After flying for three days, Goldwing finally swooped down and landed. This was the volcanic region the Golden Dragon King had described! Distant peaks thundered, black smoke spewed into the sky, and the whole place reeked of danger—volcanoes as far as the eye could see!
"We've entered the volcanic cluster now—everyone, keep your eyes peeled! The One-Horned Cat could show up at any second. This place is massive, so let's split up and search!" the Golden Dragon King barked.
"Alright, everyone, unleash your divine sense and search every inch! If you spot a One-Horned Cat, don't rush in alone—alert the rest of us so we can join forces and trap it! We need its blood!" Evan Chu commanded, his tone fierce.
Goldwing morphed into human form and joined Evan Chu and the crew. The five split up—east, west, south, north, and center—blanketing the volcanoes in a carpet search. Evan Chu took the middle, moving slow and steady.
First, volcanic eruptions filled the air with thick, black ash, making it nearly impossible to see. Second, the range was so huge, missing even a single spot could mean disaster—especially since the One-Horned Cat was a master of illusions, nearly impossible to spot!
An hour later, the five of them had scoured the entire volcanic cluster, but not a single trace of the One-Horned Cat. Evan Chu's frustration was palpable as they regrouped, faces grim.
"Don't tell me there really aren't any One-Horned Cats here? They're Primordial-era immortal beasts—maybe they've gone extinct! What now?" Evan Chu muttered, helplessness written all over his face.
"Don't lose heart! Maybe we're looking at this all wrong. The One-Horned Cat is a fire-type immortal beast—what if it's hiding inside a volcanic crater, or even deep in the magma itself?" Jade, the Emerald Immortal Empress, suggested, her eyes shining with inspiration.
"That makes sense! We should focus on the magma beneath the volcanoes. The fire energy here is intense, but with our cultivation, it can't hurt us. There are over a hundred volcanoes, but only three are truly massive—let's check those out!" Evan Chu declared, confidence surging.
"Let's do it! I hope we get lucky," Yvonne Xuan said, her voice full of hope.
The nearest volcano was over a hundred li away. In a blink, the five of them appeared above its crater. It had just erupted, so it should be quiet for a while. "Let's head down and check it out!" Evan Chu said, his fighting spirit rising.
Evan Chu plunged in first, with Jade and the Golden Dragon King right behind, both cloaked in shimmering energy barriers. The magma below was blazing hot—though it couldn't harm them, the heat was still enough to make anyone sweat.
Beneath the crater, a world of rolling red magma churned. The five hovered above the molten surface. "Jade, your divine sense is unmatched. See if you can detect any energy ripples or signs of life down there!" Evan Chu urged, eyes sharp.
Jade nodded, her gaze focused. After a moment, she said, "There are plenty of energy waves below, and a few faint signs of life—but none strong enough to be the One-Horned Cat we're after."
"If it's not here, let's move to the second volcano! I've got a gut feeling these three volcanoes will give us a real surprise—even if I can't say why," Evan Chu said, his tone full of anticipation.
Without hesitation, the five left for the second massive volcano. Jade scanned the magma again, but it was the same story—nothing.
"Could it really be that there are no One-Horned Cats here? No way!" Evan Chu grumbled, disbelief etched on his face.
Suddenly, the Golden Dragon King seemed to sense something and dove headlong into the magma. The others jumped, convinced he'd found a clue.
After half a stick of incense, the Golden Dragon King burst out of the magma. Before he could say a word, Evan Chu called out, "Golden Dragon, did you find any trace of the One-Horned Cat?"
"That's right, there are traces of the One-Horned Cat here. But when I checked, it seemed to have already left—only a faint aura remains. I think the One-Horned Cat might have moved on to another volcano," the Golden Dragon King reported, his voice steady.
Evan Chu finally let out a breath of relief. With traces of the One-Horned Cat, he was sure they'd catch it. "Let's go check the last volcano! Old Goldwing, you and Yvonne stand guard at the crater—don't let the One-Horned Cat slip past us!" Evan Chu ordered, eyes blazing.
Arriving at the final volcano, Evan Chu and two others dove down. The moment they entered, the Golden Dragon King exclaimed, "Palace Lord, the One-Horned Cat is definitely here! I can sense its aura—ancient, fierce, pure Primordial immortal beast. There's no mistake!"
"Excellent! Hurry, pinpoint where the One-Horned Cat is hiding!" Evan Chu laughed, the tension melting away.
Jade and the Golden Dragon King focused, their divine senses probing. After just a few breaths, both called out, "In the magma—and there's more than one!"
The moment Evan Chu heard this, he didn't hesitate—he dove straight into the magma! Jade and the Golden Dragon King were caught off guard by his impatience.
"Golden Dragon King, the One-Horned Cat is a master of illusions—catching it won't be easy. You need to be ready to unleash your Space Domain and seal it off. With your power, that should be a piece of cake," Jade advised, her tone serious.
"Got it. Don't worry—now that we've found the One-Horned Cat, it's not getting away! If it does, we'll lose all our face!" the Golden Dragon King laughed, full of confidence.
Inside the magma, Evan Chu unleashed his divine sense. Soon, he spotted a blazing red beast not far ahead—a single horn on its head, just like the Golden Dragon King described. It looked just like a cat!
Evan Chu flashed forward, but the One-Horned Cat was already on guard. The moment Evan Chu charged, the beast darted aside with lightning speed, leaving him grasping at air.
"I don't believe I can't catch you!" Evan Chu roared, charging again—only to miss once more.
Without hesitation, Evan Chu summoned the Frostbane Divine Sword, his mind guiding it with Heart-Sword technique to silently circle behind the One-Horned Cat, while he crept closer from the front.
Suddenly, the One-Horned Cat let out a sharp "Meow!"—the sound wasn't loud, but it stabbed into Evan Chu's eardrums, making his blood churn violently.
"It can use sonic attacks? That's wicked!" Evan Chu exclaimed, utterly shocked.