List of The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber characters

Main characters

• Zhang Wuji
• Zhao Min
• Zhou Zhiruo

  Ming Cult

• The Bright Left and Right Messengers serve as the cult leader's deputies. They are:
• * Yang Xiao is the Bright Left Messenger. He served as the cult's acting leader during its period of internal conflict, and later as an adviser to Zhang Wuji after the latter became the cult's leader. He is also a close friend and confidant to Zhang Wuji due to his relations to Yang's family. In the earlier revisions of the novel, Zhang Wuji names him the new leader of the Ming Cult before leaving with Zhao Min and they remain friends and in contact with each other. He is Ji Xiaofu's lover and Yang Buhui's father. Despite being named as Ming Cult's leader, he is unable to avert Zhu Yuanzhang's coup over the Cult's military commands and ascension to the imperial throne, thus Yang lost to Zhu of the chance to be an emperor.
• * Fan Yao is the Bright Right Messenger. He disfigured himself and disguised himself as a mute monk called Kutoutuo so that he could infiltrate Chaghan Temür's army and work as a spy for the Ming Cult.
• The Four Guardian Kings assist the leader in overseeing the cult's activities. They are ranked in order of seniority:
• * Daiqisi, nicknamed "Purple Dress Dragon King" for her underwater fighting skills, is one of the three "Sacred Maidens" of the Persian Ming Cult. A half-Persian half-Chinese ambassador from Persia, she was originally sent to China to search for the lost manual of the skill Heaven and Earth Great Shift and became Yang Dingtian's god-daughter. She was later made one of the cult's guardian kings after defeating Han Qianye, a man who challenged Yang to a vengeful underwater duel. Later, she broke her vow of celibacy when she fell in love with Han Qianye, exiled herself out of the sect to settled on Divine Snake Island with Han, and bore him a daughter, Xiaozhao. She disguises herself as an old hag and calls herself "Golden Flower Granny" to avoid being identified by the Persian Ming Cult.
• * Yin Tianzheng, nicknamed "White Brows Eagle King", is Yin Yewang and Yin Susu's father, and Zhang Wuji's maternal grandfather. He left the Ming Cult during its internal conflict and founded the Heavenly Eagle Cult in his home region of Jiangnan. He later dies from exhaustion while trying to save Xie Xun by fighting against the three Shaolin elders.
• * Xie Xun, nicknamed "Golden Haired Lion King", is Zhang Wuji's godfather. His most powerful skill is the 'Lion's Roar', which allows him to project his inner energy with his voice and cause internal injuries to everyone nearby who hears his roar. His family was murdered by his former mentor Cheng Kun, who disappeared after committing the atrocity. Guided by fury, he went on a rampage to kill many people and push the blame to Cheng Kun, in the hope of forcing him out of hiding, but to no avail. After he kidnapped Zhang Cuishan and Yin Susu, Yin blinded him with her needle darts in self-defence when he was in a violent fit of insanity. His insanity was cured when he heard the cry of Yin's newborn son, and agreed to Zhang and Yin's offer of him becoming the godfather of the baby, whom he named "Wuji" in memory of his own deceased son, Xie Wuji. The families and associates of Xie Xun's victims later forgave him after his final confrontation with Cheng Kun. He eventually becomes a Shaolin monk to seek peace and redemption for his past sins.
• * Wei Yixiao, nicknamed "Green Winged Bat King", is unmatched in his qinggong prowess in the jianghu world. He once accidentally infected himself with an icy venom while practising the skill 'Icy Palm'. Since then, he has to routinely consume the warm blood of living creatures to keep the freezing poison in his body under control. Zhang Wuji cures him later by using the Nine Yang Divine Skill to purge the venom from his body. After episode 49, he was the last guardian king.
