Of course, this was only one possible future branch. When Wenwu truly emerged from seclusion, the general plot would probably still need to follow Shang-Chi.
Even though the Marvel Universe's storyline had already been altered beyond recognition by Leon's interference, Wenwu, far away in Dragon Country, held the Ten Rings Relic and was proud of his own strength. Before personally suffering a Waterloo, he naturally would not think too highly of the so-called Avengers Alliance.
The Ten Rings Relic gave him the confidence to look down upon the world, while the passage of a thousand years had forged his self-worth and beliefs into something as solid as rock.
Wenwu had originally been a general and emperor through multiple ancient dynasties. Relying on the power of the Ten Rings Relic, he had conquered many nations. He could be called Dragon Country's plus-sized version of Iskandar, the King of Conquerors. Only after meeting Shang-Chi's mother, Ying Li, did he halt his expansion and choose to retire into the mountains.
The hearts of such emperor-like powerhouses were often exceedingly steadfast. Just as when his inner demon beguiled him, he stubbornly insisted on opening the Forbidden Gate to save his wife.
Little did he know that the inner demon was actually Ying Li's guise, assumed by the Dweller-in-Darkness sealed behind the Forbidden Gate. Without the Great Protector buff, the real Ying Li had merely been an ordinary human woman with some martial skill. Having died, she had long since returned to the embrace of Death. Resurrection might be possible, but it was absolutely not something Wenwu—who had yet to fully grasp the Ten Rings Relic's true power—could hope to achieve.
The fact that, after being beguiled by the "inner demon," he had not chosen to explore the Ten Rings Relic's power more deeply showed