Chapter 3788: Royal Competition Ye Mingshi had an imperial decree in his hand. It pulsed in a dazzling manner with the totems of Vajra Dynasty. A regal aura manifested and suppressed the area. Everyone understood that this decree was real. This regal aura required the seal of the dynasty. Many got on their knees. Even the top experts and ancestors slightly bowed to show their respect. The majority of the kneelers came from Metropolis. After all, this division had the highest number of nobles and officials. Their clans might not have any current members in the court but the dynasty still greatly affected them. The members of the other divisions didn’t need to work for Vajra. Nonetheless, Vajra was still the current ruler of the holy ground with the permission of Sacred Mountain. Thus, some ancestors didn’t need to give Vajra any face but they chose to be respectful to Sacred Mountain. As for the cavalry, they immediately prostrated and started shouting: “Long live the king!” “Third Prince of Vajra, you have mobilized the army without permission. Withdraw right now. Your punishment will be house arrest for three years.” Ye Mingshi loudly read the content. “What?!” The decree shocked both the prince and the listeners. No one expected Archaic Sun King to write this decree. “This is insanity, the third prince is only trying to protect Vajra’s reputation.” One youth quietly whispered, vexed. The young ones didn’t dare to voice their disagreement but they felt that this decree was incorrect. “Archaic Sun King must be senile.” An older expert said quietly: “Li Qiye deserves death for his crime so far while the prince is trying to restore order to Vajra. Why would he protect Li Qiye and remove the prince?” As the saber messenger, what Li Qiye had done thus far could negatively impact Vajra’s authority or even cause a serious disaster. Numerous other powers coveted Vajra’s position. This would be their chance to make a move. Any king would know the right path to take - punishing Li Qiye to protect Vajra’s sovereignty. In this case, Archaic Sun King did the exact opposite. This didn’t win him any love from the crowd, especially the young members of the noble clans. “How idiotic, who would want to work for such an incapable ruler?” A big shot from the last generation criticized the king. Many felt the same way, that the king couldn’t tell right from wrong. This would ruin Vajra’s long-running foundation. “His incompetence isn’t a recent thing.” One ancestor said: “It’s actually a miracle that Vajra hasn’t declined or fallen under his leadership.” The experts nearby agreed with this assessment. Ever since his coronation, most thought that he was incapable and only cared about everlasting life, neglecting his official duties. The critics had no idea how someone like him managed to become the king when Vajra had numerous talents. Strangely enough, the dynasty showed no sign of decline while being under this foolish king’s rule. This could be considered a miracle. The third prince’s expression became as ugly as can be after hearing the decree. Being under house arrest for three years meant the end of his future. Three years weren’t long for cultivators but for his situation? Anything could happen in three years. For example - the death of Archaic Sun King and the crown prince would take over. “National Teacher, there must be a mistake.” The prince became agitated. “Your Highness, an imperial edict is never mistaken.” Ye Mingshi flatly responded. Though Ye Mingshi wasn’t from Vajra, he still had immense influence in the court. This was due to his own power and the trust of the king. The prince had to resist: “National Teacher, Li Qiye is a lawless villain and an obvious traitor. He failed to carry out the duty of a saber messenger and ruined the dynasty’s reputation in the process. What I’m trying to do is to rid Vajra of this stain. From all angles, the one who should be punished is Li Qiye, not me. I have nothing but loyalty for Vajra and have shown it on the battlefield, risking my life to contribute!” He was quite heated towards the end because this could be the end of his imperial ambition. He had to do everything possible to prevent this. “That’s right!” Other youths from noble clans chimed in to show their support. They have always wanted him to be the next king for Vajra’s sake. “His Highness has nothing but meritorious contributions on the battlefield, he shouldn’t be treated this way. Treacherous conspirators must have whispered poison into His Majesty’s ears. People like this deserve death!” Another young expert shouted. “Exactly, get rid of the sycophants!” The crowd got riled up again: “Kill them and prove the prince’s innocence!” By this point, even the members from the other divisions spoke up for the third prince. He always had a good relationship with other influential cultivators. Thus, their support came due to personal benefits on top of an amicable relationship with the prince. “The prince has the people’s heart.” An older expert nodded approvingly. In recent years, everyone was aware of the prince attempting to build a powerful faction. This was a successful endeavor and absolutely crucial if he wanted to defeat the crown prince. Overcoming the traditional successive rule was far from easy. In fact, the crown prince was also watching from far away with a frown. “Your Highness, it looks like the third prince is out of favor. His Majesty has confined him for three years, clearly forbidding him from competing with you. The throne is definitely yours now.” An old follower behind him said. As the crown prince’s servant, he naturally became excited since his status would rise as well. “That’s not the case.” The crown prince shook his head: “This is Younger Brother being favored.” “How can that be?” The servant didn’t understand: “After three years, you might be sitting on the throne already, Your Highness.” “Mind your words. His Majesty is a true dragon and will be able to live for thousands of years more without a problem.” The crown prince responded: “When a storm is present, it’s best if one can stay outside, that’s the best situation.” His frown grew more intense after saying this. The servant vaguely got the point. The crown prince was worried because he thought that a period of three years was both short and long, depending on the circumstances. This house arrest might actually be a good thing. If the king was thinking for the third prince’s sake with this choice, it meant that he wasn’t as valued and that his position was awfully precarious. Alas, he didn’t have many cards up his sleeve in the court. Li Qiye was his only ace. The problem was - Li Qiye was too unfathomable. He couldn’t control this card. Once played, he had no idea what would happen. Thus, he had a different opinion compared to his little brother. The latter thought that his future would be ruined so the guy was doing everything possible to prevent this. Meanwhile, the third prince found more confidence after seeing the support of the young cultivators present.