How to unlock armor upgrades and the Painted Realm in Black Myth: Wukong

Black Myth: Wukong’s most useful area is also a secret that requires you to complete overlapping quests

Game Science

If you don’t want to wait until New Game+ to be able to upgrade your armor sets in Black Myth: Wukong, you’ll need to unlock the Painted Realm. This requires you to have reached halfway through Chapter 3, after Turtle Island, but there are also some steps you need to take in Chapter 2 (you can’t miss it and can always revisit Chapter 2’s biome). 

In this guide, I’ll walk you through what exactly the Painted Realm is, how to get it, and what mechanics it unlocks for your journey. 

What is the Painted Realm in Wukong? 

In Black Myth: Wukong, The Painted Realm is a hub area for useful NPCs, gathering most of your merchants into one place and adding a couple more for good measure. 

You’ll be able to use the Painted Realm to upgrade your gourds, eat Celestial Pills, grow crafting ingredients from seeds, and even upgrade your armor. 

Before this point, you’re only able to craft new sets. Upgrading old sets allows you to play for fashion while bringing older armor sets you like the look of (or their passive abilities) up to an agreeable defensive level. 

How to unlock the Painted Realm

Game Science

From the Village Entrance altar in Chapter 2, hop into the cave at the end of the ravine close by. You’ll meet an NPC here called Xu Dog who’s had his medical formulas stolen by a frog. I didn’t mean to rhyme there, but oh well. 

Head to the pond he points toward and fight the optional boss, Lang-Li-Guhh-Baw. Once you have, talk to Xu Dog again and he’ll move on once you’ve left the area. 

Permanent health upgrades in Black Myth: Wukong

Xu Dog will reappear in the Cellar Beneath Crouching Tiger Temple, which opens up once you beat the tiger boss in the bloody arena and interact with the statue. Now you’ll be able to craft Celestial Pills to permanently improve your health, attack power, defense, mana, and more. 

Chen Loong quest - Black Myth: Wukong

Game Science

After you’ve finished Turtle Island in Chapter 3 you’ll be on the other side of the water. In the waves on the beach to the left, you’ll see an elderly dragon, Chen Loong, walking around close to a rocky area. Approach him and you’ll trigger a fight. 

Once he’s defeated, you can leave and return to him and he will no longer be aggressive. He then asks you to find him a pill.

Head back to the Cellar with Xu Dog and choose the option to talk. He’ll give you a pill for Chen Loong. 

Return to the beach near the giant turtle and speak to Chen Loong again and you’ll be whisked away to the Painted Realm, along with the monkey who upgrades your gourds, Xu Dog, and a new NPC called Yin Tiger, who’s already here. 

You can hand Chen Loong any seeds you’ve gathered and the plants will grow periodically in the Painted Realm. 

Black Myth: Wukong armor upgrades and Yin Tiger

Yin Tiger is working away on his anvil down the winding path away from the three other NPCs. You can interact with him to upgrade your armor. 

Additionally, you can challenge Yin Tiger to a fight. Beating him unlocks the ability to transform into his hulking form, complete with his massive sword, which comes in handy for later fights thanks to his ability to tank damage with a block ability. 

If you’re looking for ways to beat him, he struggles to deal with A Pluck of Many maxed out, as I outlined in my Black Myth: Wukong best skills guide. 

We also have some Black Myth: Wukong tips and a Wukong FAQ for all your burning questions.