At this moment, outside Great Wilderness City, an invisible giant screen hovered in mid-air.

The screen was displaying scenes of the attack on the Spirit-Catching Ship, as if the scenario was being re-enacted.

And on the city wall of Great Wilderness City, dozens of figures watched with grave expressions, each filled with anger yet forced to remain calm and restrained.

After the giant screen finished its demonstration and silently dissipated, a Taiyi stood on the clouds and shouted deeply, "My master's demand is simple: either Great Wilderness City hands over the culprit, or you compensate for all the losses. There's no point in denying it, as this conclusion was personally derived by Wuyi Divine Monarch. If you disagree, you could call out the Bear Emperor Armor; as a Tier Nine Taiyi, he should be able to discern the truth."

"With that said, in three days, my master will visit Great Wilderness City personally. I hope you can give my master an explanation."

Having said that, the Taiyi flung a jade scroll recording the relevant evidence and turned to leave.

For a while, the bear race elders atop the city stacked glanced at each other; the thing they feared most had happened.

They were certain they weren't responsible; the Mang Mountain Ancient Bear's guards had all retreated into Great Wilderness City. Even if some stragglers hadn't returned in time, they definitely didn't have the power to overturn a Spirit-Catching Ship. Besides, judging from the demonstration, the attacker must have been at least Tier Seven Taiyi. No, not just that; there's definitely a major issue here.

"Go call the Clan Leader!"

An elder of the bear race sighed deeply since the only person capable of such a feat in Great Wilderness City could be none other than the Bear Emperor Armor, the new Clan Leader of the Mang Mountain Ancient Bear Race.

But surely it wasn't the Bear Emperor Armor's doing, that would be ridiculous; he's been in seclusion all these years.

Even if he wasn't, then what's the motive? What would be the motive?

Calm returned to Great Wilderness City, while Wang Wu, hidden in a corner of the Immortal Array, watched the whole event.

He wasn't surprised, as he expected this outcome. When a Half-step Daluo takes action, there's nothing that can't be deduced—he's lucky they didn't deduce everything about his past and present lives.

He had this understanding from the beginning and had already thought through the stakes.

He did this for three reasons.

First, he urgently needed Spiritual Qi to continue evolving Yin Fire and Evil Wind, his foundation. Not that he needed much; when he evolved two rounds earlier, it consumed just under thirty billion points of Spiritual Qi.

Second, he's unaware of what's going on with the six Half-step Daluos blocking the Immortal Array, but one thing is clear: there's no consensus between them yet. The violent fluctuations of the Immortal Array make that obvious. If not, why would anyone with even a semblance of dignity rush out to hunt Taiyi and Earth Immortals to refine Immortal Pills?

This means even if he did this, at most, only one Half-step Daluo would have the time to hunt him down.

Possibly not even one.

So if he doesn't act now, waiting until those six Half-step Daluos differentiate roles—then making any rash moves would be suicidal!

In the context of the Twenty-four Solar Terms being disrupted, those six Half-step Daluos could very well monopolize all the Spiritual Qi into a dictatorship.

Thus, there's a third reason.

Wang Wu doesn't want the future Cultivation Realm to be dominated by a single superpower with many weak followers; he hopes for a scenario with two superpowers and many strong players, capable of counteracting and checking each other.

That's why he didn't hesitate to present seven trillion points of Spiritual Qi at Hidden Origin Town earlier.

If he doesn't take this chance to organize the scattered Taiyi, where would there be opportunities in the future!

To reach this goal, he's even willing to use himself as bait, to draw their attention entirely onto him, even if it means exposing himself.

The development of this event is quite favorable; on one hand, nurturing Hidden Origin Town, and on the other, involving Great Wilderness City.

Precisely, he hid in a corner of the Immortal Array, not to avoid detection, but to ensure being found.

It's to pull the Mang Mountain Ancient Bear Race, and Great Wilderness City into the fray, to have them join the battle!

As for whether Elder Hui and others in Hidden Origin Town have any suspicions, or whether they unite to capture the Hao Mao Monarch and hand over the 'true culprit', it doesn't matter. Even if they hand over the culprit, their end won't be any better, so they are actually the most determined, resolute to resist till the end.

Wang Wu wasn't worried at all.

Now it depends on Great Wilderness City. Will they really be indecisive, or proceed to cede territory and pay recompense?

It shouldn't take three days to see the outcome.

In reality, Great Wilderness City reacted swiftly; although the Bear Emperor Armor didn't appear, it dispatched over a dozen bear race Taiyi to escort a special Eternal Firm Immortal Artifact straight to Hidden Origin Town.

It wasn't meant to attack Hidden Origin Town; rather, it was for an alliance.

Great Wilderness City finally made their choice, just as Wang Wu desired.

In reality, they had no other choice. Even though they knew they hadn't done it, if they retreated today, they wouldn't know how many more steps back they'd take in the future—a never-ending procession that would eventually lead to their doorstep.

This was beyond doubt.

It was also something Wang Wu was certain of.

Soon, information was relayed back from Hao Mao Monarch twenty thousand miles away.

