Won was in a large open pavilion, around him was a small moat and lush green plants. The air was fresh, and each breath would revitalize ones spirits.
Won was sitting cross legged in front of a table playing Go.
Won said, "An Empire has two opportunities from having a rival or enemy. First it brings out the potential that the will to live has, the foundation of the Empire will permanently alter into a more steady and firm one, furthermore it will slowly temper our people and even our ideas molding them into indestructible weapons of war and battle. Second to be recognized as a rival or enemy Empire they should have power equal to or above us. If it's the prior you can put in your all, engaging in a battle of war and wit. If you're lucky you'll win and you will come out stronger and having devoured the rival Empire your potential doubles. In the end it comes to two things: Guts and ferocity. If it happens to be the latter then you should play the violin. Be diplomatic, be nice and play around with them. Engage in actions to ferment relations, marry off a few of your clansmen, give a few treasures, become their aid and ally. Slowly develop your power inside and outside their Empire and one day... Gut them. Devour them for everything they are."
Won continued, "Of course Ying is a bit complicated. They aren't exactly equal or above to us, they are right at line. We won't be able to do anything to them. That's why it's easier to poison the well, than to actually attack or barter."
Won made him move and said, "Of course with me in charge I'm sure we will win. Even now the building blocks have been steadily placed. But your Majesty you shouldn't think a victory over Ying makes us the Winner. An Empire is weak in three stages. It's birth, it's final days after countless years without good policies and the such, and during the growth of an Empire. During these three stages an Empire is the absolute weakest and most vulnerable to internal and external pressure."
At the other side of the table was Emperor Sora. He touched his chin and made his move.
He asked, "So scholar Won everything is simple and easy now am I right?"
Won shook his head, "Of course not. No matter how many pawns are killed and ruined, King will never falter. We need to go after the King. All my targets have been leading towards the King's throat. Only with a big forest can a flame reach It's true ferocity."
Emperor Sora nodded, "Hm. I agree. A King needs to be shot or like a parasite he will forever be back."
The two men looked at each other.
Won said, "Your majesty. I hope you've discussed with Prince Imperial Roku about the marriage."
"You said my son, why not you? Although he's my son he's definitely not as... refined or crooked as you. You could control the whole situation easier like that."
won said, "I prefer not to sacrifice myself."
"So my son should sacrifice himself."
"As duty and valor serves you rewards and glory, so does it great hardship. An Emperor, and his family they hold the power over this Empire, but also the responsibility to sacrifice themselves."
...
Won was currently walking through the heavy snow that fell upon him.
Red flames wrapped around his body.
The sky shot was a deep black, and only a few minor steps forward could be seen.
As Won left deep tracks in the snow that dragged at his heels, as the sorrowful winds bit at his face, as wails of loneesome and horrid sang aloud.
Won clicked his tongue, the unsettling feeling that shot like roots through his body from his feet continued to haunt him.
Bitting his lip, he decided to do a lottery once.
[Ding... you have obtained the Memory inheritance of {The Blind Fool}]
...
Once in an ancient world, as trees colored the streets in abstract green and pink.
There was a boy who played a Zither.
The boy was only 16 yet he was long like a tree. Thin like bamboo, with dirt shuffled across his face.
Yet he merrily played his songs and ballads, his tunes so beautiful like flowers gently drifting through a serene river.
He laughed and ate as the sun rose and set each day. Fulfilled to the brim with those who hung around his arms. Yet as the cold winters blew and there fools could not find shelter, one by one they died.
One day all that was left was the young boy who had now become 18.
Departing with the winter, he walked a tumbling and unforgiving road. As he begged and stole, he tried to become no more a fool but a dependable tower his brothers could look upon from the skies.
Yet as he tried the more a twisted fate was being brewed.
One day his dazzling songs caught the attention of a young and handsome lord.
The lord was powerful and full of want, in fact as he desired he received with no care as to others.
The lord had everything he had wanted, but there was one thing he could not receive. A single beautiful flower.
Not only was she a beauty so dazzling the stars looked pale in comparison, she was also the daughter of the Emperor.
He had tried everything to capture this beauties heart, and with the Emperor's support he did things to no end.
Yet she never found him captivating.
So once he heard the sweet tones of affection and refinement from the boy, he immediately thought of a plan.
He sent the boy to play dazzling songs of romance and love, the flower was shocked and stunned. She was captivated in those heartfelt ripples of the cords, the emotion that drove his music.
Day after day, season after season.
The boy had turned 22, and he had long since obtained the flower.
Burning in anger and wrath, the lord began to plot against the boy.
The voices of the palace which must never ascended their bearings, they leapt over the towering walls and fell into the ear of all the people.
The Emperor went mad.
