As a seasoned player who's seen it all, let me tell you, the default ending of Black Myth: Wukong feels like finishing a marathon only to trip right before the ribbon. Sure, you 'finished,' but did you really win? Not until you've unlocked the Secret Ending, the so-called 'True Ending,' where our Monkey King protagonist actually achieves his destiny and true enlightenment. It's the difference between getting a participation trophy and lifting the championship belt. And in 2026, with the game's secrets fully mapped by the community, there's no excuse not to go for the gold. But beware, pilgrim, the path is littered with hidden bosses, obscure side quests, and one brutally challenging final secret boss. Spoilers ahead, obviously. If you're not ready, look away now!
The Two Endings: Good Monkey vs. Sad Monkey
Simply put, the game presents you with two vastly different conclusions. The Default Ending is, frankly, a bit of a bummer. You get the final cutscene, but it's the 'bad' outcome where our hero doesn't fulfill his special destiny. It's like the story just... stops. The Secret Ending, however, is the full, glorious, animated finale. You get the same starting cutscene, but then it continues, rewarding your thorough exploration with a beautiful, conclusive epilogue that provides true narrative satisfaction. Think of it as the director's cut versus the theatrical release.
The Grand Checklist: Your Roadmap to the True Ending
Unlocking this cinematic masterpiece isn't for the faint of heart. You must complete a specific, well-hidden secret in each of the first five chapters. Only then will the path to the final, hidden boss—Erlang—open in Chapter 3's Great Pagoda area. Here’s your ultimate to-do list:
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Chapter 1: Clear the Ancient Guanyin Temple. (Ring the three bells)
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Chapter 2: Clear the Kingdom of Sahali. (Complete the Drunken Boar questline)
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Chapter 3: Complete the Treasure Hunter side quest.
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Chapter 4: Clear the Purple Cloud Mountain secret area. (Defeat the Venom Daoist twice)
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Chapter 5: Clear the Bishui Cave secret area. (Help the Pale-Axe Stalwart)
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Chapter 3 (Again): Defeat the Secret Boss, Erlang, in Mount Mei.
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Complete the main story to trigger the True Ending.
Miss just one, and Erlang's door stays shut. Let's break down each step, because they're easy to miss.
Chapter 1: The Bells of Guanyin
To access the Ancient Guanyin Temple, you must find and ring three hidden bells in Chapter 1. The order doesn't matter.
| Bell Location | How to Find It |
|---|---|
| Bell 1 | Behind the Guangzhi boss arena, a short walk from the 'Outside the Forest' Shrine. |
| Bell 2 | Behind the Guangmou boss in the Bamboo Grove. |
| Bell 3 | Next to the Whiteclad Noble boss arena, hidden behind a narrow opening in a wall. |
Ring the third bell, and you'll be whisked away to the secret area. Your task? Defeat the Elder Jinchi boss.
Defeat this golden guardian of the Ancient Guanyin Temple to claim your first secret victory.
After the fight, return to the bell near the Whiteclad Noble and interact with the dead fox hanging from a tree to complete the quest. One down!
Chapter 2: The Drunken Boar's Kingdom
This one's a multi-stage quest. Find the Drunken Boar NPC near Rockrest Flat.
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Talk to him.
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Fetch a Sobering Stone from Windrest Hamlet and give it to him.
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Meet him at the Crouching Tiger Temple entrance (upstairs on the right) and give him some Jade Lotus (buy it at a Shrine if needed).
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He'll send you to defeat the First Prince of Flowing Sands for an Arhat Gold Piece.
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Return to Rockrest Flat and fight the now-hostile boar, the Yellow-Robed Squire.
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Enter the newly revealed Kingdom of Sahali and defeat the Tiger Vanguard and Fuban bosses.
Fuban awaits in the Kingdom of Sahali. Bring your A-game.
Chapter 3: The Shivering Treasure Hunter
Start at the 'North Shore of the Bitter Lake' Shrine in the Bitter Lake area. Turn your back to the shrine and follow the shoreline path to your right. You'll find an NPC being threatened—save him! He's the treasure hunter.
Follow the snowy path to rescue the treasure hunter and begin his quest.
Exhaust his dialogue, then find him again near the 'Towers of Karma' Shrine in the Valley of Ecstasy. He'll be sitting on the right, complaining about the cold.
He's waiting for you, and he's still very, very cold.
