Black Myth: Wukong throws you into a world full of challenges, and notoriously difficult bosses are an integral part. But here’s the good news: Stone Vanguard, a majestic boss in Chapter 2, has an unexpected weakness that few people know – you can completely “ask” another boss to “deal with” him for you! Sounds unbelievable, right? This article will reveal that secret, not only helping you get past Stone Vanguard easily but also paving the way for you to confront Shigandang – an even more formidable “enemy” (or reluctant “ally”), if you want to try. Compiled from “real combat” experience and reputable sources in the gaming community, this will be a “guide” to help you conquer this challenge. Let’s explore!
Finding Stone Vanguard and Discovering the Secret
Your journey of conquest will begin in Chapter 2, in the Yellow Wind Ridge area. First, find your way to Sandgate Village. Here, you will have to confront and defeat two “gateway” bosses: King of Flowing Sands and Second Rat Prince of Flowing Sands. After defeating them, you will realize that the door behind is locked and requires two Key Items to open.
One of those Key Items is Sterness of Stone, currently in the hands of Stone Vanguard. To get to him, you need to go to the Fright Cliff area – you can get there by crossing a rope bridge.
Continue through Fright Cliff, and you will encounter Squall Hideout Shrine. Continue your journey, going through a cave to reach the Rockrest Flat area. This is where you will face Stone Vanguard.
However, before “provoking” Stone Vanguard, take a moment to look around. Do you notice a strange large stone on the left? That’s not an ordinary stone – it’s Shigandang, a powerful Yaoguai King, but currently sealed. If you “tamper” with this stone, you will see a message suggesting that six divine items are needed to unseal him. Don’t worry, we’ll find them right now!
Unsealing Shigandang – Collecting the 6 Buddha’s Eyeballs
To summon Shigandang to “assist,” you need to find all 6 Buddha’s Eyeballs. They are hidden inside Buddha-head statues scattered throughout the Fright Cliff area. Don’t worry too much, the search is not too difficult, because these statues often emit a faint light, making them easy to identify.
Below is a detailed list of the locations of each Buddha’s Eyeball, which you can use as a “treasure map“:
- Buddha’s Eyeball 1: Located right on the path leading up to Squall Hideout Shrine.
- Buddha’s Eyeball 2: On the left side of the entrance to the large cave, also in the Squall Hideout area.
- Buddha’s Eyeball 3: On top of a small ruin in the Squall Hideout area, above a crack.
- Buddha’s Eyeball 4: Is opposite of the crack (#3 location), across the main path.
- Buddha’s Eyeball 5: At the end of the large cave tunnel (leading to Mother of Stones), on an outdoor platform.
- Buddha’s Eyeball 6: Right in front of Rockrest Flat Shrine, on the path leading to the area where you fight Stone Vanguard. Small tip: Take advantage of the unlocked Keeper’s Shrines to quickly travel between areas, saving search time. Once you have collected all 6 Buddha’s Eyeballs, and importantly, you have not yet defeated Stone Vanguard yourself, return to the large stone (Shigandang) that you saw earlier. Interact with the stone to unseal Shigandang.
The Chaotic Battle & Results
Right after you perform the unsealing action, Shigandang will rise from the ground and immediately rush to attack Stone Vanguard. You will witness an “earth-shattering” battle between two powerful Yaoguai Kings!
Important warning: Although you only play the role of a “spectator” in this battle, you absolutely must not be careless. The area-of-effect (AoE – Area of Effect) attacks of both Shigandang and Stone Vanguard can damage you. Keep a safe distance and always be careful to dodge! The course of the battle will usually proceed as follows:
Shigandang proves to be significantly superior to Stone Vanguard in terms of strength. However, during the battle, he will also lose a significant amount of health. When Shigandang loses about 1/4 of his health, he will usually unleash an extremely powerful finishing move – a powerful “pile-driver slam” (wrestling move), causing Stone Vanguard to shatter.
As a result, Stone Vanguard will be completely defeated. You will automatically receive all the experience points and dropped items, including the Sterness of Stone – Key Item that you need, without having to expend any effort. How amazing is that?
Post-Battle Choices: Confront Shigandang or Ignore Him?
After witnessing the “knockout” of Stone Vanguard, Shigandang, who just “helped” you, will immediately switch his target to… you! At this point, you will have to face two important choices:
- Choice 1: Temporarily Retreat and Plan Carefully If you feel that you are not strong enough to face Shigandang right now (for example: your equipment is not strong enough, your health and stamina are not fully restored), you can completely retreat temporarily. In case you are defeated by Shigandang, it will return to its original sealed location. You can return to challenge him anytime when you are more prepared.
- Choice 2: Explore Further Without Engaging Another option is that you can completely ignore Shigandang and continue your journey of exploring the Rock Crash Platform area. Defeating him is not required for you to proceed.
So you’ve learned a great “trick” to get past Stone Vanguard in Black Myth: Wukong! Summoning Shigandang not only makes it easier for you to defeat Stone Vanguard but also opens up an interesting option: confront another powerful boss or temporarily ignore him to explore the vast world.