A commoner and a beggar to add to that, the Emperor showed great hostility.
He dispatched men to catch the boy, and in front of the crowded masses, his eyes were plucked out for the sin of wishing upon something he never deserved, something beyond his class.
The boys blood soaked tears swept in the rain, the music that filled the spring with bloom and the winter with comfort faded, turning a grim and hoarse tune.
Yet the boy like some marionette was forced to continue to serve the princess with music.
Ten horrible, tumbling and unforgiving years passed.
The boy had long since passed the bearings of a man, turning into a wicked snake that enacted a long ploy to cut down the Emperor who had blinded him, the Lord who had humiliated and beat him, and the princess who had ruined him with her ill-fated love.
Fires ravaged the palace and burnt the Emperor's respected body to ash, the heirs were all Slaughtered and no tears fell from the court ladies or Eunuchs as they should have.
The lord his finger had been snapped, his toes cracked, his limbs distorted.
The princess was the only one left.
He said in his voice, a voice he had never used before.
"The Emperor who is Heaven's chosen, has been killed by me. I have defied this ugly Heaven. The lord who has had everything he ever wanted, I gave him something he never wished for a cruel death. Now Flower who chose a fool. I wonder how I should punish you?"
The skies had turned red, and the winds had turned harsh.
Blood seeped into the very ground, blinding the hearts of the men and women of the Empire.
5 years later, in a small house in a bamboo forest.
The sound of sweet music following the cute laughs of children erupted outwards.
A man wearing a black robe, sat with his Zither playing as two children danced in front of him.
With only a woman sitting by his side, with her head on his shoulder.
A blind fool and his flower.
...
[Unique Skill: {Sight beyond Sight} has been obtained]
Won's eyes became clear, he gripped his chest.
A tightness as well as joy shuddering through him made him pant heavily.
Every memory crystal made Won experience that persons bliss, his sufferings, everything. Although he had been a God Emperor, the feeling of fragmented memories like an strong river pouncing onto his mind and soul was a really harsh experience.
Won's aura leaked out an a majestic aura. Such of a Supreme Sovereign at the head of the world.
Even the thick and majestic aura the Emperor's of this world had tempered for countless generations, alongside the haughty nature of humans could never compare to Won.
Yet Won reeled that aura back inside, making himself seem unimportant.
He then took a deep breath, and then used {Sight beyond Sight}.
His senses climbed to the sky, and dug to the depths.
As his senses reached the sky, far above the clouds. In the boundless space that existed outside was a grand and large Obelisk.
It was a deep black, and separated itself cleanly from the empty black of space.
Won felt his Qi rattle, and his limbs uncontrollably shake.
Sweat beaded on his back, as he widened his eyes.
From that Obelisk he could feel the 10 Compulsory Laws. This sat alongside the five fundamental laws of Fire, Water, Earth, Metal and Wood.
Some say that the five fundamental laws sat under the law of life, but Won had learnt personally from Ryuk for countless years.
It had cost him a great amount of things, but he had obtained great amount of teachings.
The Five fundamental laws were like the name suggests, fundamental. They were the prerequisites of everything in the universe, although not their basic nature, their way and form were the basis upon the Universe.
The Compulsory Laws were laws needed to make a Universe function, but that was for life forms, for the Universe itself to survive the fundamental laws were needed.
Of course one couldn't disregard the power of the Compulsory Laws.
Time, Space, creation, destruction, Life, Death, Balance, low order Chaos, Heaven, World.
They were extremely complex laws that were hard pressed to be seen, but now ten obelisks in the sky contained the faint breath of these ten laws.
In front of the Obelisk almost as if asleep. A woman with a tail and ugly fangs protruding out of her mouth, her appearance extremely wild and ferocious. Around her grew brilliant vines upon which red roses bloomed.
Three blue birds rested upon her grand and glorious jade ornament.
A faint Taoist vision escaped her and scenes of sickness and death, alongside life and birth. Creation and Destruction were intermixed around her. The glorious light of Heaven raining from her.
Won's mouth widened, and he asked, "System who is that?"
[That is the Queen Mother of the West wife of the Jade Emperor.]
Won stared wide eyed, "What..."
...
Won decided to leave things as they were and progress quietly.
Serving his life motto, "Don't irresponsibility get involved. If you can handle it then do it, but if you can't just run away."
The only time he had defied this motto of his was when he fought White Dragon.
...
Won eventually reached a clearing.
There was nothing but waist high snow.
Won used {Sight beyond Sight}, his senses pervaded the surroundings focusing on his will.
Eventually Won pulled his hand up and threads of crimson fire gathered, turning into a fisf sized lotus that was gently swept by a mysterious wind.
It touched the snow, and a violent burst of flames consumed the area melting the thick layers of snow.