• Yang Buhui is Yang Xiao and Ji Xiaofu's daughter. Her name literally means "no regrets" to reflect her mother's love for Yang Xiao. Zhang Wuji helps her escape from Miejue after her mother's death and leads her on a perilous journey to bring her safely to her father. She regards Zhang Wuji as a surrogate elder brother for his care and concern towards her. The trauma of witnessing her mother's death makes her become suspicious of anyone who could be a potential enemy and this intensifies her hatred towards Miejue. This is evident in her treatment towards Xiaozhao, when she and her father suspect Xiaozhao of being a spy from the Emei Sect. It also made her extremely protective towards her father and Zhang Wuji, whom she sees as what is left of her family. She falls in love with Yin Liting, her mother's original fiancé, and marries him despite the large age gap between them. They are expecting a child near the end of the novel.
• Zhu Yuanzhang is an ambitious minor leader of the cult who eventually unites the rebel forces under his control and leads them to overthrow the Yuan dynasty. He betrays the cult later and becomes the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty.
• Chang Yuchun is a cult member who travels with Zhang Wuji to Butterfly Valley to seek treatment from Hu Qingniu.
• Xu Da is a minor leader of the cult. Zhang Wuji presents him with Yue Fei's military text Book of Wumu. Xu Da, who is already a skilled military tactician, studies the book and uses his knowledge to lead the rebels to victory in the battles against the Yuan forces, ultimately captures the Yuan capital Khanbaliq and becomes an esteemed military figure in China.
• Five Wanderers :
• * Leng Qian, nicknamed "Cold Faced Gentleman".
• * Shuobude, nicknamed "Monk with the Sack".
• * Zhang Zhong, nicknamed "Iron Crowned Taoist".
• * Peng Yingyu, nicknamed "Peng the Monk".
• * Zhou Dian, nicknamed "Lunatic".
• Hu Qingniu is a physician residing in Butterfly Valley. He is nicknamed "Jiansi Bujiu" for his odd practice of treating the cult's members free of charge but not others regardless of whatever they are willing to pay. He helps a young Zhang Wuji slow down the effects of his injury caused by the Xuanming Elders, thereby preserving Zhang's life and buying him time to find a way to heal himself. He also indirectly imparts his medical knowledge to Zhang Wuji, who is the only de facto student he ever took, thus becomes his mentor in medicine. He is killed by Golden Flower Granny in revenge because he refused to save her husband's life many years ago. However, in reality, it was beyond Hu's ability to treat Han Qianye's wounds.
• Wang Nangu is Hu Qingniu's wife. In contrast with her husband, she uses her mastery of toxicology to kill people. The couple become rivals in a contest, in which Wang will poison someone while Hu will try to save the person's life. Sharing her husband's liking of Zhang Wuji, she imparts her knowledge to his de facto apprentice by leaving behind a book she authored. She is killed along with her husband by Golden Flower Granny.
• Yang Dingtian was Zhang Wuji's predecessor as the Ming Cult's leader. He was practising the skill 'Heaven and Earth Great Shift' when he discovered his wife's illicit affair with Cheng Kun. He was so infuriated that the inner energy flow in his body was disrupted and he died from the consequent internal injuries.
• Chiefs of the Five Elements factions
• * Zhuang Zheng is the chief of the Gold Banner Faction. He is slain in combat by Miejue.
• * Wu Jingcao is the former deputy chief of the Gold Banner Faction. Zhang Wuji promotes him to chief after Zhuang Zheng's death and tasks him with repairing the damaged Dragon Saber.
• * Yan Yuan is the chief of the Earth Banner Faction.
• * Tang Yang is the chief of the Water Banner Faction.
• * Wen Cangsong is the chief of the Wood Banner Faction.
• * Xin Ran is the chief of the Fire Banner Faction.

