Golden Crocodile

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Early Losses

Ninety years before his conversation with Qian Daoliu, Golden Crocodile was a youth without Soul Power. A disastrous harvest destroyed the local crops, and officials increased taxes by three-tenths instead of providing relief. His family died in the disaster, leaving him bitter toward the nobles and determined to grow stronger 126.

Later, while seeking a breakthrough in the Star Dou Forest, an unexpected incident kept him away for two months. Before leaving, he had promised to marry the woman he loved upon his return. Three days before he reached home, thugs abducted her; she subsequently took her own life, and villagers found her in an abandoned well. Golden Crocodile killed the perpetrators and destroyed the declining noble faction behind them 126.

He blamed both tragedies on his inability to protect those close to him. He devoted himself to cultivation, eventually joined Spirit Hall, and remained there for decades 126.

Reputation and Position

Golden Crocodile’s youthful reputation rested on victories rather than empty boasts: before reaching the Titled realm, he was known as invincible among his peers. Elder Yu remembered him as an aloof and exceptionally distinguished young man 99.

By Li Mubai’s arrival, he was the Worship Hall’s second-ranking elder and a long-established figure in the Soul Master World. Within Spirit Hall, his strength was regarded as second only to Qian Daoliu’s 2 83 85.

Appearance

• Elderly features: An aged, wrinkled face and long, snow-white hair; a later appearance describes graying temples 83 126 129.
• Eyes: Sharp and vigorous despite his age, later described as tigerlike and shining brightly 83 129.
• Build and bearing: Stands tall with an imposing presence and wears fine robes 73 129.
• Transformed body: A golden crocodile dozens of meters long and roughly ten meters tall, covered in gleaming scales 91.

Personality

Golden Crocodile is decisive, experienced, and fiercely loyal to Spirit Hall. His seniority and strength also make him arrogant toward juniors: he expects deference and sometimes ignores greetings from the Golden Generation entirely. He enjoys public praise and initially treats Li Mubai as an opponent beneath his notice 79 83 85 90.

He jealously guards the Worship Hall’s authority, particularly its financial powers. His outward compliance toward Bibi Dong largely stems from Qian Daoliu’s instructions rather than respect for her leadership. He also resents a woman holding the papal position 67 68 86 124.

Nevertheless, he can acknowledge talent and reconsider an enemy. After experiencing Li Mubai’s methods firsthand, he publicly concedes their spar and refuses to retract his word. His later support is also rooted in personal conviction: having witnessed ordinary people’s suffering, he values reforms that improve their lives, even when those reforms originate with Bibi Dong’s favored elder 94 95 98 126.

Abilities & Skills

Golden Crocodile Martial Soul and Physical Defense

His Golden Crocodile Martial Soul, reinforced by a Hundred Thousand Year Torso Soul Bone, gives him exceptional physical protection 86 87.

• Takes Li Mubai’s opening Sword Drawing Technique without moving; the sword Qi shatters against him 85.
• Activates his Martial Soul to block the physical force of Gale Sword Intent, emerging without visible injury 86.
• His physical defenses do not protect him from the Spiritual Power component concealed within that attack 87.

Sixth Soul Skill: Fierce Golden Crocodile

Fierce Golden Crocodile creates a golden crocodile manifestation more than ten meters tall, which attacks with a tremendous roar 89.

• Sends crushing sound waves toward its target, visibly distorting the air and tearing chunks from the arena floor 89.
• Attacks Spiritual Power as well as exerting substantial physical force 89 91.
• Pushes Li Mubai backward despite his enlarged sword guard, but fails to incapacitate him because of Clear Sword Heart 89 90 91.

Golden Crocodile Possession

A skill granted by his Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring that transforms his body into a colossal golden crocodile 91.

• Greatly increases his size, defense, strength, and speed 91.
• Combines with his Torso Soul Bone to produce extraordinarily durable defenses 91.
• His footsteps shake the ground and crush it into enormous claw prints 91.
• His descending claw is powerful enough that Li Mubai does not trust his body to withstand a direct hit 94.

Experience, Willpower, and Spiritual Resistance

Golden Crocodile’s experience lets him identify unfamiliar Spiritual Power techniques, though he lacks suitable protection against them during the spar 87 94.