The twelve Bear Race Taiyi, along with Elder Hui, discussed for a moment and then began expanding the Hundred Birds Phoenix Immortal Array, using materials not for just twelve slots, but for fifty.

At the same time, they were recruiting strong Taiyi, with only one condition—as Outer Elders of Great Wilderness City, residing temporarily in Hidden Origin Town.

Naturally, responses were plentiful; many Taiyi, including some Tier Six and Tier Seven, who had fled from all directions recently.

All of these fell under the banner of Great Wilderness City, and even some Taiyi who had already occupied slots took the initiative to offer goodwill to the city.

Ultimately, in a short time, the Bear Race of Great Wilderness City managed to secure one hundred thirty slots from Hidden Origin Town, out of the two hundred eighty slots available.

They had evidently become the largest shareholder.

Although Elder Hui was displeased, he had no choice; people aim high, and Great Wilderness City had the foundation. With its involvement, there was more confidence in facing the incoming Spirit-Catching Ship.

Thus, three days passed, and the Spirit-Catching Ship finally approached, reaching Great Wilderness City, and a terrifying pressure enveloped the area for hundreds of thousands of miles, even twenty thousand miles away in Hidden Origin Town, they could feel it.

Without hesitation, a divine light rose above Great Wilderness City, echoing with Hidden Origin Town twenty thousand miles away, hardly weaker than the Spirit-Catching Ship.

One could only say that the foundation of Great Wilderness City remained immensely deep.

"Brother Emperor Armor, it's been three thousand years since we last met, but you remain as impressive as ever. This matter today has escalated to this point, and I am pained. Therefore, for the sake of old times, I hope you hand over the culprit. Do not drag Great Wilderness City or Mang Mountain Ancient Bear Race into this conflict. I have here pardons personally written by three Divine Monarchs, targeting only the main culprit, sparing others, including those fellows in Hidden Origin Town, bringing the dispute to a close, with Heaven's approval, and Yin and Yang Qi as the witness!"

"Otherwise, it will be a case of refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit. In the future, the three Divine Monarchs reserve the right to act as they wish without warning!"

As the voice fell, three decrees soared into the sky, transforming into a clear light, truly activating the Yin and Yang Qi, like a covenant, quite intimidating. Of course, this was very sincere, using the reputation of these three Half-step Daluo to guarantee.

It was somewhat like saying, 'How could the wealthiest man in the mortal world be concerned with such a trivial matter of yours.'

However, mortals might still fall for it, and even some novice cultivators and Earth Immortals might too, but at the Taiyi stage, it was essentially impossible.

"Sorry, Li Huo Monarch! It wasn't Great Wilderness City who did it. You come accusingly and show fake generosity—I don't see an ounce of sincerity. What of the three Divine Monarchs? We didn't attack the Spirit-Catching Ship. That's the only truth. You can't blame everything on Great Wilderness City just because a suspected Ancient Bear was involved. After all, over countless ages, Mang Mountain Ancient Bear Race has exiled not three thousand, but at least two thousand Sin Bears who have long severed ties with Mang Mountain Ancient Bear Race."

"Today, if you wish to fight, then let us battle. Great Wilderness City will accompany you to the end, but expecting us to admit to this is just dreaming!"

Inside Great Wilderness City, a strong and dignified voice declared, declaring the city's stance.

"Very well, very well!"

The Fire Monarch on the opposite Spirit-Catching Ship laughed and said no more, waving his hand. The three decrees in the sky, already transformed into a clear light and mingled with Yin and Yang Qi, suddenly turned into three Immortal Talismans, and under the guidance of Yin and Yang Qi, descended straight down, instantly sealing one of Great Wilderness City's Eternal Firm Immortal Artifacts, the kind that could interfere with a Divine Soul.

In the short term, it was impossible to break free.

However, the foundation of Great Wilderness City was not limited to just one Eternal Firm Immortal Artifact. Instantly, a roar resounded, and a thousand-mile-tall Ancient Bear apparition lunged at the Spirit-Catching Ship, ensnaring it, making it impossible to move despite the frantic flapping of the Three Calamities Long Sails.

Moreover, the Ancient Bear apparition was able to transform into a physical form—not an Ancient Bear but enormous tree vines and countless rocks, resembling a mountain, trapping the Spirit-Catching Ship within and making it equally unlikely to escape in a short time.

The next moment, the sole Tier Nine Taiyi within Great Wilderness City engaged in combat with the opposing Li Huo Monarch. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Once the two clashed, no one else could intervene.

Even Hidden Origin Town to the north could only muster its utmost strength to withstand the aftershock of the battle.

In the shadows, Wang Wu watched, also feeling shocked, because these two were wielding directly the power to evolve the Three Calamities, something other Taiyi couldn't begin to compare to.

It was akin to one being a car and the other a fighter jet—how could there be a comparison?

It was a comprehensive beatdown.

Yet, this was precisely what Wang Wu had been anticipating. This time, he was not the protagonist; the protagonists were these two. Whether this battle could provide a few hundred years of peace depended entirely on who among them could gain the upper hand.