At the absolute zenith of Mount Yafik, a square arena spanning three hundred meters wide and long hovered steadily, suspended by dozens of massive maglev engines. A brilliant blue energy shield, barely a foot thick, encased the platform, rendering it immovable against the ferocious high-altitude gales.

Nearly a thousand small spacecraft hovered dozens of kilometers around the ring, their occupants directing countless high-powered, ultra-definition broadcast arrays toward the stage. Clear insignia on these vessels indicated they belonged to the top thousand media outlets in the Star Alliance, organizations whose reach spanned the entirety of the Alliance.

Even the civil unrest plaguing the Kingdom of Yafik had failed to capture the attention of these major media houses. Yet, the sudden appearance of a 'country bumpkin' and his duel against thirteen noble princes had drawn these executives like flies to fresh blood. A torrent of broadcasting equipment arrived on Yafik within mere hours, transported via high-speed warp channels established by the Star Alliance. Simultaneously, the duel contract forged between Gu Xiechen and the thirteen princes rapidly circulated throughout the entire Star Alliance.

Observing the throng of media, Kan Hua couldn't help but sound slightly envious, blasting Gu Xiechen as a hundred times more flamboyant than even the most attention-seeking superstars of the Earth Federation.

Knowing that no pearls of wisdom could ever drop from Kan Hua’s cynical maw, Gu Xiechen paid his critique no mind. Standing perfectly still in a corner of the arena, he exhibited the aristocratic bearing instilled in him since childhood. Every gesture, every movement, was executed with the meticulous perfection of the most precise automaton.

Thousands of high-powered broadcast units fixed upon Gu Xiechen. In that instant, over thirty-five percent of the Star Alliance populace recognized him through emergency dedicated hot channels.

Equally broadcast to the Alliance citizens was the duel covenant, notarized by You You—a battle agreement with absolutely no rules, to the death!

Duel Covenant Article One: Should Gu Xiechen fail even a single bout, he forfeits his life, along with the coordinates and star charts of his ancestral home, the Earth Federation.

Duel Covenant Article Two: Should the thirteen princes fail in the duel, they may exchange their lives and honor for wealth substantial enough to sway Gu Xiechen.

The covenant explicitly detailed the 'redemption price' for the thirteen princes should they lose. Among them, Prince Dorun of the Lei Wu Kingdom held the highest valuation. If he were defeated by Gu Xiechen, not only would all his personal assets transfer to Gu Xiechen, but the space fleet he brought to Yafik would also rightfully fall under Gu Xiechen's command.

As soon as You You relayed this covenant to the Star Alliance populace, the news forums erupted in an uproar: Is the life of an unknown nobody from the boondocks, along with the coordinates and star charts of his so-called homeland, truly worth such a price? Keep in mind, if Dorun and the others lost, they would sacrifice far more than mere assets and the fleets they commanded; they would lose their inheritance rights. No royal house permits a prince who has failed in combat to ascend the throne—unless all other royal members have perished!

A devastating and utterly baffling price. This was the consensus among the public on the Star Alliance forums regarding the thirteen princes, whom many suspected had lost their minds.

The gazes of billions converged upon Gu Xiechen. Following a brief drawing of lots, Prince Dorun of the Lei Wu Kingdom, as fate would have it, claimed the honor of the first duel against Gu Xiechen.

Donning his cumbersome, heavy metallic armor and wielding an oversized plasma saber crafted by a top-tier Star Alliance Master Swordsman, Prince Dorun lumbered towards Gu Xiechen.

Gu Xiechen met him with a faint smile, and the two soon converged at the center of the arena.

Prince Dorun fixed his gaze upon Gu Xiechen. He roared, his voice low, "Filthy peasant, I will personally sever your head! We have already agreed: regardless of who wins, our thirteen nations will divide all territories of the Earth Federation, and all its citizens will become slaves. Naturally, whoever defeats you will claim the largest share of that bounty."

Clenching his fists tightly, Prince Dorun grinned menacingly, "Therefore, I will defeat you, cleave off your limbs, listen to your screams, and then claim the coordinates and star charts of the Earth Federation."

Gu Xiechen offered a slight smile, remaining utterly silent, and casually propelled a single palm strike toward Prince Dorun.

Prince Dorun guffawed. Gu Xiechen’s strike carried absolutely no force; it didn't even generate the slightest ripple of air. Laughing maniacally, he activated the miniature energy shield integrated into his metallic armor and brought his great saber down in a sweeping arc aimed at Gu Xiechen's head. He bellowed, "Peasant, you don't even possess a decent energy suit?"

Smack!

The crisp sound carried clearly to thirty-five percent of the Star Alliance population. Prince Dorun’s thunderous saber stroke remained a full foot and a half clear of Gu Xiechen’s head, yet Gu Xiechen’s seemingly slow, dismissive palm had already landed squarely on Prince Dorun’s cheek. The thick energy armor offered no defense whatsoever; Gu Xiechen’s hand acted like a hardened steel blade, effortlessly shattering the heavy barrier and lightly impressing itself upon the handsome face of Prince Dorun.

Boom. A localized Minor Kui Water Yin Thunder detonated inside Prince Dorun’s body, a dense cascade of tiny, sharp explosions continually resonating within him. Prince Dorun shrieked and stumbled backward repeatedly. Small wisps of blood jetted from his seven orifices. He looked up blankly at the sky before pitching backward heavily onto the ground. His metallic armor rapidly shifted configuration, transforming in the blink of an eye into a compact medical pod that enveloped Prince Dorun. Vast clouds of milky-white mist quickly filled the cabin, initiating emergency treatment protocols.

"Next!" Gu Xiechen said with a gentle smile, bowing slightly to the twelve remaining princes, whose faces were the color of ash.

This was the most satisfying, exhilarating extortion he could have imagined. Before the duel, the thirteen princes had transferred all their personal wealth, including staggering deposits in their Star Alliance bank accounts, into the hands of the duel adjudicator, You You. By defeating these thirteen princes, their immense fortunes would become Gu Xiechen's—a sum sufficient to commission five hundred of the Star Alliance's most advanced Tier One battleships. Furthermore, the space fleets the princes had brought to Yafik would belong to Gu Xiechen, totaling nearly three thousand colossal vessels!

The old adage, 'One cannot become truly wealthy without a stroke of ill-gotten luck,' suddenly held a far deeper meaning for Gu Xiechen.

Of course, acquiring the princes' warships through the seemingly legitimate means of a duel was bound to invite certain negative repercussions. For instance, the kings behind these hormone-addled princes would certainly not let Gu Xiechen off lightly.