• Suppresses Gale Sword Intent’s mental pain through willpower, but cannot remove its effects and is no longer in peak condition 87.
• Recognizes that the pain inside Zhuang Zhou Dreams of a Butterfly comes from an illusion affecting his perception 94.
• Escapes that illusion by repeatedly striking his illusory body’s heart until it dies, exploiting the skill’s weakness 94.
• His initial complacency causes him to overlook his own sense of danger before Gale Sword Intent takes effect 87.

Equipment / Items

• Hundred Thousand Year Torso Soul Bone — A major source of his physical defense, particularly effective alongside his Martial Soul and transformed body 86 87 91.
• Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring — Grants Golden Crocodile Possession 85 91.
• Middle-grade spatial Soul Tool — A storage item of a grade generally held by important figures or powerful Soul Masters 127.

Relationships

• Qian Daoliu — Superior and the principal restraint on his conduct. Golden Crocodile follows his signals at assemblies and yields when directly pressured, fully aware of the gap between their strength 2 68.
• Bibi Dong — Political rival. He opposes her consolidation of authority and challenges her use of Spirit Hall’s finances, although his eventual support for Li Mubai also advances her position 67 86 124 130.
• Li Mubai — Initially a target for retaliation, later a talent he sincerely admires and supports. Their public spar changes his opinion, while Li Mubai’s reforms give him a deeper reason to cooperate 68 94 114 126 130.
• Demon Bear — A confrontational fellow elder who intervenes on Li Mubai’s behalf. Golden Crocodile restrains his anger rather than begin a fight with him at the Pleasant Fragrance House 73.
• Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan — Juniors alienated by his dismissive treatment. All three resent his habit of ignoring their greetings; Hu Liena bets on Li Mubai partly because she dislikes Golden Crocodile 83 85.
• Other worshippers — Allies in defending their shared authority, but unreliable under pressure. They retreat behind him and blame him for their collective appeal to Qian Daoliu 67 68.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Opposition to Bibi Dong’s Reforms

Golden Crocodile leads the worshippers in protesting Bibi Dong’s execution of corrupt clerks, fearing that her actions will weaken their financial authority. Qian Daoliu rejects their complaint and insists that Spirit Hall’s interests outweigh their hold on power. When Golden Crocodile hesitates to comply, Qian Daoliu subjects him to overwhelming pressure until he promises not to interfere 67 68.

Unable to confront Qian Daoliu, he redirects his resentment toward Li Mubai, whose frequent meetings with Bibi Dong suggest involvement in her reforms 68.

Public Spar with Li Mubai

Golden Crocodile challenges Li Mubai at the Pleasant Fragrance House, setting the match for three days later and using the threat of public ridicule to discourage refusal. He deliberately publicizes the duel across the Soul Master World, intending to humiliate Bibi Dong’s adviser. Bibi Dong instead sees an opportunity to display Spirit Hall’s strength to visiting Soul Masters and sect representatives 73 76.

He subsequently insists that his concession cannot be taken back and leaves the arena after encouraging Li Mubai. Reports of the result alarm other major sects and prompt preparations against Spiritual Power attacks 98 99.

Investigation of the New City District

Golden Crocodile later warns Li Mubai that developing Spirit City’s eastern wasteland could cause heavy losses. By this point, his concern is partly protective: he fears that failure would give the other worshippers grounds to ostracize Li Mubai and force Bibi Dong to sideline him 114.

After discovering construction underway, he assumes Bibi Dong has diverted treasury funds without approval. He confronts her, then investigates the treasury and construction site. Instead of finding unauthorized expenditure, he learns that the treasury has received over twenty million gold coins and that merchants are buying plots from Li Mubai to develop housing 123 124 125.

Support for Li Mubai

In a private conversation with Qian Daoliu, Golden Crocodile praises Li Mubai’s abilities and the practical benefits of his reforms, including employment for elderly people unable to support themselves and a reduction in starvation. He recounts his own losses and declares that he will support Li Mubai’s future ideas 126.

He then intervenes at an assembly, rebukes elders who interrupt his exchange with Bibi Dong, and confirms the scale of Li Mubai’s financial contribution. His backing removes a central obstacle to Li Mubai’s appointment as captain of the Guard Corps, surprising both Bibi Dong and the other elders 129 130.

Notable Quotes

“Tenth elder, are you trying to tickle me?” 85

“This old man's word carries the weight of nine tripods. Spilled water cannot be recovered. Since I've already said it, there's no taking it back.” 98

“I don't much like this world, but I don't know how to change it. I have high hopes for what Li Mubai is doing.” 126