  Heavenly Eagle Cult

• Yin Susu is Yin Tianzheng's daughter and Yin Yewang's younger sister. She meets Zhang Cuishan by coincidence and both of them are cast adrift to Ice Fire Island, where they are married and settled. She gives birth to Zhang Wuji. She follows suit after her husband commits suicide.
• Yin Yewang is Yin Tianzheng's son and Yin Susu's elder brother. He is Yin Li's father and Zhang Wuji's maternal uncle. His first wife practised the 'Thousand Spiders Venom Hand', became infertile and disfigured, and fell out of her husband's favour. Yin Yewang took a concubine who bore him two sons. Yin Li killed her stepmother because she often bullied her mother, and then fled from home to evade her father's wrath. In the earlier editions of the novel, with Zhang Wuji's help, Yin Yewang forgives his daughter and reconciles with her.
• Yin Li is Yin Yewang's estranged daughter and Zhang Wuji's younger cousin. She practises the Thousand Spiders Venom Hand, a deadly skill she inherits from her mother and which causes her face to become disfigured with edema. She is thus known as Zhu'er, a nickname given to her by her mother. Her mother commits suicide to allow her to escape from her father and half-brothers after she killed her stepmother, and she became despised by her father ever since. She encounters Golden Flower Granny, who protects her and accepts her as an apprentice. She develops feelings for Zhang Wuji when she first met him in her childhood but does not recognise him when she meets him again later. She is apparently murdered by Zhou Zhiruo but is revealed at the end of the novel to have survived.
• Leaders of the halls and altars:
• * Li Tianyuan is the leader of the Heaven Hall. He is Yin Tianzheng's junior.
• * Chang Jinpeng is the leader of the Vermilion Bird Altar. He is slain by Xie Xun.
• * Bai Guishou is the leader of the Black Tortoise Altar. He is slain by Ding Minjun.
• * Cheng Chaofeng is the leader of the Azure Dragon Altar.
• * Gao Shanwang is the leader of the White Tiger Altar
• * Feng Gongying is the leader of the Divine Snake Altar.
• Yin Wufu, Yin Wulu, Yin Wushou are three bandits from the southwest who pledged allegiance to Yin Tianzheng after he saved their lives.

  Persian Ming Cult

• Xiaozhao is Han Qianye and Daiqisi's daughter. Her mother sends her as a spy to infiltrate the Ming Cult and find the location of its secret tunnel. Xiaozhao becomes a servant in Yang Xiao's household. The Yangs suspect her of being a spy so they bind her in chains to restrict her movements. Xiaozhao runs into Zhang Wuji and narrowly escapes death with him in the secret tunnel. Xiaozhao falls in love with Zhang Wuji but can never be with him because she has to take her mother's place as a virginal "Sacred Maiden" to save her mother's life. She eventually becomes the new leader of the Persian Ming Cult and returns to its headquarters in Persia. Jin Yong mentioned in the epilogue of the novel that Xiaozhao is his favourite character.
• The Wind, Cloud and Moon Three Messengers are in charge of safekeeping the Ming Cult's sacred artefacts – the Holy Flame Tablets. There are the most powerful martial artists in the Persian Ming Cult. The three are:
• * Mysterious Wind Messenger
• * Drifting Cloud Messenger
• * Bright Moon Messenger
• The 12 Guardian Kings of the Persian Ming Cult come to China to search for Daiqisi and bring her back to Persia. Four of them appear in the novel:
• * Equality Guardian King
• * Unity Guardian King
• * Transparent Guardian King
• * Victorious Guardian King

  Yuan Empire

• Chaghan Temür, the Prince of Ruyang, is the father of Wang Baobao and the former father of Zhao Min. He is ordered by the Yuan emperor to eliminate the Ming Cult and other anti-Yuan forces in the wulin.
• Lady Han is Chaghan Temür's concubine. She is killed in Wan'an Monastery by Fan Yao by accident.
• Köke Temür, also known by his Chinese name Wang Baobao, is Chaghan Temür's son and Zhao Min's elder brother.
• The Xuanming Elders are the apprentices of the late Taoist Baisun. They specialise in the skill 'Xuanming Divine Palm' and once used it on Zhang Wuji in his childhood. They serve Chaghan Temür as mercenaries. Later, after seeing how powerful Zhou Zhiruo has become from practising the skills in the Nine Yin Manual, they attempt to seize the book from her, but are unwilling to share it with each other so they start fighting over the manual. Zhang Wuji and Zhao Min show up to help Zhou Zhiruo and defeat the Xuanming Elders. In the earlier editions of the novel, the Elders lose their powers after their last fight with Zhang Wuji. The two Elders are:
• * Lu Zhangke, a lecherous fiend who has raped many young women. He lusts for Lady Han and Zhou Zhiruo.
• * He Biweng, who has a penchant for fine wine.
• Huogong Toutuo's apprentices are recruited by Chaghan Temür as mercenaries. They and Cheng Kun massacred the Dragon Gate Escort Agency and paralysed Yu Daiyan. 20 years later, they ambush and injure Yin Liting. They are defeated by Zhang Wuji in a fight. They are:
• * Fang Dongbai, also called A'da, is nicknamed "Eight Arms Divine Swordsman" because his skill in swordplay appears to be unmatched. He was originally a high-ranking member of the Beggars' Sect, but later faked his death and served Chaghan as one of the mercenaries.
• * A'er
• * A'san paralysed Yu Daiyan and Yin Liting.
• * Gangxiang is killed by Zhang Sanfeng when he tried to ambush him while in disguise as a Shaolin monk called Kongxiang.
• The "Divine Arrow Eight Heroes" are a group of eight martial artists recruited by Chaghan Temür as mercenaries. They are:
• * Zhao Yishang
• * Qian Erbai
• * Sun Sanhui
• * Li Sicui
• * Zhou Wushu
• * Wu Liupo
• * Zheng Qimie
• * Wang Bashuai

