Missing Digit

[Mandred Skavenslayer]

One of Northern Beggar's titles was 9 Fingers Divine Beggar due to his missing digit.

I remember in a TVB series they explained the loss as self inflicted due to his failure to save his mentor.

How accurate was this? Did Jin Yong ever elude to the course of the mutilation or just leave it as a mystery?

[Ian Liew]

It didn't say mentor, but it did say that he removed it to curb his hunger instincts because he once failed to save a good man due to his giving in to temptation.