Equip the Ring of Fire spell and use it near him to warm him up, then talk again. Finally, travel to the 'Forest of Felicity' Shrine. Head down the hill to the right, find the road below, go left, and stick to the left past a small lake. Drop down a ledge behind some frozen monks to reach the Melon Field Shrine. Defeat the Green-Capped Martialist boss in the nearby arena to finish the quest.
The path to the Melon Field is off the beaten track. Don't be afraid to explore!
Chapter 4: The Persistent Venom Daoist
You need to find and defeat the Venom Daoist boss—twice.
- First Encounter: From the 'Pool of Shattered Jade' Shrine, go right, pass through some cocoons, and find a building with a huge single cocoon in front. Hit this 'Odd Cocoon' until he pops out and fight him.
The Venom Daoist's first hiding spot is... cozy.
- Second Encounter: Go to the 'Court of Illumination' Shrine in the Temple of Yellow Flowers. Go through the gated exit in the yellow wall opposite the shrine (the one with a roof). Go straight outside, then follow the mountain path up. At the highest point, before an old shack, turn left and drop down the slope into his lair. Defeat him again.
The second fight requires a leap of faith down this slope.
After the second fight, interact with the colorful mural to enter Purple Cloud Mountain. Fight your way up and defeat The Duskveil boss at the summit. For the full story, talk to the snake, defeat the Scorpionlord, and help then defeat Daoist Mi on your way up.
This isn't just rock art; it's your ticket to Purple Cloud Mountain.
Chapter 5: The Stalwart's Cave
This is the Pale-Axe Stalwart quest line.
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From the 'Ashen Pass I' Shrine, enter the village ahead with fighting enemies. Defeat the large axe-wielding bull and speak to him (Pale-Axe Stalwart).
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Continue the main path, defeat the Brown-Iron and Gray-Bronze Carts blocking the way to 'Ashen Pass II', then return to the village to speak with him again.
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Continue, defeat the Crimson-Silver Cart.
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From the Fallen Furnace Crater, walk back. Remember the crushing boulder? It destroyed a barrier. Go down that left path to the 'Cooling Slope' Shrine, continue past it, and defeat the Rusty-Gold Cart.
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Speak with Pale-Axe Stalwart. The large door behind the Rusty-Gold Cart's arena will open, leading to Bishui Cave.
Inside Bishui Cave, defeat the Top Takes Bottom, Bottom Takes Top boss and then the Bishui Golden-Eyed Beast.
Your bovine buddy, Pale-Axe Stalwart, and the entrance to the final chapter secret.
The Final Trial: Erlang, the Secret Boss
Done all five? Fantastic! Now for the real test. Fast-travel to the 'Great Pagoda' Shrine in Chapter 3's Pagoda Realm (reach it via the Snow-Veiled Trail, a right turn, a bridge, and a left slope).
The Great Pagoda holds the gateway to your final challenge.
Walk to the highest part of the room behind the shrine to trigger a cutscene. You'll be taken to Mount Mei. Follow the path up to face Erlang. This fight has three punishing phases. Here's my survival guide:
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Dodge, Dodge, Dodge! Erlang is fast and has long reach. Key attack cues: a yellow flash on his spear as he jumps, a spinning animation, or a brief pause in movement.
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Heal Safely. Create distance before using your Gourd; he won't instantly pursue.
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Phase 1 (~75% HP): He throws a giant, circling axe from the sky. Wait for it to get close before dodging, then immediately dodge his follow-up attack.
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Phase 2 (~50% HP): He fires lasers. You can dodge through them or just run sideways.
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Red Lightning Smash: After the lasers, he'll charge a massive aerial slam. Use Cloudstep to avoid it easily. This attack leaves him wide open for a counter-attack!
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Punish Openings. After his big moves, especially the red lightning, he's vulnerable. Unleash your combos!
See that spear glow? That's your cue to get out of the way!
After beating Erlang, you transform into a giant monkey for a final showdown against the Four Heavenly Kings and then Erlang in lion form. This part is straightforward—focus the Kings one by one, using your limited moveset (mostly Rock Solid).
The bad news: it's a four-on-one. The good news: you're a giant monkey.
Win this battle, and you'll return to the Great Pagoda. Now, just finish the game normally. When you reach the final story beat, sit back and enjoy the Secret Ending—the True Ending—you've earned it. It's a masterpiece of animation and narrative closure that makes the entire arduous journey worth every single bell rung, boar sobered, and Daoist vanquished. Now go claim your destiny, Great Sage!