In a martial arts game, the protagonist steals the Yi Jin Jing (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic) at t

Wang Cheng, Xiaolongnu, and Huang Rong lived together in a large manor with strict guards, all of whom were subordinates of their Wuying Hall.

Wang Cheng would cook delicious meals for Huang Rong and Xiaolongnu every day, and Huang Rong would sometimes cook for Wang Cheng herself.

Within the grand estate, they plotted to expand their power, making the Shadowless Hall as impregnable as an ironclad empire, and establishing a system of clear rewards and punishments.

Furthermore, they copied many copies of the martial arts techniques collected by Wang Cheng, making them the advanced techniques of the Shadowless Hall, except for top-tier martial arts such as the Six Meridians Divine Sword and the Yi Jin Jing.

Such as parts of the Nine Yin Manual, Nine Yang Manual, Divine Foot Manual, as well as the internal energy cultivation methods of the Quanzhen School and the Ancient Tomb School.

Wang Cheng also collected sword techniques and other skills. He, Huang Rong, and Xiaolongnu established a strict upgrade system and a punishment system.

He managed the Shadowless Hall like an army, and these subordinates were all very loyal to Wang Cheng. It was an elite force of three to four thousand men.

Even the worst martial arts practitioners are at least second-rate, there are seven or eight hundred people with first-rate martial arts skills, and there are more than a dozen innate masters.

Wang Cheng instructed these men to expand their business and join various trades in the martial arts world; most of them possessed a unique skill.

Whether they were blacksmiths,镖师 (bodyguards/escorts), or street performers, they all broke up into smaller groups, and many even joined the army.

Having become minor leaders, these people, driven by the promise of huge rewards—whether martial arts skills or money—served Wang Cheng with unwavering loyalty to their goals.

Because Wang Cheng treated them very well, even some of these people had already joined the army.

However, due to their shared interests and the fact that Wang Cheng had secretly placed people under close surveillance, they were also very loyal to Wang Cheng.

With Huang Rong's help, Wang Cheng also opened a money exchange and a blacksmith shop, colluded with the government, and bought more than a dozen salt and iron mines, spending a huge amount of silver.

Having secured official channels and legally operated in the salt and iron industry, Wang Cheng has now become the wealthiest merchant in the Song Dynasty.

He earns as much as five or six million taels of silver every year, most of which he uses to develop the Shadowless Hall.

The Song Dynasty sent Prime Minister Wang Anshi to discuss cooperation with Wang Cheng, asking him to cede a portion of the profits to the Song Dynasty in exchange for the benefits he could bring to Wang Cheng.

The Song Dynasty could allow Wang Cheng's Wangji Restaurant to open throughout the entire country, and also allow Wang Cheng's money shops to operate freely throughout the Song Dynasty.

Then Wang Cheng was granted the title of First-Rank General of Mighty Valor, which allowed him to command a small army of up to 50,000 men.

The price was that Wang Cheng would have to give up 30% of the net profit of Wang's Restaurant. Wang Cheng sent Huang Rong to negotiate with Prime Minister Wang Anshi, and they reduced the profit demanded by the Song Dynasty to 20%.

Wang Anshi stated that the price could not be lowered any further, as this was already the lowest limit for the Song Dynasty; they could not agree to any further reduction.

After careful consideration, Wang Cheng agreed to Wang Anshi's request. Wang Cheng was now also appointed as a Grand General, and he needed to build his own army.

It was a nominal official position, but it allowed the holder to build a small army of over 50,000 men, and they had to handle all the weapons and provisions themselves.

Wang Cheng was very pleased. He ordered most of the people from the Shadowless Hall, a total of more than 30,000 men, to join the army, with more than 20,000 of them.

He would lead the army himself, with Lin Zhennan helping him train it, and ensure that the army would obey his orders and commands.

Then he bought Lin Zhennan the official position of a fourth-rank military commander in the Song Dynasty, and asked Lin Zhennan to help him train the army.

Lin Zhennan was more than happy to do so. He handed over the Fuwei Escort Agency to Lin Pingzhi to manage, and brought a core group of people to help Wang Cheng train his army.

They also searched the martial arts world for a large number of children begging on the streets. Although these children were begging, they were not members of the Beggars' Sect.

Lin Zhennan provided them with food and clothing, let them practice martial arts, gave them money, and had them join the newly formed Shadowless Army. It took more than three months in this way.

An army of 50,000 men was assembled and trained by Lin Zhennan, who also recruited a dozen highly skilled martial artists from the Shadowless Hall.

They were made martial arts instructors to train the Shadowless Army, and strict rules and regulations were established. With Huang Rong's help, the army's system was established in an orderly manner.

It was very impressive, and the army's combat effectiveness was much stronger than that of the general Song Dynasty army.

Moreover, the emperor did not issue any orders. Ostensibly, the army was the emperor's, but due to the distribution of provisions and personnel, it was controlled by the highest-ranking military leader.

They were all appointed by Wang Cheng, who was the supreme commander of this army.

Moreover, this army is not required to obey the emperor's orders; its only responsibility is to protect the emperor when necessary.

Of course, this was a secret order that Wang Cheng gave to his army.

It means that when one's own orders conflict with the emperor's orders, one must obey the orders of one's own Shadowless Hall.

Moreover, since all the personnel in the army came from the Shadowless Hall, the emperor's orders were ineffective here; they only knew of Wang Cheng's orders.

They were unaware of any imperial order.

Wang Cheng trained a total of five commanders of ten thousand men. These five commanders of ten thousand men were in charge of the same army. Under each commander of ten thousand men were commanders of one thousand men. All of this was arranged by Wang Cheng.

Reliable personnel, all of whom are Wang Cheng's confidants, will be appointed to ensure the army's safety.

Wang Cheng established a strict military system, requiring them to train rigorously every day. Each of these 50,000 men had to practice martial arts.

Those who are not qualified should be eliminated, while those who are qualified can be promoted. After those who are not qualified are eliminated, fresh blood should be added.

To ensure the army's numbers remained stable at around 50,000, Wang Cheng instructed his dozens of trusted confidants to follow Huang Rong's commands and arrangements.

The army trained diligently, and half a year passed in the blink of an eye. The army was now organized in a very respectable manner.

It already possesses formidable combat power, far surpassing the strength of other armies in the Song Dynasty.

These people uniformly practiced the internal energy cultivation method of the Quanzhen School, and then practiced a set of Taizu Changquan (Emperor Taizu's Long Fist) and military boxing, which is good for fighting.

The main focus is on practicing Taizu Changquan and the internal energy cultivation methods of Quanzhen Sect. High-ranking generals can practice even more advanced martial arts.

Moreover, they receive more silver, and their army's rations and pay are higher than those of other armies in the Song Dynasty.

The food was better than that of other armies, ensuring that soldiers could eat rice and meat soup every few days.

We can only eat fruit once every two or three months.

This made other armies extremely envious, and their elites considered it an honor to join Wang Cheng's Shadowless Army.

Therefore, after only half a year, Wang Cheng's Shadowless Army was already able to guarantee [their strength/capacity].

They are all elites.

Read the full text of Chapter 58, "The Formation of the Shadowless Army," for free. Link: