Preparation Checklist
Before you begin, make sure you have the following ready:
- Complete the main story through Chapter 6 up to the final boss arena (do not trigger the normal ending cutscene)
- Locate and complete the secret area in every chapter (Chapters 1-5), including defeating each hidden boss
- Collect all six Buddha's Eyeballs scattered across the secret areas to unlock the Great Pagoda in Chapter 3
- Reach at least Level 80 with a fully upgraded staff (the Bishui Beast Staff or better) and maxed-out Pilgrim armor set
- Stockpile at least 10 Life-Saving Pills, 5 Shock-Quelling Powder, and max Tiger Subduing Pills before entering the Erlang Shen arena
- Defeat all five chapter secret bosses and obtain their relics — these are hard requirements, not optional
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Complete All Five Chapter Secret Areas
The secret ending is gated behind five hidden areas, one per chapter, each containing a unique boss that drops a relic required for the true ending. In Chapter 1 (Black Wind Mountain), ring the three hidden bells scattered behind waterfalls near the Wolf Forest, Bamboo Grove, and outside the Guanyin Temple. Ringing all three transports you to the Ancient Guanyin Temple, where you fight Elder Jinchi. Chapter 2's secret (Yellow Wind Ridge) requires the Arhat staff piece from the Tiger Vanguard's arena — use it to open the locked door in the Crouching Tiger Temple cellar and defeat Fuban, the giant beetle. Chapter 3's secret area (The New West) is the most complex: collect all six Buddha's Eyeballs from meditation spots, place them in the Great Pagoda's altar, and enter the Purple Cloud Mountain to defeat the Duskveil. Chapter 4 (The Webbed Hollow) requires you to exhaust all dialogue with the Fourth Sister NPC in the hollow village and then find the hidden tunnel behind her hut, leading to the Scorpionlord fight inside the Hundred-Eyed Temple. For Chapter 5 (Flaming Mountains), use the Plantain Fan to extinguish the five flame gates scattered across the lava fields, which opens the path to Bishui Cave and the Bishui Golden-Eyed Beast fight. Each boss drops a Relic — keep them all; they are the keys to the secret ending.
Step 2: Unlock the Great Pagoda and the Spell Binder Questline
With all six Buddha's Eyeballs collected from secret areas across Chapters 1 through 3, return to the Great Pagoda in Chapter 3's Valley of Ecstasy. Insert the eyeballs into the six empty sockets on the pagoda's central altar. This activates a cutscene where the pagoda's upper floors open. Climb to the top and interact with the suspended golden mural. This triggers the Spell Binder quest, which sends you on a hunt for four additional mantra scrolls hidden across Chapters 3 through 5. The scroll locations: the Fallen Dragon's Pool underwater cave (Chapter 3), behind the Tiger Vanguard's throne room (Chapter 2 revisit), inside a cocoon in the Webbed Hollow's deepest chamber (Chapter 4), and atop the tallest pillar in the Furnace Valley (Chapter 5). Collect all four scrolls, return to the Pagoda, and the Spell Binder transformation spell unlocks permanently. This spell is essential for the Erlang Shen fight — it lets you break through his shield phases in one hit during critical moments.
Step 3: Prepare Your Build for the Erlang Shen Fight
The secret boss Erlang Shen is the hardest encounter in Black Myth: Wukong — harder than the final boss by a wide margin. He has four phases, each with a unique elemental affinity, and a regenerating shield that must be broken before health damage applies. Equip the Pilgrim armor set fully upgraded to Mythic rarity for maximum mobility and the set bonus that increases damage after perfect dodges. Your weapon should be the Jingubang staff if you have it; otherwise, the Bishui Beast Staff with its fire damage is excellent against Erlang Shen's Phase 2 ice form. For Spirits, equip the Wandering Wight for burst stagger damage on shield breaks. For transformations, bring Red Tides (fire) for Phase 2 and Ebon Flow (lightning) for Phase 4. Your gourd should hold at least 8 sips, and your equipped medicines must include Shock-Quelling Powder (Phase 3 lightning), Fireproof Mantle powder (Phase 1 fire), and Tiger Subduing Pills for the Phase 4 DPS race. The Spell Binder spell should be slotted in your quick-access slot, not the transformation wheel.
