Dong Wanggong trembled upon hearing Xu Fang's words.
He looked up, meeting Xu Fang's smiling, enthusiastic gaze.
However, Dong Wanggong knew this was merely an act. Seeing Xu Fang flexing his limbs, he realized a fight was imminent.
"Ah! Fellow Daoist, my dear Fellow Daoist!"
Dong Wanggong's eyes darted around. Immediately abandoning his previous hesitant demeanor, he lunged forward and embraced Xu Fang warmly.
"Fellow Daoist, I know I was wrong, I was wrong, I am guilty!"
"Fellow Daoist, let's not say anything else, I still wish to remain a dignified person!"
Regardless of Xu Fang's willingness, Dong Wanggong gave him a bear hug and whispered urgently into his ear, fearing Xu Fang might suddenly attack.
"You want dignity? I gave you dignity before, how did you repay me?"
Mentioning this only made Xu Fang angrier, and he was about to strike.
Dong Wanggong's hand shot out, stopping Xu Fang's.
"It is most joyous to meet an old friend! I am so happy to see you!"
Dong Wanggong exclaimed loudly, then leaned closer.
"Let's agree beforehand, go easy on me, and don't hit my face!"
As he spoke, Dong Wanggong turned and waved to Xi Wangmu.
"I need to discuss something with my Fellow Daoist. Please wait a moment!"
Without waiting for Xu Fang's agreement, he grabbed Xu Fang and flew off to a secluded corner.
Xi Wangmu watched Dong Wanggong and Xu Fang leave together after exchanging barely a few words, feeling quite dejected.
"I truly cannot understand their relationship."
Dong Wanggong and Xu Fang claimed to be good Daoists, yet they seemed more like old enemies who hadn't met in years.
But if one considered them enemies, they often appeared so intimate, which was utterly perplexing.
"You wouldn't understand this, Fellow Daoist."
Kong Xuan chimed in.
Since Dong Wanggong was Xu Fang's Daoist friend, he was also Kong Xuan's.
"This is the friendship between men, just like between me and my brother."
Xi Wangmu followed the direction of Kong Xuan's gaze and looked at the bruised and swollen Golden-Winged Great Peng, becoming even more confused.
"Men's friendship? I truly cannot comprehend it."
Xi Wangmu then began chatting with Kong Xuan.
Before long, Dong Wanggong returned with Xu Fang, hand in hand.
Xu Fang looked refreshed. Indeed, nothing in the world was more satisfying than revenge.
Dong Wanggong, however, looked like the Golden-Winged Great Peng, bruised and swollen, clearly in pain.
Of course, upon seeing Xi Wangmu, Dong Wanggong quickly explained.
"We just had a long-awaited reunion. After catching up with my good Daoist friend, my hands itched for a spar, and we had a very enjoyable one!"
"A spar? It looks like you were on the receiving end of a beating?"
Xi Wangmu observed Xu Fang, who was completely unharmed, and then glanced at the disheveled Dong Wanggong.
As Dong Wanggong was about to retort, Xi Wangmu continued on her own.
"As expected, the friendships between men are not something we women can understand."
"What this Fellow Daoist said is quite true."
Xi Wangmu nodded at Kong Xuan, concurring wholeheartedly.
"Yes, yes, yes!"
Dong Wanggong hastily agreed. Upon realizing that the so-called men's friendship was mentioned by Kong Xuan, he felt immense respect for him, considering him a good Daoist friend and a helpful accomplice!
Since they all knew each other and were outwardly amicable Daoist friends, Xu Fang naturally introduced Kong Xuan to Dong Wanggong and Xi Wangmu.
"So this is a descendant of Yuan Feng. No wonder he is so heroic and extraordinary!"
Dong Wanggong flattered him, thinking to himself that Xu Fang was indeed unfathomable. Choosing to make peace with him was the wisest decision.
With connections to the Dragon and Phoenix clans, all that was missing was the Qilin clan, and Xu Fang would have all three.
He wondered what grand undertaking this being from Penglai Island was planning. Was he perhaps gathering the fallen three clans to form an Avengers-like alliance and rise again in the Great Desolation?
"Fellow Daoist, please do not jest. Our Phoenix clan is not what it once was. Not long ago, we were besieged by the Demon race, who sought to claim the title of the true lineage of birds."
Kong Xuan sighed. If Xu Fang had not helped him then, he would be a banished prince of the Phoenix clan now, with no opportunity to listen to the Dao at Zixiao Palace.
"Hmph!"
Dong Wanggong snorted upon hearing this.
"A mere Demon race, they only rose to power when the three clans were too preoccupied with their war to notice. What heroes are they?"
Dong Wanggong spoke out in defense of Kong Xuan. Of course, while saying this, he glanced around to see if any members of the Witch-Demon clan's domain had noticed them.
"If I had the chance, I would gather an army, establish a power, sweep away the Witch and Demon races, unify the Great Desolation, and reign for eternity!"
As Dong Wanggong said this, he did not forget to consider Kong Xuan's feelings.
"Of course, since you and I are good Daoist friends, I will not provoke the Phoenix clan. Rest assured."
"And that little Dragon clan over there, I will not touch your Dragon clan either."
Dong Wanggong was a master of tact and diplomacy. Even while expressing his grand ambitions, he managed not to offend the Dragon and Phoenix clans present, showing great consideration for everyone.
Everyone listened to Dong Wanggong's bold pronouncements, taking them as mere jokes and not giving them much thought.
After all, the Dragon and Phoenix clans, with their remaining heritage, could only avoid the might of the Witch and Demon races.
Dong Wanggong, though he might be called a celestial being with grand aspirations, was, to put it bluntly, an unknown immortal merely boasting.
Even Xi Wangmu, upon hearing Dong Wanggong's words, simply smiled, dismissing them as the boastful pronouncements of a man trying to save face.
Only Xu Fang was profoundly shocked.
"So, Dong Wanggong always harbored great ambitions? He wasn't just a petty individual who became arrogant after being appointed the head of male immortals by the Dao Ancestor?"
Xu Fang shook his head. He had previously thought Dong Wanggong to be merely a minor figure who gained power overnight. Now, he realized that his thinking was mistaken.
Dong Wanggong, to put it simply, was perhaps a young man with great ambitions but insufficient talent.
"Fellow Daoist truly has lofty aspirations. I admire you greatly!"
Xu Fang cupped his fists and said solemnly.
Dong Wanggong looked at Xu Fang. Seeing no trace of mockery and no pretense in his words, he became puzzled.
What was this man truly thinking?
Xu Fang said no more. After all, Dong Wanggong would eventually be sealed as the head of male immortals by Dao Ancestor Hongjun.
At that time, would he achieve his desires, or would he, as Xu Fang remembered, fail in his endeavors?
Meanwhile, Xu Fang intentionally kept a low profile, and the initial shock of his appearance gradually subsided, with everyone's attention shifting elsewhere.
However, among the assembled beings, two figures had been consistently watching the events around Xu Fang, their gaze never wavering.