This Crouching Tiger Temple Walkthrough will be with you every step of the way, from the path leading to the temple, the strategy to defeat Tiger Vanguard, to the locations of hidden secrets and items. Whether you are a novice or a seasoned warrior, this guide will help you conquer the Crouching Tiger Temple completely.
Temple Entrance
Our journey begins in Sandgate Village. After clearing the village and defeating the two troublesome bosses, the King of Flowing Sands and the Second Rat Prince, make your way to the Valley of Despair. Follow the main path, and you will traverse a small canyon. Pay close attention to a crack in the wall on the left side (after passing through the Valley of Despair area). This crack is the secret passage leading to the Crouching Tiger Temple. Go through the crack, and you will find yourself in another small canyon, and from here, the Crouching Tiger Temple will appear before your eyes in all its majesty and mystery.
Don’t rush straight to the temple; take your time and observe your surroundings. Along the way, you can gather some useful materials. In the small canyon leading to the temple, you can find Aged Ginseng and Licorice (two types of herbs used for crafting potions). Then, as you begin to ascend the first set of stairs leading into the temple, look to the right, and you will find a chest (where items are stored) containing Blood of the Iron Bull (a strength-enhancing potion), 1 Small Piece of Gold, and 4 Tiny Pieces of Gold.
Before facing the tough challenges ahead, take some time to recharge at this special Meditation Spot. As you climb near the top of the stairs, look to the left, and you will see a large, majestic tiger statue. Right at the foot of this tiger statue is the Meditation Spot – The Sculpture. Interacting with this meditation spot will grant you 1 free Spark Skill Point (skill point), allowing you to upgrade your skills and increase your power.
Tiger Vanguard Boss Fight
The moment of confrontation has arrived! Before you stands the Tiger Vanguard, a Yaoguai King in the form of a mighty tiger, and the guardian of the Crouching Tiger Temple. Unlike the slow Stone Vanguard, Tiger Vanguard possesses terrifying speed and remarkable agility, promising a challenging battle.
Early Stage (Using Fists)
In the early stage of the battle, Tiger Vanguard will primarily attack with powerful punches. He possesses a series of lightning-fast combos (combination attacks). Focus on observing and memorizing his attack patterns:
Normal Punches: Tiger Vanguard will rush forward and throw two consecutive punches. Dodge (press the dodge button) to either side to avoid the attack.
Uppercut & Slam: He will start with an uppercut (a punch from below), followed by a downward slam. After this attack, he will pause for a moment. This is a good opportunity to counterattack!
Right Hook & Left Punch: This attack begins with a right hook, followed by a delayed left punch. Be careful! He will often follow up with a leg sweep (a low-attack) and retreat immediately afterward. It’s best to dodge this attack instead of trying to counter, unless you are using the Thrusting Stance.
Spinning Kick & Leap Slam: When Tiger Vanguard assumes a stance (standing in a martial arts pose), be cautious! He will unleash a spinning kick, followed by two quick punches.
After that, he will leap into the air and put all his might into a final downward slam. You need to time your dodge precisely for this attack, ideally waiting until he’s close to landing before dodging.
Leap & Pound: Occasionally, Tiger Vanguard will roar, crouch down, then suddenly rush forward, leap, and unleash two consecutive downward punches, ending with a powerful stomp. This attack is very difficult to counter, so focus on dodging or using Immobilize (a status effect that stuns the enemy) to interrupt his combo.
Stone Form: One of Tiger Vanguard’s annoying tricks is his ability to turn into stone (Stone Form). When he spreads his arms wide or crouches down, it’s a sign that he’s about to use Stone Form. Do not attack him during this time, as you will deal no damage and will be counterattacked. Use this time to heal, use potions, or prepare for a Transformation (a special ability that allows you to change form). Initially, he will stay in stone form for a while, but later on, he will move around the arena while in stone form, making it difficult to track his position.
In this stage, play defensively and counterattack. Focus on dodging Tiger Vanguard’s attacks and only attack when he is recovering after each attack.
Later Stage (Using Sword)
When Tiger Vanguard’s health drops low, he will draw the sword on his back, and this is when the battle becomes even more dangerous. His sword attacks are extremely fast and deal massive damage.
Single Slash: When Tiger Vanguard places two fingers on his face and his other hand on the hilt of his sword, he is preparing to unleash a powerful slash, accompanied by a sword energy wave (a crescent-shaped energy wave) that flies towards you. This is the easiest attack to recognize and also a good opportunity to counter, as he will take time to sheathe his sword afterward.