Step 4: Defeat Erlang Shen — Phase-by-Phase Breakdown
The fight begins in the Celestial Court arena, a floating platform above the clouds. Erlang Shen opens Phase 1 (Fire) with a sweeping three-hit glaive combo followed by a ground eruption. Dodge forward through the second swing, not backward — the third hit has deceptive forward lunge range. Punish after the eruption with a light attack string, then back off before his flaming eye laser. Use Immobilize when his glaive glows orange to interrupt his charged fire slam. Phase 2 (Ice) begins at 75% health. The arena gains icy patches that slow you. Erlang Shen summons ice clones that mimic his attacks with a delay. Use Red Tides transformation here — its fire damage melts clones instantly and clears ice patches. At 50% health, Phase 3 (Lightning) starts. Erlang Shen gains a teleport strike and chain lightning. Pop Shock-Quelling Powder immediately. His tell for the teleport is a three-fingered hand gesture — dodge the instant his fingers close. Phase 4 (Void) at 25% health is pure chaos: the shield regenerates every 30 seconds, and Erlang Shen starts mixing all three elements. This is where Spell Binder shines — activate it the moment his shield pops to one-shot his stagger bar and open a 10-second damage window. Land your full charged heavy attack combo during this window. Two full Spell Binder cycles should end the fight. If you die, the checkpoint is mercifully at the arena entrance, not at the last shrine.
Step 5: Trigger the True Ending Cutscene
Once Erlang Shen falls, you receive the final relic — the Mind Core. A short cutscene plays where Erlang Shen, gravely wounded, acknowledges the Destined One's worth and gifts you his third eye before fading. Do NOT go directly to the final boss yet. First, fast-travel back to any shrine and rest. This is critical: resting triggers a new dialogue prompt with the Old Monkey at the shrine, where he speaks about the "truth behind the mountain." Only after this dialogue appears is the true ending flag set. Now travel to the final boss arena at the peak of Mount Huaguo. The normal ending trigger (the stone egg) will still be present, but a second interaction point now glows with golden light to the left of the egg. Interact with the golden light first — this plays the true ending cinematic where the Destined One refuses the headband, shatters the cycle of imprisonment, and walks away from the Celestial Court as the true Sun Wukong reborn. After the credits roll, a post-credits scene hints at the expansion storyline involving the Bull Demon King and the erased fourth disciple.
Player FAQ
Can I get the secret ending if I already beat the final boss with the normal ending?
Yes. Black Myth: Wukong does not lock you out of the secret ending after seeing the normal ending. After the normal credits, you are placed back at the shrine just before the final boss arena. You can then go complete any missing secret areas, defeat Erlang Shen, and return to the arena. The golden interaction point will now be present. This is the intended developer path for players who want to see both endings on a single save file — there is no need to start New Game Plus.
Where exactly is Erlang Shen's arena, and how do I access it?
Erlang Shen's arena is accessed through the Great Pagoda in Chapter 3's Valley of Ecstasy. After completing all five chapter secret bosses and collecting their relics, return to the Great Pagoda's top floor. A new interaction point manifests as a swirling golden portal on the mural. Interact with it and select "Enter the Celestial Court." This teleports you to the floating arena. The portal remains open permanently after it spawns, so you can attempt the fight as many times as needed.
What level should I be before attempting Erlang Shen?
Level 80 is the comfortable minimum with fully upgraded gear and a solid build. Players with strong parry and dodge fundamentals can beat him at Level 65-70, but the margin for error is razor-thin — most of his Phase 3 and 4 attacks one-shot or two-shot below 600 defense. Level 90-100 is recommended for a smoother experience. Each level matters because skill points let you max out the Smash Stance (for shield break damage), the Immobilize duration talents, and the critical hit chance passive in the Survival tree. Farm XP in the Furnace Valley's infinite enemy gauntlet in Chapter 5 if you need to grind levels quickly.
Do I need to find all Meditation Spots for the secret ending?
No. Meditation Spots grant skill points but are not required for the secret ending. Only the six Buddha's Eyeballs (which are found at specific meditation spots, not all of them) are mandatory because they unlock the Great Pagoda. If you have already collected the six eyeballs, you can safely skip remaining meditation spots. However, the bonus skill points from meditation spots make the Erlang Shen fight easier, so collecting them is recommended even if not strictly required.
Is the secret ending considered the canon ending?
Game Science has not made an official statement, but community consensus and the post-credits expansion teaser strongly suggest the secret ending is the canonical conclusion. The normal ending frames the Destined One as another link in the Celestial Court's chain of control, while the secret ending breaks that cycle entirely. The post-credits scene for the secret ending directly sets up the announced DLC plotline involving the Bull Demon King and Zhu Bajie's true allegiance. For lore hunters, the secret ending is the definitive experience.
Can I co-op or summon help for the Erlang Shen fight?
Black Myth: Wukong is a single-player game with no multiplayer or summoning mechanics. However, the Zhu Bajie NPC companion will occasionally assist during certain Chapter 6 boss fights. He does not appear in the Erlang Shen fight — you must face the Three-Eyed God entirely solo. The only "help" available is the Pluck of Many spell (clone army), which is actually very effective against Erlang Shen if cast immediately after a shield break when he is staggered. The clones eat his aggro while you heal or reposition.