Song Yinglong

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Song Yinglong (宋应龙)
Alias(es)	Vajra Heavenly King; Dragon Cavalry Grand General; “Little Song” and “Old Song,” used by Hong Yuan 93 97 103 117
Gender	Male
Age	In his forties or fifties during his rivalry with Hong Yuan 93
Affiliation	Crouching Tiger Manor, also translated as Crouching Tiger Villa; Dragon Cavalry Army; Red Lotus Cult 70 97 117
Occupation/Role	Founder and master of Crouching Tiger Manor; commander of the Dragon Cavalry Army; one of the Red Lotus Cult’s Four Kings 97 117 130
Status	Deceased; transformed into a Hundred-Poison Corpse Puppet by the Red Lotus Cult and subsequently assigned by Hong Yuan to guard the Sea-Calming Alliance 130 141
First Appearance	Chapter 70, “Yinglong” 70

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
External Astral Body — Black-Iron Buddha-Skin Body	70 83	Obtained through the Red Lotus Cult. Song initially displays a heated-metal transformation; its identity is revealed when his palm withstands Xiang Yuhou’s blade. He considers the intended union of internal and external arts unfinished.
Hundred-Poison Bodhi Astral Art — acquired for study	104	Secures the internal art ahead of the cult’s original conditions, but cannot begin cultivation without Blood Bodhi and Resentment Sand. This is an acquisition, not confirmed mastery.
Attempted internal–external union — Poison Buddha Golden Body	117	Wuhen reports that Song may already be undergoing the dangerous internal-body ritual in Songyang Commandery. Successful completion is not established.
Hundred-Poison Corpse Puppet	130 141	Confirmed dead and transformed by the Red Lotus Cult. Hong Yuan considers the puppet a top-tier asset for the Sea-Calming Alliance, though insignificant beside his own strength.

Appearance

• Build and age: A burly, imposing middle-aged man with a flowing beard 70.
• Expression: Habitually cold and stern, with a sharp, intimidating gaze 70 85 87.
• Astral transformation: His eyes acquire a reddish-gold hue, his face shines like heated metal, and his palms gleam reddish gold 70 83.
• Voice: Powerful and ringing, compared to clashing metal 70.

Personality

Song combines generous hospitality with coercion. He welcomes Wu Duxiong with lavish banquets, but turns a request to take Yang Lie as his disciple into an unmistakable threat. His reputation for aiding those in need and befriending martial “heroes” also supports his long-term political ambitions 70 130.

He is calculating about military power and allegiance. After capturing Linjiang’s guards, he refuses to deploy them immediately because their loyalty remains uncertain. He also recognizes that an army would struggle to trap Hong Yuan in the city’s streets 86.

His pride grows markedly after obtaining his Astral Body. He becomes dismissive of the Red Lotus Cult and believes few opponents can challenge him. Repeated defeats by Hong Yuan undermine that confidence without extinguishing his ambition: his determination to surpass Hong eventually draws him toward a potentially fatal transformation 104 117.

Abilities & Skills

Black-Iron Buddha-Skin Body

An external Astral Body supplied by the Red Lotus Cult, transforming Song’s flesh into a hardened combat body 83 117.

• Allows his bare palm to withstand Xiang Yuhou’s steel blade without injury 83.
• Provides exceptional strength, resilient muscles and bones, and strong performance against groups of enemies 88 111.
• His palms are considerably tougher than the rest of his body 88.
• Does not prevent powerful force from penetrating inward: Hong Yuan’s spear force injures his chest despite failing to pierce his heart 88.
• Produces backlash that worsens his condition during his second defeat by Hong Yuan 93.

Earth Vein Listening Force

A defensive Force Art that diverts part of an incoming attack into the ground by aligning the soles of the feet with earth veins 87.

• Helps Song withstand Hong Yuan’s opening downward spear strike 87.
• Transfers enough force into the street to crack the surrounding paving 87.
• Only redirects part of the impact; Song remains badly strained by the blow 87.

Lance Combat and Unarmed Fighting

Song can contend with Hong Yuan in both technique and force, surpassing the Subtlety grandmasters Lei Meng and Han Dingtian by a substantial margin 88.

• Uses rapid lance thrusts and a spinning defense during their first duel 87.
• Meets Hong Yuan’s spear with his bare palms after emerging from the ruined teahouse 87.
• Fights Hong unarmed for roughly fifteen minutes during the Black Iron Town confrontation before injuries and Astral Body backlash force him to yield 93.

Bird-Crossing Technique

A movement technique used together with a Wind-Riding Talisman to rise into the air and cross the street toward nearby rooftops 87 88.

• Saves Song from a spear thrust aimed at his heart 88.
• Provides an aerial escape from immediate danger, but does not give him a reliable way to flee the entire duel 88.

Hundred-Poison Bodhi Astral Art

An internal Astral Art intended to complement the Black-Iron Buddha-Skin Body. Combining the two would produce the Poison Buddha Golden Body 104 117.

• Requires Blood Bodhi and Resentment Sand to be sewn into the practitioner’s heart 117.
• The cult initially demands control of at least three prefectures before supplying the method and necessary materials 88 104.
• Lady Miaoyun gives the ritual only a one-in-ten chance of survival 88.
• Song obtains the method for preliminary study, but the context never confirms successful cultivation 104 117.

Political and Military Leadership

• Builds Crouching Tiger Manor over ten or twenty years through planning, patronage, and Red Lotus Cult assistance 117.
• Coordinates the seizure of the Iron Wall Guard and White Scale Guard, including Zhang Sanshi’s defection 85.
• Merges the captured guards into the Dragon Cavalry Army and assumes the title of Dragon Cavalry Grand General 97.
• Possesses extensive knowledge of True Arts, the Elixir Path, and Astral Bodies, which Hong Yuan extracts after defeating him 93.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Long Lance — His principal weapon in the first duel with Hong Yuan 86 87.
• Wind-Riding Talisman — Used with the Bird-Crossing Technique to narrowly escape a lethal spear thrust 88.
• Warhorse — Killed beneath him by the force of Hong Yuan’s opening attack 87.
• Medicinal pills — Taken during secluded cultivation while recovering from his defeats 97.