The snow melted to show a man-made cave in the middle, barred by a thick metal door.
Won controlled the rampant flames and devoured the metal door.
Won bellowed, "Senior Scholars of the Ying Empire come out now, and I won't have to harm your descendants."
Silence...
Won sighed.
He raised his hand, thin threads gathered and then Won took out a bundle of sticks and held it next to the entrance.
He then set it alight, the chilly winds dragging the smoke inwards and trapping it.
Intense coughing could be heard, and with that ten Shadows flashed forward.
Each of the Ten possesesed a deep aura, and had a dominant bearing. Their beards were long and grey, with their bodies being thin and shallow.
Won said, "Scholars of Ying Empire please come with this one."
The scholar most to the left, was much younger and less cool headed. He was quick to rage and retort, "Who are you demon! Why are you cursing us as such! You destroyed our families homes and even chased us here! What do you want!"
Won smirked, "What I want? Human Extinction."
The scholar was suprised, stunned and shocked.
Won smiled and said, "Regardless what I wish and what happens are two separate things. I'm simply asking you to follow me everything after that is up to you. Ah yes I would like to take the Little Prince inside there."
The scholar with the most ancient and strong bearing shuddered, his eyes widened as veins popped around his face.
He made a hurrumph and jumped towards Won, the cane in his hand turning into a sharp blade that flew through the air.
Won pointed forward.
The sword in Scholars hand began to rattle and glow, it swept out from his hands and came to Won's side.
Won said, "Please Senior Scholars why don't you come along with me."
The man jumped back and whispered, "Protect the prince."
Won said, "I mean can you fellows really blame me? This was to happen at some point. Those with impure intentions aren't meant to sit upon golden paved roads. You faked the death of the third Prince of Ying and took him under your care with Concubine Meng's help and raised him to steal the throne. You've from day one been planning to destroy the Empire and collect all sorts of information. Don't make it seem like I've driven you from your homes, when in fact you had long cast away your own home."
The eldest scholar rebuked loudly, "How dare you! You are too young and naive to understand our intentions! Our actions are solely for Ying's future prosperity and development! It is the Emperor's fault for not accepting the advice and recommendations of the Scholars and Ministers! Him and his naive rule are ruining the Empire and it's separated classes!"
Won sighed.
"Won raised his shoulders, "Humans are strange, instead of accepting their darkness or fixing it instead they make excuses or they draw up things in the world to excuse their actions. A husband cheats and blames his wife's inattentiveness, a wife cheats and she blames her husbands inadequacy, a killer blames the world, a cheater blames another cheater, a evil claims another evil. I really hate in stories, where they simply format things differently and make it so black and white just to aid the main character. A hero is considered good for killing demons because Demons are doing as they are meant to. I makes no sense, the world excuses them by making their history sordid and mysteriously tumultuous, yet that cannot change the fact they have committed evil. A adulterer is a sick and detestable being, be it man or woman and any reason for it having been done is shameful and rotten, a killer regardless of the reason carries blood upon his hands so instead of claiming praise and worship due to his sleek words and fanciful tales claim oneself as the darkness they are."
Won continued, "I am a Demon who does whatever he desires, I will kill any being in my way. Be it man, woman or even child. I will not hesitate in who I am and ponder upon such mediocre tellings such of Good and Bad. I am simply a man trying to do what I want. I won't ever take another man or Womans things, for even if I do posses desire if I cannot control and have conscience of others I am no more than scum. I am a vile and cruel God, who kill continue to do abominable things. And although I began due to the unfairness of this world, every action I have since made is a extension of my free will. Those I killed and used, I do not blame others for that. I have darkness I accept that. I won't ever claim to be in the right, for their is no true right and wrong. Instead I will do what I wish and hope others will do the same."
Won sighed again and said, "Don't use fancy words to excuse your treachery. You simply wish for power, you want dominance and control over Ying. You would go as far as to ignore the people and start a civil war over your greed. You're shitty politics about you being good and the Emperor being bad, are doing no good for the people. The only ones set to suffer are the commoners so how can you be good? The Emperor is ruining your power because of his radical rule which presents numerous rights and allowances to the common people, which bares an idea that all life is equal means you are just the sweaty toad you are simply dressed in silk! If you wish for power and greed for Supremacy be honest about it for fucks sake. It's sickening seeing you act like some victim and good fellow."
Won twisted his neck left and right and said in a coldness, "Now either come with me and give me everything you have on Ying, as well as the Prince who I will groom for my own purposes... Or I'll forcibly take them all!"
Won thought internally, "With the Prince my plan is nearly complete. I can use the Prince of Ying to stage a rebellion and use that chance to conquer Ito. Hehe."