Shi Potian is the protagonist of the novel who is often mistaken for Shi Zhongyu due to the similarity in appearance between them. Other names he has used include Gouzazhong, "Great Dumpling" and "Shi Yidao".
Bai Zizai is the leader of the Snowy Mountain Sect. He suffers from depression after his wife left him. He becomes extremely proud and arrogant, and constantly believes that his martial arts are the best until he is defeated by Shi Potian. He attends the Laba Feast on Heroes' Island with the intention of upholding the reputation of his sect.
Cheng Zixue
Qi Zimian
Liao Zili
Liang Zijin
Third generation members
Feng Wanli is the eldest apprentice of Bai Zizai and the master of Shi Zhongyu.
Bai Wanjian is Bai Zizai and Shi Xiaocui's son. He is Bai Axiu's father.
Geng Wanzhong
Wang Wanren
Ke Wanjun
Huyan Wanshan
Bao Wanye
Wang Wanyi
Hua Wanzi is the youngest apprentice of Bai Zizai.
Golden Crow Sect (金烏派)
Shi Xiaocui, also called Granny Shi, is Bai Zizai's wife and Bai Wanjian's mother. She becomes Shi Potian's martial arts master. Earlier on, she left the Snowy Mountain Sect after a disagreement with her husband and founded the Golden Crow Sect.
Bai Axiu is Bai Wanjian's daughter. She attempts suicide by jumping down a cliff after being allegedly raped by Shi Zhongyu, but is later saved by Shi Xiaocui. She meets Shi Potian by chance and falls in love with him.
Situ Heng is the former leader of the sect and Shi Zhongyu's predecessor. He leaves the sect after refusing to accept the expected invitation from Heroes' Island and engaging in an argument with Shi Zhongyu.
Bei Haishi is the deputy leader of the sect. He makes Shi Zhongyu join the sect and become its puppet leader. He is the mastermind behind the mix-up between Shi Potian and Shi Zhongyu; he made marks on Shi Potian to make him replace Shi Zhongyu as the leader of the Changle Sect in an attempt to escape from being its leader and receive the invitation from Heroes' Island.
Chen Chongzhi
Mi Hengye
Zhan Fei
Shijian is Shi Zhongyu's servant.
Ding family and associates
Ding Dang is Shi Zhongyu's lover.
Ding Busan is Ding Dang's grandfather.
Ding Busi is Ding Busan's younger brother.
Mei Wenxin
Mei Fanggu is the illegitimate daughter of Ding Busi and Mei Wenxin. She is the stepmother of Shi Potian and treats him badly, but her true identity is not revealed until the end of the novel.
Heroes' Island (俠客島)
Zhang San and Li Si are the sworn brothers of Shi Potian. They are the students of the Island Lords and the "Good and Evil messengers" from Heroes' Island. They are feared for their ruthlessness throughout the jianghu. They meet Shi Potian by chance and forge a friendship with him.
Island Lord Long and Island Lord Mu are the lords of Heroes' Island and masters of Zhang San and Li Si. They die soon upon finding out the truth behind the carvings on the caves on the island from Shi Potian.
Four major sect leaders of Guandong
Fan Yifei
Gao Sanniangzi
Lü Zhengping
Feng Liang
Shangqing Monastery (上清觀)
Tianxu
Chongxu is the ill-tempered junior of Tianxu. He engages Shi Potian in a duel after Shi unintentionally insulted him.
Lingxu
Zhaoxu
Tongxu
Miscellaneous characters
Xie Yanke is a martial artist living on Sky-scraping Cliff. He is the owner of the Black Iron Tablets. He holds the young Gouzazhong captive, takes him to the cliff and teaches him qi-cultivation techniques in the wrong order in an attempt to kill him, but fails.
Wu Daotong
Elder Dabei is the lord of the White Whale Island. He is killed by members of the Changle Sect, but manages to pass 18 wooden dolls to Shi Potian before his death.
Cheng Dayang is the leader of the Flying Fish Sect. He is killed by Zhang San and Li Si after refusing to join the Laba Feast on Heroes' Island.
An Fengtian, Feng Zhenwu and Taoist Yuancheng are the chiefs of the Golden Sabre Stronghold.
Zhou Mu is a subordinate of An Fengtian who is responsible for the murder of Wu Daotong.
