You've probably felt the heat of the Flaming Mountains and thought, "Alright, I'll just beat the Bull King's kid and get out of here." Honestly, that is the biggest mistake you can make. Chapter 5 is basically a giant puzzle box. If you're just following the main quest markers, you are leaving about 40% of the best content—and the literal best armor in the game—on the table.
The thing about Wukong chapter 5 secrets is that they aren't just hidden chests. They are elaborate, multi-step stories that span the entire game world. We're talking about a hidden cave system, a horse guy stuck in a vacuum cleaner, and a secret boss that has three different arenas depending on how you fight him. It’s a lot.
The Five Element Carts and the Path to Bishui Cave
Basically, the "main" secret of this chapter is the Bishui Cave. To even see the front door, you have to deal with the Five Element Carts. Most players stumble onto two or three of these naturally, but the questline is actually tied to the Pale-Axe Stalwart, that big bull-man you fight right at the start of the chapter.
Don't just kill him and walk away. Talk to him. Exhaust every single line of dialogue until he starts repeating himself. He’s going to tell you about these carts.
- Brown-Iron Cart: This is the one you probably found first, right on the ridge above the Stalwart.
- Gray-Bronze Cart: Blocking a narrow path later in the Woods of Ember.
- Crimson-Silver Cart: You’ll hit this one near the Emerald Hall.
- The Broken Cart: In Furnace Valley. This one is weird because it's already "dead," but it's the key to a different secret.
- Rusty-Gold Cart: The final hurdle.
You can't get to the last one until after you've used the Plantain Fan to clear the fire on the way to the final boss. Once the path is clear, head to the Cooling Slope. If you've done everything right, the Stalwart will be there, looking pretty beat up. After one last fight against the Rusty-Gold Cart, he’ll pass away, and the massive ice door will finally be interactable.
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How to Get the Bull King’s Mythical Armor
Inside Bishui Cave, things get real. This is where you find the Bishui Golden-Eyed Beast.
Here is the kicker: you can’t craft the full Bull King Armor Set in a single playthrough. The set requires Bull King's Iron Horns. You get three from the boss and some from a hidden chest nearby, but it’s not enough for the whole set. You literally have to go into New Game+ to finish the look.
The Secret Arenas of the Golden-Eyed Beast
Most people fight the beast in the first lava room and call it a day. That’s fine, but it’s the "hard" way. If you lure the beast to the ice wall at the back of the arena and let him hit it with his fire breath, it shatters. You can then slide down into a second arena that’s covered in ice.
The fight changes. His attacks now deal chill damage instead of burn. If you’re fast, you can even break a second wall to reach a third arena. It doesn’t change the loot, but honestly, it’s one of the coolest hidden mechanics in the game. You've gotta try it just for the spectacle.
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The Tragedy of Ma Tianba (The Horse Guai)
Remember the horse guy you've been talking to since Chapter 1? This is where his story ends, and it’s kinda depressing.
In Furnace Valley, you’ll find that "Broken Cart" I mentioned earlier. If you approach it, you’ll hear a familiar voice. It’s Ma Tianba. He’s stuck inside.
Important Note: You cannot free him yet. You have to go beat the Keeper of Flaming Mountains and his Yin-Yang Fish first.
Once that boss is dead, go back to the cart. You can now pull the whip. You’ll get a cutscene, some heartbreaking dialogue, and the Dark Thunder Transformation. If you missed talking to him in any previous chapter, the prompt to pull the whip might not even appear. If that happens, you're out of luck until your next run.
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Finding the Supreme Gourd
If you haven't been upgrading your gourd, Chapter 5 is where you finally get the "best" version. You need to find the Old Man NPC in the Rakshasa Palace.
- Start from the Rakshasa Palace shrine.
- Cross the bridge with the two giant giants.
- Instead of going forward, hang a left into a cave.
- If your gourd is already at level 9 (upgraded via the monkey), you can interact with the flame in the center of the room.
This turns your medicinal gourd into the Supreme Gourd, which has 10 heals. It’s a massive jump in survivability for the final boss and the challenges in Chapter 6.
Actionable Insights for Your Run
To make sure you don't miss any Wukong chapter 5 secrets, follow this checklist before you step into the final boss arena:
- Check your transformation list. If you don't have Dark Thunder, go back to the broken cart in Furnace Valley.
- Visit the Cooling Slope. If the ice wall isn't broken, you haven't finished the Pale-Axe Stalwart’s quest.
- Max out your gourd. Talk to the monkey in Zodiac Village to hit level 9, then find the Old Man in the palace.
- Look for the Ninecapped Lingzhi Guai. He’s a hidden boss near the Ashen Pass III shrine. Pull the big mushroom out of the ground to trigger the fight. It gives you a great spirit for mana reduction.
Once you've cleared the Bishui Golden-Eyed Beast and grabbed the iron horns, you've officially seen everything the Flaming Mountains has to hide. You're ready to take on the final challenge of the chapter.