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. 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 having been named as the cult's new leader, he is unable to stop Zhu Yuanzhang from seizing control of the cult. ** 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 goddaughter. She was later made one of the cult's guardian kings after defeating Han Qianye, a man who challenged Yang Dingtian to a vengeful underwater duel. Later, she broke her vow of celibacy when she fell in love with Han Qianye, exiled herself from the sect, and settled on Divine Snake Island with Han Qianye, 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''. 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 (including humans) 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. * 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 withHeavenly Eagle Cult
* Yin Susu () is Yin Tianzheng's daughter. 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 (Yin Li's mother) 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. 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. She 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.Yuan Empire
* Chaghan Temür (), the Prince of Ruyang (), is the father of Wang Baobao and Zhao Min. He is ordered by the Yuan emperor to eliminate the Ming Cult and other anti-Yuan forces in the ''wulin'' (martial arts community). * Lady Han () is Chaghan Temür's concubine. She is killed in Wan'an Monastery by Fan Yao. * Köke Temür (), also known by his Chinese name Wang Baobao (), is Chaghan Temür's son and Zhao Min's brother. * Lu Zhangke () and He Biweng () are the Xuanming Elders (), 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 Xuanming Elders are: * Huogong Toutuo's apprentices are recruited by Chaghan Temür as mercenaries. They and Cheng Kun massacred the Dragon Gate Security Service 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 Ada (), 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 a mercenary. ** Aer () ** Asan () 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. Previously from the Shaolin Sect, he was known as Zhang Junbao () in his younger days and had learnt part of the ''Nine Yang Manual'' and Yang Guo's skills. He was expelled from Shaolin after the monks mistakenly believed that he had secretly learnt Shaolin martial arts without formal approval. Several years later, he founded the Wudang Sect, which became one of the top martial arts sects in the ''wulin'' (martial artists' community) alongside Shaolin. In his old age, he 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 Zhang Sanfeng's first seven apprentices. Their master named them after seven beautiful sights he had seen in his life, and they collectively form a landscape painting: ''yuanqiao'' ("distant bridge"); ''lianzhou'' ("lotus boat"); ''daiyan'' ("rock of Mount Tai"); ''songxi'' ("pine stream"); ''cuishan'' ("green mountains"); ''liting'' ("pear-shaped pavilion"); and ''shenggu'' ("echoic valley"). The seven, listed in order of seniority, are as follows: ** Song Yuanqiao () is a reputable swordsman and the most likely candidate to succeed his master as Wudang's leader. However, he is disgraced by his son's misconduct and loses the opportunity to be Wudang's 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 Asan 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. Hence he turned to imparting his martial art skills to the next generation of disciples of Wudang. ** 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, her daughter 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 (), nicknamed "Jade-FacedEmei 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 (Zhang Sanfeng) nearShaolin 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 "Primordial Chaos Thunderbolt Hand" (), is a scheming villain who seeks to destroy the Ming Cult after his junior, whom he had a romantic relation with, married Yang Dingtian under his arrangement with her family and, despite her love for her senior, committed suicide to join her husband out of marital duties and shame. He managed to hide his past and join Shaolin as a monk with the name Yuanzhen (). During this time, he 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 had accepted Xie Xun as his apprentice and later killed Xie's family in cold blood. 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'' (martial artists' community), but their plan is foiled by Zhang Wuji and others. He is eventually defeated and blinded by Xie Xun and 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 Asan. * 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 a fight with Yang Dingtian. ** Dujie () ** Dunan () * Huogong Toutuo () was a Shaolin traitor who 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''. His name ''He Zudao'' is a word play on an archaic Chinese phrase, ''hezudao'' ("no need to mention"). * He Taichong (), nicknamed "Iron Qin Gentleman" (), is the ungrateful and immoral leader of Kunlun. He and his wife try to kill Zhang Wuji and Yang Buhui after Zhang Wuji saved his concubine from death, but Yang Xiao saves the two children. 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 Shaolin 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 Injuries 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. 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'' (martial artists' community) because he rarely made public appearances. He was murdered by Cheng Kun and Chen Youliang, who replaced him with an imposter under their control. Zhang Wuji defeats and exposes the imposter later. * 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 ofOthers
* Han Qianye () was nicknamed "Silver Leaf Gentleman" (). 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 (), whose name is not revealed in the novel, is a descendant of Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü. 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''. (See Template:Yang Kang and Mu Nianci's family tree for her family tree.) * 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.References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heaven Sword And Dragon Saber Characters, List Of The Condor Trilogy The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber Lists of Jin Yong characters