The sun rose in the morning sky, its radiant brilliance symbolizing hope and peace. It painted the heavens in soft hues of pink and gold.
Xiao slowly opened his eyes, emerging from the depths of sleep. He rose from his bed, made his way to the bathroom, and refreshed himself. Once finished, he sat back on his bed, lost in thought about the political structure of the Imperial Family and the human civilization. The Imperial Family ruled over all of humanity, with the three great noble clans under their command. Below them were countless sects, territories, and powerful families.
The Freedom Alliance was founded by loose cultivators. After one such cultivator ascended to become an Apex Existence, he united the scattered cultivators and named their collective the Freedom Alliance. Apex Existences were the pinnacle of the universe—beings of unmatched power, the ultimate form a civilization could produce. They were immortal, unable to die unless slain by another of their kind or if the universe itself collapsed. However, even two Apex Existences were nearly impossible to kill by one another. Currently, humanity recognized nine known Apex Existences.
One belonged to the Freedom Alliance. Each of the three great noble clans had one, and four more were tied to the Cardinal Royal Family—his grandfather, and his sisters. All of his sisters were Apex Existences, and even at that level, they were exceedingly powerful. The one currently beside him was merely an incarnation of her true body.
The upper echelons of many factions and races were well aware of the profound strength and depth of the Cardinal Royal Family. Even Xiao, for all his knowledge, did not fully understand how deep his family's influence ran. He only knew that many ancestors, their names lost to history, lay buried or in deep slumber within the family's Ancestral Temple. Their cultivation had reached unfathomable levels, perhaps even higher in Apex Existence realm. These ancestors had no interest in worldly affairs; they remained in seclusion or hibernation.
"When my sister's true body appears at the awakening ceremony, I'll need to ask her about our family's past… just how deep does it truly run? I also need to inquire about this artifact. I can't rely on it blindly and end up becoming some old man's vessel for revival—or a pawn in an ancient scheme."
As for why he wasn't worried about being discovered for taking over their brother's body—it was because he had reincarnated into an alternate timeline. He hadn't overtaken someone else's body; this was still his own body, merely in another timeline. There was nothing to be exposed.
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Elizabeth entered the room, a tray of breakfast in hand. She wore a Victorian-era noblewoman's dress. The regal black gothic attire made her appear breathtakingly beautiful.
"Little brother, here is your breakfast," Elizabeth said softly, placing the tray on the table. The meal was simple—an English breakfast with toasted bread, an omelet, soup, and tea.
"Ah, thank you," Xiao replied as he began eating. Midway through the meal, Elizabeth asked:
[How is it?]
[It's delicious. Thank you, sis.] Xiao's smile was soft, and upon seeing it, Elizabeth's face warmed.
After he finished eating, Elizabeth snapped her fingers, and the tray vanished. Then, with a knowing smile, she said:
[Today is your awakening ceremony, but you don't need to worry. The blood of the royal family runs through your veins. Awaking with low-level talent isn't even a possibility. The real question is what kind of high-ranking talent you'll awaken.]
[Yeah, I was thinking the same. Let's see what kind of talent I get.]
Xiao and his sisters had all been adopted by their grandfather, the Cardinal Emperor. After their adoption, he had given each of them a drop of his blood, bestowing upon them the bloodline of the Cardinal Royal Family.
It had been many years since his grandfather disappeared. When Xiao had first learned of it, he had been greatly concerned. But his sisters reassured him, telling him that they knew where he was and why he had vanished.
They explained that their grandfather had surpassed the realm of Apex Existence and entered a completely different level of power and existence. They also promised to explain everything once Xiao reached Tier 10 or became an Apex Existence himself.
As these thoughts filled his mind, Elizabeth gently reminded him:
[You should get dressed. The ceremony is about to begin.]
Xiao nodded and changed into a Victorian-style white shirt, black tie, matching black coat, formal pants, and polished black leather shoes.
Once ready, Elizabeth took his hand, and with a snap of her fingers, the two of them vanished from the room.