  Wudang Sect

• Zhang Sanfeng is the founder and leader of Wudang. He was previously from the Shaolin Sect and was known as Zhang Junbao in his younger days. The famed Condor Hero, Yang Guo, taught Zhang Junbao a little of his skills, that the boy later combined with what learned from the Nine Yang Manual, formed the basis of Zhang Sanfeng's martial arts. Not knowing Zhang Junbao's skills' origins, the Shaolin Sect accused him of learning their martial arts in secret and exiled him, eventually he became a Taoist after realizing his skills are Taoism by nature and founded the Wudang Sect. The aged Taoist is highly respected in the wulin not only for his prowess in martial arts, but also for his morally upright character.
• The "Seven Heroes of Wudang" are the first seven apprentices of Zhang Sanfeng. They are listed in order of seniority:
• * Song Yuanqiao is Song Qingshu's father. Originally a reputable swordsman and the most likely candidate to succeed his master, he is disgraced by his son's misconduct and loses the opportunity to be Wudang's new leader. Zhang Sanfeng orders him to spend the rest of his life in solitude.
• * Yu Lianzhou is the most powerful in martial arts among the seven. He is named by Zhang Sanfeng as his successor.
• * Yu Daiyan was ambushed and paralysed by A'san and lost the use of his limbs. He receives medical treatment from Zhang Wuji 20 years after his injury but only manages to recover partially and can no longer utilise the full potential of his martial arts.
• * Zhang Songxi is the most intelligent among the seven. He occasionally provides advice to his fellows.
• * Zhang Cuishan is the most talented of the seven, and the last disciple to actually be personally taught by Zhang Sanfeng. Apart from being an accomplished swordsman, he is also well versed in scholarly arts and calligraphy. His distinctive weapons earn him the nickname "Silver Hook Iron Brush". He is Zhang Wuji's father and Xie Xun's sworn brother. He meets Yin Susu by chance and they are cast adrift to Ice Fire Island, where they are married and settled there for ten years. He commits suicide after being cornered by martial artists when he refuses to reveal Xie Xun's whereabouts.
• * Yin Liting was Ji Xiaofu's original fiancé. Their engagement ended when she realised that she loved Yang Xiao and was already pregnant with Yang's child. Many years later, after Yin Liting is injured in the same way as Yu Daiyan, Yang Buhui nurses him back to health and falls in love with him when he is recovering. Yin marries Yang Buhui eventually despite the large age gap between them. They are expecting a child towards the end of the novel.
• * Mo Shenggu is the youngest of the seven and the most hot-tempered one. He tries to discipline Song Qingshu after discovering his voyeuristic attempts on Zhou Zhiruo and the Emei Sect's members, but is ambushed by Chen Youliang and killed by Song Qingshu.
• Song Qingshu is Song Yuanqiao's arrogant spoilt son, who serves as a foil to Zhang Wuji in the novel due to their similar backgrounds. His strong crush on Zhou Zhiruo makes him become extremely jealous when he sees Zhang Wuji and Zhou developing a romantic relationship. That ultimately becomes his weakness because it allows him to be manipulated easily by Chen Youliang and Cheng Kun into doing anything to win Zhou Zhiruo's heart and prove that he is better than Zhang Wuji. After killing Mo Shenggu, he betrays the Wudang Sect and reluctantly joins the Beggars' Sect and helps Chen Youliang. Later, after Zhang Wuji reneges on his promise to marry her, Zhou Zhiruo pretends to agree to marry Song Qingshu and teaches him the 'Nine Yin White Bone Claw' while actually plotting to use him to take her revenge on Zhang. Song is seriously crippled at the Lion Slaying Ceremony during a fight against Yu Lianzhou and is later killed defending his father from the Yuan Forces . In certain novels, he dies from his wound on Bright Peak

