Following the prompt execution of the Great Preceptor, Zhenwu Shenquan was sealed by the emperor as Grand Marshal of the Empire, Chief Magistrate and Protector of the Imperial Family, de facto taking command of all aspects of governance. Now, even without his title of Slaughtering Shadow, he could lead the empire as he pleased.
Some imperial princes and nobles refused to bow to Zhenwu Shenquan but were taken down by his three eldest sons. This event reminded the lords and ladies of the Spiritual Aristocracy that, even without their patriarch, the sons of the Zhenwu clan had no trouble keeping the East in a chokehold. The terrifying might of the Zhenwu clan's bloodline and Perfected Warrior Scripture bewildered many, adding credence to the rumor that Zhenwu Shenquan was an illegitimate son of the Taiyang clan—perhaps even Taiyang Yuan himself.
