hong Yu felt as if a pebble had been thrown in, creating a faint ripple. Suddenly, the golden light manifestation of the young monk rapidly shrank and with a whoosh, it drilled into Hong Yu's body, transforming into a point of golden light that lay dormant in a certain position.

The true identity of Hong Yu is quite remarkable, as he hails from one of the most prestigious families of the Great Xia Dynasty, the Hong family

With each sound, a faint golden dust is released from the "Secret Research Sutra". The dust accumulates increasingly, its power growing stronger, gradually forming a golden character in the air above the scroll

Hong Yu and Hong Yu, coupled with this appearance

Hong Yu let out a bitter laugh: How can one blame others for this

Subsequently, this record of the greatest victory has been continuously updated by its creator, Hong Shengri.

The "Secret Research Sutra" is one of the three volumes of scriptures that were allowed to circulate after Emperor Wuzong's persecution of Buddhism. It is the most fundamental scripture in the Buddhist canon. The protagonist initially regarded the purchase of this forbidden item as a means of achieving a "turnaround" in his household. To this end, he specifically researched the situation of Yun Kong Temple on www.hetushu.com and purchased a copy of the "Secret Research Sutra." However, due to his level of knowledge, he could not comprehend beyond the first page and casually tossed it onto the desk.

Hong Yu has ceased his drumming, bathed in the light of the Buddha, and a sense of enlightenment has arisen within him. This kind of understanding can only be grasped intuitively and cannot be articulated, yet as time passes, the benefits for him will continue to increase

Hong Yu quickly realized in his mind that it seemed to be an ancient temple in the deep mountains, next to a bronze ancient Buddha, with the sound of a century-old wooden fish in the hands of an old monk

This ban, if not entirely ineffective, is certainly not taken seriously by many. Within Wudu, a trend has quietly emerged among the major families: the collection of prohibited items

The brick fell to the ground, producing a sound like "ping." Hong Yu was momentarily taken aback; this sound was somewhat unusual and certainly did not resemble the noise made by a brick hitting the ground.

The Nine Ranks of Springs serve as the foundation, the powerful figures of the world!

Elder brother Hong Lie has a loyal and honest character. Regardless of the troubles caused by his younger brother, he always feels that they are family and must protect his brother at all costs. He keeps talking to Hong Yu incessantly, and Hong Yu, worried about revealing any flaws, finds it quite exhausting to manage the conversation. Before long, his body, which had just begun to recover, shows signs of fatigue.

However, in the Hong family, Hong Yu is a person who is not well-regarded

The novice monk within the acupoint remained seated in a cross-legged position, hands pressed together, seemingly reciting something. As its lips moved slightly, thin, almost invisible streams of light sand were slowly released from the acupoint, transforming into a gentle flow that coursed through Hong Yu's meridians, conducting a mysterious transformation unbeknownst to him

It is not that these subordinates are cunning; rather, it is because I, in the past, treated them too harshly. I would resort to severe beatings and scoldings at the slightest dissatisfaction. Among the subordinates around me, four have already been beaten to death over time

Speaking of this brick, it actually has a significant history, as this brick originates from Yun Kong Temple

He felt even more clear-headed and his thoughts and reasoning became much more fluid and open-minded

In the final battle at the Mo'er River, the phalanx of the elite troops of the Great Xia was on the verge of collapse under the charge of the fierce cavalry of the Di Rong. At that moment, Hong Shengri emerged dramatically, leading three hundred supply troops, and fought his way into the main camp of the Di Rong. With three strikes, Hong Shengri killed the fiercest general of the Di Rong, Jin Guiqi, and from thirty zhang away, a blade of air severed the general's flag.

It may be due to the obsession before death that the main character tightly clutched that piece of brick, which was also carried back to the Hong residence.

Hong Yuduan sat still for a moment, suddenly recalling something. He got up and walked around the room, finding a mirror behind the door of the outer room.

That is at least a form of responsibility

The incident this time was precisely caused by the brick in Hong Yu's hand.

Hong Yu estimated that his body must have been beaten up. Looking at the brick in his hand, he suddenly had a thought: Is it fashionable to use bricks in fights in this world? This main character does indeed possess a certain fierce bravery.

Hong Yufu's heart is filled with blessings, as the brick in his hand continuously strikes the edge of the desk.

The young monk, with lowered brows and a compliant demeanor, sits there with his hands clasped together, seemingly having remained motionless since time immemorial, regardless of the cycles of the sun, moon, and stars, and the vastness of the universe above.

Due to a series of unforeseen circumstances, Hong Yu has become Hong Yu, retaining this physical body, yet his soul has already been replaced with another.

If you are truly bad, truly a wastrel, then you must at least have the demeanor of a wastrel. Even if you get into trouble, standing on the main road of Wudu, Taipu Street, you should thump your chest and shout: "I am just this arrogant!"