Background / History

Founding Crouching Tiger Manor

Song founded Crouching Tiger Manor and cultivated a following by giving generously to those in need and befriending martial figures from across the land. Its growth over ten or twenty years relied both on his own planning and on assistance from the Red Lotus Cult. After joining the cult, he received the title of Vajra Heavenly King and the Black-Iron Buddha-Skin Body 117 130.

Although he later tells Xiang Yuhou that he merely cooperates with the cult rather than belonging to it, Wuhen’s account identifies him as one of its Four Kings 83 117.

Using Yang Lie as Leverage

When Wu Duxiong and Yang Lie arrive at the manor, Song investigates their connection to Hong Yuan. He forces Wu to approve Yang’s discipleship, effectively keeping Yang as a hostage. He then sends Wu and several dozen fighters to Twin Dragon Gorge, ostensibly to support Hong in his coming battle 70.

Song originally hopes to use Yang and Wu to secure Hong as a vanguard general. After meeting Hong, however, he abandons the idea: he recognizes a similarly cunning temperament and doubts that threats against the two men would produce the desired obedience 97.

Seizing Linjiang Prefecture

Hong Yuan’s disruption of Linjiang prompts Song to advance plans originally intended for the Jade Flower Gathering. Song attacks Prefect Xiang Yuhou, captures him, and later kills Xiang Kun publicly. With the White Scale Guard pressing the Iron Wall Guard and Zhang Sanshi turning against the Xiang Family, Song takes both forces 70 83 85.

Hong’s simultaneous seizure of the Jintang Battalion prevents Song from uniting the prefecture. Song tries to recruit him through their connection to Yang Lie, offering a position subordinate only to himself. Hong refuses, and their confrontation becomes a destructive street duel 85 86 87.

After losing, Song yields two Subtlety-level and three ordinary force methods. Their negotiated settlement gives him the eastern and northern districts of the prefectural city, while Hong controls the west and south. Song gains many government offices and influential households, but Hong holds major docks, commercial districts, and the South Water Gate 88 91.

Expansion and Further Defeat

Song’s attempt to capture Black Iron Town, a major arms-production center, brings Hong directly into his council hall. Song initially refuses to abandon the campaign because of its cost, casualties, and importance to his prestige. A second defeat forces him to withdraw 92 93.

Despite these setbacks, Song controls ten counties and petitions the central court for appointment as Prefect of Linjiang. Representatives of the Xie, Chen, and Wang families agree to forward the petition; an actual appointment is not confirmed 94.

He reorganizes the captured guards into the Dragon Cavalry Army and attacks neighboring Taicang Commandery and Xingqing Prefecture. Taicang offers little resistance, but Xingqing’s clans unite and enlist the Seed Jade Sect. Song subsequently reaches a bargain under which Hong agrees to make one move against that sect 97 104 106.

Red Lotus Ritual and Death

Song’s repeated humiliation drives him to demand the Hundred-Poison Bodhi Astral Art. He eventually obtains the method, but initially lacks its essential materials. He later travels with Red Lotus to Songyang Commandery while Mr. Wuhen impersonates him to maintain control of the Dragon Cavalry Army 104 116.

Wuhen asks Hong to rescue Song, fearing that the cult’s assistance is a trap and that Song’s fixation on defeating Hong makes him unlikely to survive the internal-body ritual. The request does not establish that Hong agrees to save him 117.

By Chapter 130, Song is dead and his remains have become a Hundred-Poison Corpse Puppet. Hong assigns the puppet to guard the Sea-Calming Alliance. He later confirms Song’s fate to Yang Lie and Wu Duxiong, then backs Yang’s succession as Young Marshal of the Dragon Cavalry Army 130 141.

Relationships

• Hong Yuan — Political and martial rival. Song first seeks to recruit him, then loses two major confrontations and negotiates coexistence. Hong’s teasing claims of friendship contrast with Song’s growing obsession with defeating him 70 86 88 93 104 117.
• Yang Lie — Disciple taken through coercion and initially used as leverage against Hong. After Song’s death, Yang succeeds to leadership of the Dragon Cavalry Army with Hong’s backing 70 97 140 141.
• Wu Duxiong — Guest whose connection to Hong makes him useful to Song. Compelled to approve Yang’s discipleship and lead the manor’s contingent to Twin Dragon Gorge 70.
• Mr. Wuhen / Yu Wuhen — Loyal subordinate and friend whose life Song once saved. Impersonates Song during his absence and seeks Hong’s help when he fears for Song’s survival 116 117.
• Lady Miaoyun — Ally involved in the Linjiang takeover. Encourages Song to adopt the title of king and explains the conditions and risks of the Hundred-Poison Bodhi ritual 85 88.
• Xu Jinming — Intermediary who escorts Wu Duxiong and delivers intelligence about Hong’s exploits 70.
• Zhang Sanshi — Defecting Iron Wall Guard officer whose contribution Song credits after capturing the guard 85.
• Xiang Yuhou and Xiang Kun — Representatives of the authority Song overthrows; he captures Yuhou and kills Kun before the soldiers 83 85.

Notable Quotes

“Those who follow me shall prosper. Those who oppose me shall perish!” 85

“I'm not a member of the Red Lotus Cult. I merely cooperate with them.” 83

“Only when the inner and outer become one could I truly be called invincible beneath heaven!” 70