Flaming Mountains. Honestly, the name says it all. If you thought the desert in Chapter 2 was a slog or the snow in Chapter 3 felt endless, Chapter 5 of Black Myth: Wukong is a whole different beast. It's hot. It's aggressive. Everything wants to set you on fire. And the Black Myth Wukong Chapter 5 bosses? They are some of the most mechanically demanding fights in the entire game.
You’re not just fighting demons here. You’re fighting the environment. You’re fighting lava. You're fighting your own patience.
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Most players hit a wall at the Bishui Golden-Eyed Beast or get stuck on the Bull Family drama. It's messy. But if you understand the rhythm of the Bishui Cave and the main path through the mountains, these encounters become less of a chore and more of a dance. A very dangerous, fire-filled dance.
The Gatekeepers of the Flaming Mountains
First off, let's talk about the Pale-Axe Stalwart. He’s technically your introduction to the "friendly" side of the Bull Guai, but the actual bosses you'll face early on don't give a damn about diplomacy.
The Brown-Iron Cart, Gray-Bronze Cart, and Crimson-Silver Cart are annoying. Let’s just be real. They aren't traditional bosses in the sense of a grand arena fight, but they block your progress and force you to deal with narrow corridors and flamethrower breath. The trick with these carts is almost always positioning. If you try to face them head-on without a plan, you’re toasted. Literally.
You've gotta bait the fire. Wait for the cooldown. Then go in for the engine.
Then there's Father of Stones. He’s basically a giant rock with a grudge. He’s slow, but his area-of-effect (AoE) slams can catch you off guard if you’re spamming light attacks. The fight teaches you one specific thing: timing your jumps. If you aren't jumping his shockwaves, you're burning through your gourds way too fast.
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Why the Red Boy Fight Changes Everything
Everything in Chapter 5 builds toward the confrontation with Red Boy. This kid is a nightmare. He’s fast, he has incredible range with his spear, and his fire magic is relentless.
But here’s the thing people miss. Red Boy isn't just a boss; he’s a test of your Fire Mantle usage. If you haven't been upgrading your vessels or using the Fireproof Mantle you got way back in Chapter 1, you are making life ten times harder for yourself.
Red Boy’s moveset is flashy. He flies. He creates clones. It’s a lot to take in.
Don't panic.
His second phase—becoming the Yaksha King—is where the emotional weight of Chapter 5 really hits. This is widely considered one of the best fights in Black Myth: Wukong. The Yaksha King is tall, reachy, and uses those massive blades to sweep the entire arena. The transition from the bratty Red Boy to this tragic, hulking figure is visually stunning, but the difficulty spike is vertical.
The Yaksha King has this one move where he plunges his blades into the ground and creates spikes. If you see him wind up, stop attacking. Seriously. Just stop. Back away or prepare to Cloud Step. Greed is what kills you here. You think you can squeeze in one more heavy hit? You can't. He will punish you with a grab that cuts your HP bar in half.
The Secret Boss: Bishui Golden-Eyed Beast
If you want the best gear, you have to find the secret area: Bishui Cave. To get there, you need to complete the questline involving the Five Element Carts. Once you’re in, you face the Bishui Golden-Eyed Beast.
This fight is chaotic. It’s a massive, fiery bull-lion hybrid that moves faster than something that size should.
What's cool—and kinda frustrating—is that the arena changes. If you lead the beast to certain walls, it can break them, opening up new parts of the cavern. One area might be filled with ice, which actually helps neutralize its fire stacks. Most players just try to brute force it in the first room. Don't do that. Use the environment.
Quick Tips for Chapter 5 Boss Success:
- Fire Resistance is everything. Use the Fireproof Mantle. Drink the Body-Warming Powder. If you're ignited, you're losing.
- The Staff Spin. Use it to deflect projectiles from the carts. It saves lives.
- Cloud Step over Immobilize. Some of these bosses, especially the Yaksha King, have high resistance or even counters to Immobilize. Cloud Step gives you the breathing room to heal.
- Jump, don't just dodge. The shockwaves in this chapter are no joke.
The Bull King Legacy
The narrative of the Black Myth Wukong Chapter 5 bosses revolves heavily around the tragedy of the Bull King’s family. You see it in the way Princess Iron Fan protects her son and the way the Bull King himself has been broken by the heavens.
The Cloudy Mist, Misty Cloud duo fight is another one that trips people up. It’s a dual boss fight—one melee, one ranged. It’s a classic trope, but in the cramped quarters of the mountain paths, it feels claustrophobic. Focus the caster first. Always focus the caster. It’s basic gaming logic, but in the heat of the moment, it’s easy to forget while a giant monk is trying to sit on your head.
The complexity of these fights comes from the layering of elemental damage. By this point in the game, you should have a solid grasp on your "Build." If you’re still rocking a generic setup, Chapter 5 will force you to specialize. Are you going for a smash stance build with high defense? Or a pillar stance build to stay above the lava?
Actionable Strategy for the Final Stretch
To effectively clear Chapter 5 and prepare for the endgame, follow these steps:
- Backtrack for the Mantle: If you don't have the Fireproof Mantle from the secret area in Chapter 1 (Ancient Guanyin Temple), go back and get it now. You cannot effectively fight the Bishui Golden-Eyed Beast or Red Boy without it.
- Upgrade the Cider: Make sure your Gourd is upgraded to at least level 8 or 9. The damage over time (DoT) from burn effects in this chapter is aggressive.
- Equip Fire Resistance Curios: Items like the Agate Jar can provide that extra bit of defense that prevents a one-shot.
- Finish the Cart Quest: Do not skip the Pale-Axe Stalwart’s request. Finding all the carts is the only way to access the Bishui Cave, which contains the materials needed for the Bull King armor set—arguably the best defensive set in the game.
- Master the Perfect Dodge: The Yaksha King’s combos are long. If you panic-roll, you’ll get caught by the final hit. Practice the rhythm of his three-swing combo until you can dodge without thinking.
Chapter 5 is a gauntlet. It’s exhausting, visually overwhelming, and mechanically punishing. But once the Yaksha King falls and the fires of the mountain are finally quenched, you’ll realize it’s also the peak of the game’s boss design. Take your time, watch the patterns, and stop standing in the fire.