What did the characters in Jin Yong's novels do for a living?

When they watched TV, they always thought about this question. They didn't do business, didn't work, and didn't rely on their families to support them. They traveled the Jianghu every day, went to Zhongnan Mountain, and went to Peach Blossom Island. Where did they get the money? Snatched? Why was he so generous when he went to a hotel?
A lot of my friends said that I was being serious, but I didn't mean that. I was just curious.

Answer 1

The characters in Jin Yong's novels usually lived on martial arts and their status in Jianghu. Many characters in the novel had unique martial arts that could be used for self-defense or to help others. Other than that, some of the characters would also be leaders of sects or guilds, with the ability to manage an organization. These characters usually gained wealth and status by engaging in various Jianghu activities such as robbery, chivalrous justice, imparting martial arts, doing business, and so on.