  Emei Sect

• Guo Xiang was the founder of Emei and the younger daughter of Guo Jing and Huang Rong. In the prologue, she met Jueyuan and Zhang Junbao near Shaolin Monastery. Jueyuan recited the Nine Yang Manual to her, Zhang, and Wuse before his death. Guo Xiang's prowess in martial arts improved after she integrated the manual's skills into her existing ones. She inherited the Heaven Sword and knowledge of the secrets in the weapons from her family during the Battle of Xiangyang. After her family members sacrificed their lives to defend Xiangyang from Mongol invaders, she continued to roam the jianghu for years before settling down on Mount Emei, where she founded the Emei Sect.
• Abbess Miejue, whose name "Miejue" literally means "destroy and eliminate", is the radically dogmatic leader of Emei. She aims to purge the world of evil and make Emei the leading sect in the wulin. Her dogmatic and extreme views lead her to commit various ethically and morally vicious deeds, including the indiscriminate slaughter of everyone associated with the Ming Cult and unorthodox martial arts sects. She hates the Ming Cult not only because of its "evil" name, but also because of Yang Xiao's indirect involvement in the events leading to Guhongzi's death. At Wan'an Monastery, she names Zhou Zhiruo her successor and plunges to her death from the tower after refusing Zhang Wuji's help.
• Guhongzi was Miejue's senior. He challenged Yang Xiao to a martial arts contest and borrowed Miejue's Heaven-Reliant Sword in the hope that it would give him an advantage. However, he lost to Yang Xiao and the sword was seized from him by Yang before he could even unsheathe it. Yang Xiao made some unkind remarks, threw the sword to the ground and walked away. Guhongzi felt disgraced and insulted and eventually died in frustration. His death caused Miejue to bear a grudge against Yang Xiao and the Ming Cult.
• Ji Xiaofu is one of Miejue's apprentices who is seen as a potential successor to her master. She is originally Yin Liting's fiancée but falls in love with Yang Xiao instead and bears him a daughter. She secretly leaves Emei to raise her child, whom she names "Buhui" to reflect her love for Yang Xiao. She is emotionally attached to Zhang Wuji after witnessing him being orphaned at Mount Wudang, and in turn he regards her as a surrogate mother. Miejue eventually tracks her down and forces her to kill Yang Xiao, but she refuses and is killed by her master in grief.
• Ding Minjun is one of Miejue's most senior apprentices. She is jealous of their master's favouritism towards Ji Xiaofu and later towards Zhou Zhiruo. Peng Yingyu once remarked that she is "ugly in appearance and evil-hearted" after she blinded his right eye. She once self-appointed herself as Emei's acting leader when Zhou Zhiruo went missing, but her peers were reluctant to follow her because of her selfishness.
• Bei Jinyi is one of Miejue's apprentices and a junior of Ding Minjun and Ji Xiaofu. When her master orders her and Ding to pursue and kill Yang Buhui, she decides to spare the child on account of her past relations with Ji Xiaofu, so she lies to Miejue that Yang has already escaped.
• Zhao Lingzhu
• Li Mingxia
• Su Mengqing
• Fang Bilin
• Jingxuan is accidentally injured by Zhang Wuji when she was making her way to Bright Peak. She collects the remains of the broken Heaven Sword at the end of the story.
• Jinghui is an impulsive nun who explains to Zhang Wuji the truth about Zhou Zhiruo's relationship with Song Qingshu.
• Jingxu is killed by Wei Yixiao during her journey to Bright Peak.
• Jingzhao attempts to assassinate Xie Xun at the Lion Slaying Ceremony.
• Jingjia killed Situ Qianzhong and Xia Zhou at the Lion Slaying Ceremony with the Thunderbolt Fire Bombs.
• Jingkong
• Jingxian
• Jingzhen
• Jingdao
• Jingfeng
• Jingxin
• Jinghe

