You’re wandering through the Fright Cliff, ears ringing from the constant thrum of drums, and you see it. A sand waterfall. It looks like a glitch, honestly. But if you have the Loong Scales—which you probably missed because they're hidden behind a breakable wall in a completely different area—that sand parts. Behind it waits the Black Loong, a boss that has become a literal rhythm game nightmare for players in Black Myth Wukong.
It’s not just a fight. It's a test of patience.
Most people walk into this arena expecting a standard dragon fight. You expect flying, fire breath, maybe some tail swipes. Instead, you get a grumpy, electrified lizard wielding two massive maces that look like oversized drumsticks. And he knows how to use them.
Getting to the Black Loong Without Losing Your Mind
First off, you can't just find him by exploring. Game Science, the developers, really leaned into the "hidden" aspect of the Four Loongs questline. You need the Loong Scales from Chapter 2. To get those, you have to bait the First Prince of Flowing Sands into charging a wall covered in small statues. If he doesn't hit it, you're stuck using a heavy Wandering Wight spirit attack to crack it open yourself.
Once you have those scales, you head to the Rockrest Flat Shrine. Look for the sand waterfall. The game doesn't give you a prompt until you're basically touching it.
The Black Loong is the second of the hidden dragons, and he’s a massive step up in technical difficulty compared to the Red Loong from Chapter 1. While the Red Loong was a bit of a pushover once you figured out his glowing back, this guy stays grounded and forces you to play by his rules.
The Rhythm of the Shockwaves
This is where the frustration starts. About halfway through his health bar, the Black Loong will slam his maces into the ground and start a rhythmic pounding. Every hit sends out a ring of lightning across the floor.
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Jump. Jump. Jump.
If you mess up the timing once, the stagger usually ensures you get hit by the next three rings. It’s a quick trip back to the shrine.
Here is a pro tip: don't just dodge. Jump. Or better yet, look at the rocks scattered around the arena. If you stand on one of the slightly elevated stones, the shockwaves can't touch you. It feels like cheating, but in a game where a single mistake takes 70% of your health, it’s survival.
He’s slow, but heavy. You’ve got to resist the urge to spam light attacks. The Black Loong punishes greed. He has this annoying habit of swinging his maces in a wide arc that catches you even if you think you're behind him.
Build Strategy: What Actually Works
Don't go in there with a generic setup. You need shock resistance. If that shock bar fills up, you take increased damage and get staggered more easily. Pop some Shockquelling Powder before the fight starts. It makes a world of difference.
The Pillar Stance is your best friend here. Since a lot of his attacks are ground-based or low swings, literally climbing your staff puts you out of harm's way. If you have enough focus points, you can just sit on top of your staff while he does his little temper tantrum with the shockwaves, then come down with a heavy smash to the head.
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- Immobilize is great, but save it. Don't use it at the start. Use it when he’s about to start his shockwave phase to buy yourself some free damage time.
- Cloud Step is the panic button. If you're trapped in a corner and he's winding up a big swing, vanish. The decoy will take the hit, and you can get a critical strike from behind.
- A Pluck of Many is... risky. The clones are aggressive, but they’re stupid. They will stand right in the lightning rings and die instantly, wasting a massive chunk of your mana.
The Mythology Behind the Mace
In Journey to the West, the lore is deep. The loongs (dragons) aren't just monsters; they are fallen royalty, often related to the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas. The Black Loong in the game is depicted as a bit of an outcast, brooding in the desert.
The design is brilliant. His movements are heavy, almost weary. Unlike the majestic, ethereal dragons you see in other fantasy games, this guy feels like a brawler. He’s a fallen prince who has been reduced to guarding a pile of sand, and he fights with the desperation of someone who has nothing left to lose.
I've seen some players complain that the "hidden" nature of these bosses is annoying. I get it. If you aren't looking at a guide or hitting every wall like a maniac, you’ll miss 30% of the game’s best content. But that’s the charm of Black Myth Wukong. It rewards the curious. It rewards the player who says, "Hey, that waterfall looks a bit suspicious."
Breaking Down the Moveset
Let's talk about his "mace-spin." It's his most deceptive move. He’ll start spinning both maces while walking toward you. It looks like you can dodge through it, but the hitboxes are active for longer than your invincibility frames.
The best way to handle it? Back away. Just run. There’s no shame in it.
Then there’s the overhead slam. He’ll raise both maces, wait a beat—longer than you think—and then crush the ground. If you dodge too early, you're dead. You have to wait for the downward momentum.
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- The Double Swing: Two horizontal swipes. Dodge into the first, then away from the second.
- The Ground Pound: He hits the floor, creating a small AoE.
- The Lightning Rings: This is the big one. Usually happens at 50% HP. Stand on a rock or time your jumps perfectly.
- The Tail Swipe: If you stay behind him too long, he'll remind you he's still a dragon.
The rewards are worth the headache, though. Beating him gets you the Black Loong Spirit and materials for the Loongwreathe Staff, which is a significant power spike for that stage of the game. Plus, you need his soul to progress the overall Loong questline, which eventually leads to a fight with the Cyan Loong and the Yellow Loong (who is, quite frankly, a much bigger jerk than this guy).
Honestly, the Black Loong is a skill check. He’s there to make sure you understand timing and environmental awareness before the game throws the truly insane bosses at you in Chapters 3 and 4. If you can beat him, you can beat the game.
Actionable Next Steps for Success
To take down the Black Loong today, follow this specific sequence. First, ensure you have traveled back to Chapter 2 and grabbed the Loong Scales from the secret area in the First Prince's boss room. Once you have them, teleport to the Rockrest Flat Shrine.
Before entering the sand waterfall, equip the Pillar Stance and ensure your Shock Resistance is boosted through your armor or curios. Stock up on Shockquelling Powder.
During the fight, focus on staying mid-range. When he starts the rhythmic ground slams, immediately look for a rock to stand on or prepare to jump—do not try to dodge-roll through the lightning rings, as the timing is much tighter than a standard jump. Save your mana for Cloud Step to avoid his high-damage mace combos, and only use your Spirit attack when he is recovered from a major swing. After the fight, take the Vibrant Phosphorus back to the shrine to craft your new gear immediately.