You’re wandering through the Yellow Wind Ridge, dodging those annoying rat archers and wondering why the wind just won't stop blowing. It feels like you've seen everything. But honestly, you haven't. There’s a massive, lightning-crackling dragon hidden behind a literal wall of sand that most people just walk right past. The Black Myth Wukong Red Loong isn't just a bonus fight; it’s one of the four hidden Loong brothers that fundamentally changes how you approach the early-to-mid game gear progression.
Getting to him is a pain.
First, you need the Loong Scales. You can't just stumble into his arena by accident. This isn't like the Wandering Wight where he’s just standing there waiting to ruin your day in the opening forest. To even see the Red Loong, you have to go to the Valley of Despair in Chapter 2, find the First Prince of Flowing Sands, and—this is the weird part—make him charge into the wall covered in small Buddha statues. Or just use the Wandering Wight’s spirit move to smash it yourself. Inside that crack in the wall is a chest containing the Loong Scales. Once you have those, the game doesn't give you a waypoint. It doesn't put a marker on your map because, well, there is no map. You have to backtrack all the way to Chapter 1, specifically the Forest of Wolves.
The Waterfall That Isn't Just a Waterfall
Remember that random waterfall near the Outside the Forest shrine? The one near where you fought the Bull Guard? If you have the scales, the water literally parts like the Red Sea. It’s a cool cinematic moment that feels earned because the game made you work for the "key" in a completely different region.
Stepping into that arena, the vibe shifts. The Red Loong is draped over some rocks, looking exhausted but still incredibly dangerous. This is the first real "Loong" encounter, and it sets the stage for the thunder-based mechanics that define this questline. He’s a massive, elongated creature that uses the environment against you, and if you aren't careful, the shock status effect will end your run before you even get him to half health.
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Mechanics You Actually Need to Care About
The Red Loong is a lesson in patience. Most players try to rush in and button-mash their way through his legs. Don't do that. He has these massive, sweeping tail swipes and lightning strikes that have a lingering hitbox. Basically, if you see sparks, move.
The trick is the glowing canisters on his back.
He’s basically a walking battery. If you can focus your damage on those glowing nodes, you can knock him down for a massive opening. It’s one of the few fights in the early game where the game rewards precision over raw aggression. You’ll notice he spends a lot of time "charging up." When he does this, the floor becomes a hazard. Jumping is your best friend here. It’s not just about dodging left or right; it’s about verticality.
I’ve seen a lot of people complain that the hitbox on his head is wonky. It kinda is. Because he’s so long and thin, the camera can get a bit frantic if you lock on. My advice? Unlock the camera. Fight him like you’d fight a dragon in a Souls game—focus on the feet and the glowing back nodes, and only go for the head when he’s staggered.
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Why Bother? The Gear is the Point
You aren't just doing this for the trophy. Beating the Black Myth Wukong Red Loong gives you the Thunder Bone. This is a crucial material for crafting the Loongwrought Staff later on. But more importantly, in the immediate aftermath, you get access to the Boshan Censer.
This curious is a game-changer for people who struggle with flask management. If your Gourd is empty, the Censer gives you a significant damage reduction boost. It’s a "safety net" item. Plus, the feeling of crossing off the first of the four hidden brothers is just satisfying. The loong brothers (Red, Black, Cyan, and Yellow) represent some of the best-designed optional content in Game Science’s masterpiece, and Red is the entry point.
Common Misconceptions About the Fight
I’ve heard people say you can only fight him in Chapter 1. That’s false. You can go back at any time. In fact, if you find him too hard, just go finish Chapter 2, get some better gear, and come back and bully him. The game is flexible like that.
Another thing: the "Shock" status effect.
It makes you take increased damage. It’s subtle, but it’s why you might feel like you’re getting one-shot by moves that didn't hurt that much earlier in the fight. Carry some Shock-Quelling Powder. It’s cheap, you can craft it, and it makes the fight ten times easier.
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Strategy Breakdown for the Red Loong
- The Pillar Stance: If you’ve invested points into the Pillar Stance, use it. Since the Red Loong spends a lot of time creating ground-based lightning ripples, standing on top of your staff makes you literally untouchable for those specific attacks.
- Immobilize Timing: Don’t just fire off Immobilize as soon as the cooldown is up. Wait for him to start his flying charge. If you catch him mid-air, he falls, and you get a huge window for a full light-attack combo.
- The Tail Whip: He has a two-part tail swipe. Most people dodge the first and then get clipped by the return swing. Wait for the second beat. It’s rhythmic.
The fight feels grand. The music swells, the lightning lights up the dark cave, and it feels like a classic Wuxia film. But if you're under-leveled, it's a nightmare. I’d recommend being at least level 20-25 before bothering with the backtrack.
What Comes Next
Once the Red Loong is down, you’ve started a chain reaction. You’ll eventually find the Black Loong in the Yellow Wind Formation (look for the sand waterfall), the Cyan Loong in the snowy peaks of Chapter 3, and eventually the Yellow Loong in Chapter 4. Each one gets progressively harder, with the Yellow Loong being, frankly, one of the hardest bosses in the entire game.
Red Loong is the tutorial for what’s coming. He teaches you how to handle large, serpentine enemies. He teaches you that the environment in Black Myth: Wukong is rarely what it seems. That waterfall you passed in the first hour of the game? It was a boss arena all along.
Actionable Steps for Success
- Go back to Chapter 2: Enter the Valley of Despair.
- Break the wall: Use the First Prince or your Spirit summon to crack the wall of Buddhas.
- Grab the Scales: Loot the chest in the hidden room.
- Return to Chapter 1: Teleport to the "Outside the Forest" shrine.
- Enter the Waterfall: Follow the path to the left of where the Bull Guard was positioned.
- Equip Shock Resistance: Use medicines or curios that mitigate lightning damage.
- Focus the back nodes: Stop hitting his legs and aim for the glowing canisters to trigger a stagger.
Beating the Red Loong early gives you a massive leg up on the competition and unlocks some of the coolest weapon upgrade paths available before the endgame. Don't leave him rotting in that cave; go get your Thunder Bone.
Next Steps for Your Journey:
After defeating the Red Loong, your next priority should be the Black Loong in Chapter 2. You already have the scales, so head to the Rockrest Flat in the Yellow Wind Ridge. Look for the massive sand waterfall near the arena where you fought the Stone Vanguard. Interact with it just like you did with the water in Chapter 1 to continue the Loong questline and secure the next piece of the Loongwrought set.