  Shaolin Sect

• Jueyuan was Wuse and Wuxiang's junior. He is credited as Zhang Sanfeng's martial arts master. Before his death, he recited the Nine Yang Manual to his apprentice and Guo Xiang, who respectively founded the Wudang and Emei sects later.
• Cheng Kun, nicknamed "Hunyuan Thunderbolt Hand", is the primary antagonist in the novel and a formidable martial artist. He seeks to destroy the Ming Cult after his junior, whom he had a crush on, married Yang Dingtian and committed suicide to join her husband. He disguised himself as a Shaolin monk called Yuanzhen and successfully stirred up conflict between the Ming Cult and the six major orthodox sects through a series of machinations. Years before his junior's marriage to Yang Dingtian, he accepted Xie Xun as his apprentice but then killed Xie's family in cold blood after discovering that he joined the Ming Cult before disappearing. Although he dislikes the Mongols, he still reluctantly becomes an adviser to Chaghan Temür and helps him devise plans to eliminate the Ming Cult. As the story progresses, he becomes corrupted by his lust for power and plots with Chen Youliang to dominate the wulin, but their plan is foiled by Zhang Wuji and others. He is eventually defeated and blinded by Xie Xun, becomes a handicap for the rest of his life.
• Four Holy Monks :
• * Kongjian mastered the art of invincibility. He attempted to appease Xie Xun's rage by allowing Xie to kill him. Xie Xun later often regretted killing Kongjian.
• * Kongwen is the abbot of Shaolin Monastery.
• * Kongzhi is Kongwen's hot-tempered junior.
• * Kongxing is murdered by A'San.
• The Three Elders of the Bodhidharma Hall form the 'Vajra Evil Subduing Ring' to guard Xie Xun when he is held captive in Shaolin. More than 30 years ago, they fought with Yang Dingtian after being instigated by Cheng Kun and were injured by him. Since then, they have retreated into a state of "withering meditation". They become more aware of Cheng Kun's wicked intentions after listening to Zhang Wuji's explanations. The Three Elders are:
• * Du'e lost his left eye during the fight with Yang Dingtian. He trusts Zhang Wuji despite standing on an opposing side.
• * Dujie
• * Dunan
• Huogong Toutuo was a traitor of Shaolin. He learnt some of Shaolin's skills and fled to the western regions, where he founded the Vajra Sect.

  Kunlun Sect

• He Zudao was nicknamed "Kunlun Three Sage". He disappeared mysteriously after being defeated by Jueyuan. Yinkexi, one of the two men who stole the Nine Yang Manual from Shaolin, told him the whereabouts of the manual before dying. He Zudao misheard the message and passed on the wrong information in the jianghu.
• He Taichong, nicknamed "Mr Iron Zither", is the ungrateful and immoral leader of Kunlun. He and his wife try to kill Zhang Wuji and Yang Buhui after Zhang saved his concubine from death, but Yang Xiao saves Zhang and Yang. Later in the novel, he attempts to kill Xie Xun, who is held captive in Shaolin, so that he can take the Dragon Saber, but is slain by the three Shaolin elders.
• Ban Shuxian is He Taichong's wife and an expert in the 'Dual Swordplay'. She is killed along with her husband by the three Elders.

  Mount Hua Sect

• Xianyu Tong, nicknamed "Shenjizi", is the promiscuous and immoral leader of the sect. Hu Qingniu once saved his life when he was infected with Golden Worm Poison by Lady Miao, whom he previously had a relationship with. Hu Qingniu's sister, Hu Qingyang, fell in love with him while he was recovering and married him. However, he forced Hu Qingyang to die so that he can marry the daughter of his predecessor, even though she was already pregnant with his child. Xianyu Tong's wicked deed was discovered by his senior, Bai Yuan, whom he killed before the secret was revealed. He then framed the Ming Cult for the murder. During the battle at Bright Peak, Xianyu Tong attempts to kill Zhang Wuji, who is aware of his dirty secrets, but is infected with the Golden Worm Poison again. Zhang Wuji defeats him and exposes his past atrocities. Xianyu Tong dies at the hands of He Taichong incidentally during the fight.
• Xue Gongyuan is one of Xianyu Tong's apprentices. He and several others were injured by Golden Flower Granny and went to Butterfly Valley to seek treatment from Hu Qingniu. They are healed by Zhang Wuji, but betray him later and make cannibalistic attempts on him and Yang Buhui. Zhang tricks them into consuming a poisonous broth, which kills them.

