The former opponents shared a final bow before parting their separate ways.
As Uutrai turned and nodded to his wife, all eyes shot back to the prefecture lord. Lord Treeda smiled at the returning dragon before scanning the crowd of candidates yet again.
For a moment, Treeda's sharp gaze met Oli's… as she called someone else forward.
A high-elder dragon flew down to the arena floor.
Meanwhile, a nervous human man froze on the arena's edge. He stepped on the ledge yet failed to leap down and confront his daunting opponent.
"... Unless you're forfeiting, it's your turn to challenge the Toxic-shadow Clan."
Uutrai's warm voice reached the front rows of the colosseum. And when the contestant remained frozen in place, those surrounding the mortal cultivator frowned in disdain.
"You have three seconds."
Lord Treeda's countdown was nothing short of a bomb in that man's mind.
"Three…
"Two…
"One–"