Sword Combo: Tiger Vanguard has many variations of sword combos, but they usually start with a kick, followed by drawing his sword and slashing downwards. Next, he will slash horizontally, then spin around and slash in a wide 360-degree arc. You need to be extremely careful with this combo, as he can change the tempo and direction of the attack unexpectedly. It’s best to use Immobilize as soon as he starts drawing his sword, or retreat far enough to avoid the 360-degree slash.
Blood Tornadoes: When you are far away, Tiger Vanguard can create Blood Tornadoes that chase after you. Sprint (run quickly) to avoid them.
Blood Slashes: He can also slash out red sword energy waves (Blood Slashes) that fly towards you. Continuously dodge to avoid getting hit.
When Tiger Vanguard is using his sword, focus primarily on dodging. Use Immobilize to interrupt his combo. Only attack when he is sheathing his sword or when you are sure you can dodge his next attack.
After defeating Tiger Vanguard, you will receive the Rock Solid Spell (a defensive spell). This is an extremely useful defensive skill that allows you to completely block an opponent’s attack if timed correctly.
Secret Cellar
After defeating Tiger Vanguard, move forward, and you will see a headless statue in the middle of the temple courtyard. To unlock the secret cellar, you need to use two special items: Keeness of Tiger (obtained after defeating Tiger Vanguard) and Sterness of Stone (collected in a previous area).
Once you have both items, interact with the statue. A cutscene will play, and the water in the blood pool will drain, revealing a large tiger mouth entrance. That is the gate leading down to the cellar.
Entering the tiger’s mouth, you will follow a narrow and dark tunnel. Be careful, as there are many Withered Corpses hiding in the shadows, ready to ambush you. Move slowly, eliminate all the corpses, and remember to check every nook and cranny, especially the piles of pots.
In the area where a corpse is hidden behind a large pile of pots, you will find an altar with a golden pot. Open it, and you will receive a Celestial Jade Lotus Pill – an extremely valuable item that permanently increases your maximum health.
Continuing down the tunnel, you will reach a large cavern. This is the lair of the Civet Sergeants – small but agile enemies equipped with dual swords. The dangerous thing is that they usually attack in packs, and among them is a special Civet Sergeant (blue-colored) who acts as a mini-boss.
To deal with the Civet Sergeants, use the Azure Dust Transformation to transform into a Rock Guai. When surrounded, the Rock Guai can accumulate energy and unleash a powerful area-of-effect attack. You can also use the Earth Wolf’s charge to knock enemies away, or the Pillar Stance’s heavy attack to spin your staff and attack all surrounding enemies.
After defeating all the Civet Sergeants, don’t forget to take down the special Civet Sergeant to obtain the Spirit – Civet Sergeant. Continue exploring the cavern, and you will find a chest containing Will (a form of currency) and 2 Silk.
Leaving the cavern, you will arrive at the Shrine of the Crouching Tiger Temple’s Cellar. Nearby, you will see a large forge and a familiar character – Xu Dog! Talk to Xu Dog, and you will receive a Mind Core as a reward for your previous help.
Xu Dog is not only a kind friend but also a master of alchemy. He will teach you how to craft Celestial Medicines extremely potent elixirs that can permanently enhance your stats.
To craft Celestial Medicines, you need to use Mind Cores (which can be found by defeating bosses, certain special enemies, or in treasure chests). Consider carefully before using Mind Cores, as each type of medicine enhances a different stat, from health and stamina to critical hit rate and magic resistance.
You can “reset” the stats upgraded with Celestial Medicines at Xu Dog’s forge, and all spent Mind Cores will be refunded. This allows you to experiment with different character builds.
Before leaving, buy the Longevity Decoction recipe from Xu Dog’s shop for 2,700 Will. This potion will temporarily increase your maximum health, helping you survive longer in tough battles.
Secret on the Sand Slide
Near the Shrine and Xu Dog, you will see a sand slide. Looking from the top of the slide, you can see a small ledge in the distance with a chest on it.
To reach it, slide down the slope, then jump and perform a heavy attack in mid-air. This maneuver will give you a slight boost in height, allowing you to land safely on the ledge. Open the chest, and you will receive Soak – Tiger Relic (a charm for your gourd).
Congratulations on completing the Crouching Tiger Temple walkthrough! Through this journey, you have defeated Tiger Vanguard, explored the secret cellar, and gathered both the Keeness of Tiger and Sterness of Stone. Now, the gate to the final battle of Chapter 2 is open.
Remember to visit Windrest Bridge (from the exit at the cellar Shrine) for further exploration before continuing the main story. Don’t forget to upgrade your equipment, hone your skills, and prepare for the final challenge!