  Kongtong Sect

• The "Five Elders of Kongtong" bore a grudge against Xie Xun after he stole the 'Seven Harms Fist' manual from them. They are defeated by Zhang Wuji at Bright Peak. The fifth elder's name is not mentioned in the novel. The other four are:
• * Guan Neng
• * Zong Weixia holds a grudge against Yin Tianzheng after they once fought in the past. He becomes Zhang Wuji's ally in Kongtong after Zhang treats his wounds during their match at Bright Peak. He renounces his past feud with the Ming Cult.
• * Tang Wenliang had his limbs broken by Yin Tianzheng during the battle at Bright Peak. Zhang Wuji heals his injuries and saves him from permanent paralysis.
• * Chang Jingzhi
• Jian Jie is a minor member of the sect who was injured by Golden Flower Granny. He is healed by Zhang Wuji but repays his kindness with evil by making cannibalistic attempts on Zhang and Yang Buhui. He is tricked by Zhang into consuming a poisonous broth that took his life.

  Beggars' Sect

• Chen Youliang is Cheng Kun's apprentice and therefore is Xie Xun's junior. He serves the Beggars' Sect as a spy for his master and manipulates Song Qingshu into betraying the Wudang Sect. He defects to the Ming Cult after Cheng Kun's defeat but betrays the cult later and becomes a territorial warlord after the fall of the Yuan Empire.
• Shi Huolong is the sect's chief. He is hardly known to the wulin because he rarely made public appearances. He was murdered by Cheng Kun and Chen Youliang, who replaced him with an impostor under their control.
• Shi Hongshi is Shi Huolong's daughter. She was rescued by the Yellow Dress Maiden after her father was murdered. She succeeds her father as the chief of the Beggars' Sect.

  Zhu and Wu families

• Zhu Changling, nicknamed "Heavenly Shaking Brush", is a descendant of Zhu Ziliu. He is skilled in using the "Yiyang Finger". He collaborates with Wu Lie to trick Zhang Wuji into revealing the location of Xie Xun.
• Wu Lie is a descendant of Wu Santong. He plots with Zhu Changling to deceive Zhang Wuji into revealing Xie Xun's whereabouts.
• Zhu Jiuzhen is Zhu Changling's daughter. Though beautiful in appearance, she is cruel and sadistic. She seduces Zhang Wuji and helps her father and Wu Lie trick Zhang into revealing Xie Xun's whereabouts. She is killed by Yin Li.
• Wu Qingying is Wu Lie's daughter. She is Wei Bi's romantic interest and Zhu Jiuzhen's love rival.
• Wei Bi is Wu Lie's apprentice. He wants to win the love of both Zhu Jiuzhen and Wu Qingying. He is slain by Wei Yixiao while attempting to sneak up on him.

  Others

• Han Qianye was nicknamed "Mr Silver Leaf". He sought revenge on Yang Dingtian and challenged him to a fight. Daiqisi took up his challenge and they fought in the Icy Lake. They fell in love and later left for good to settle on a remote island, where their daughter Xiaozhao was born. In an earlier edition of the novel, Fan Yao was suspected of poisoning Han to death.
• The Yellow Dress Maiden is a descendant of the Condor Hero Couple. Her real name is not mentioned in the novel but her family name is briefly said to be 'Yang'. She appears to help Zhang Wuji in times of danger. She defeats Zhou Zhiruo's 'Nine Yin White Bone Claw' with an orthodox version of the skills in the Nine Yin Manual.
• Situ Qianzhong is a drunk martial artist who befriends Zhou Dian at the Lion Slaying Ceremony. He is killed by Jingjia.
• Xia Zhou is a brother of one of Xie Xun's victims. He is killed by Jingjia along with Situ Qianzhong at the Lion Slaying Ceremony.
• Du Baidang and Yi Sanniang are the parents of one of Xie Xun's victims. The couple provided shelter for Zhang Wuji and Zhao Min when they are heading to Shaolin. The couple are murdered by Zhou Zhiruo later.