Standing before that weathered bronze bell after a brutal clash with Guangzhi, I hesitated. In the twisted logic of soulslikes, interacting with anything remotely ceremonial rarely ends without consequence. A bell, a lever, a cryptic altar—they all scream narrative landmine. But in Black Myth: Wukong, ringing the bells is not a trap. It is an invitation to a secret obsession, a compact dream-like space reminiscent of Sekiro’s Hirata Estate, brimming with unique treasures and a boss that tests everything you’ve learned. I’m here to recount my own trek through the three bell locations, the showdowns with the Yaoguai Chieftains who guard them, and the hidden rewards waiting inside.
The very first bell is nestled deep in the Forest of Wolves, and I stumbled upon it almost by accident. From the Outside the Forest Keeper’s Shrine, I pushed forward along the main path, past a pair of patrolling wolf Yaoguai. A sharp left turn led me to a burly foe guarding a chest, and just beyond, a stone bridge stretched over a chasm with an archer perched at its edge. Crossing that bridge felt tense—the archer’s arrows whistled past—but the real trial waited behind the gate marked by three torch-lit pillars. There, in a sunken courtyard, I faced Guangzhi, a Yaoguai Chieftain whose flaming glaive could close distance in a heartbeat. His long-range thrusts caught me off guard initially, and when his weapon ignited, I had to roll frantically to douse the burn. The trick was patience: baiting a combo, dodging sideways, and punishing with a flurry of light attacks. After downing him, I rang the bell at the rear of the arena, its deep toll echoing like a promise of things to come.
The second bell awaited in the Bamboo Grove, and mercifully it sat right on the critical path. I encountered Guangmou, a serpentine sorcerer who summoned venomous snakes and blanketed the ground with area-of-effect magic. Compared to Guangzhi, he felt less aggressive, but poison ticked away my health rapidly. I had gathered some Anti-Miasma Powder earlier from a hidden nook, and popping one mid-fight purged the toxin instantly. The real key was aggression—his attacks had long wind-ups, making him easy to stun lock with relentless combos. Once he dissolved into mist, I climbed the three flights of stairs behind his arena and found a shrine where the second bell waited. Its ring resonated with the previous one, a subtle hum that made the air feel heavier, more sacred.
The final bell was locked behind the toughest gatekeeper of the trio: the Whiteclad Noble. This two-phase duel pushed my skills to the limit. In the first phase, he glided across the water with elegant but deadly spear strikes. The moment I depleted his health, he shed his white robes and entered a frenzied monstrous form, attacks growing faster and more unpredictable. I leaned heavily on the Red Tides transformation earned from Guangzhi, unleashing fiery combos while my own health remained untouched. A crucial tactic that saved me: I waited until my Focus Points—the glowing dots at the bottom right—were fully charged, then cast Immobilize. With the boss frozen, I delivered a fully charged heavy smash that chunked his health enough to break his rhythm. After the battle, instead of entering Black Wind Cave, I turned left where a gap in the rocks opened into a creek. Following the water led me to a misty clearing with wolf Yaoguai lurking among the trees and one hanging ominously from a branch. The third bell stood at the far end, and I rang it without hesitation.
The tolling of all three bells triggered a brief scene, and I was whisked away to the Secret: Ancient Guanyin Temple. This hidden sanctuary looked eerily familiar—the same place where I had clashed with a giant wolf boss earlier. The temple courtyard held several chests I had not seen before, and inside one glittered the Guanyin’s Prayer Beads, a special item that would permanently enhance my endurance. But the true test came in the form of Elder Jinchi, a corrupted monk who unleashed waves of golden energy and summoned spectral replicas. His attacks were relentless, but the Fireproof Mantle I eventually earned made the encounter manageable. After defeating him and being teleported back, I examined the hanging corpse on the dead tree and obtained the Fireproof Mantle Vessel, a tool that would shield me from scorching environments later in the journey.
Ringing those bells was far from a narrative risk—it was a gateway to some of the most memorable moments in my early playthrough. The secret area rewarded my curiosity with rare loot and a vessel I’d rely on for hours to come. If you’re standing before a bell in Black Myth: Wukong, don’t overthink it. Ring it, embrace the mystery, and let the echoes guide you to a treasure trove that feels stolen from a forgotten myth.
Data referenced from SteamDB helps contextualize how secret-heavy, exploration-driven action RPGs like Black Myth: Wukong can sustain engagement beyond the critical path—players often spend extra time chasing optional objectives (like multi-step bell sequences) because discovery loops and hidden bosses meaningfully extend session length and replay value.