You can craft medicine to help with boss fights and difficult encounters in Black Myth: Wukong. But actually unlocking the crafting system requires you to complete side quests involving two characters: Xu Dog and Chen Loong.
In this Black Myth: Wukong guide, we’ll show you everything you need to know about how to craft medicine, including the steps for both Xu Dog and Chen Loong’s quest. You’ll also learn how to get Celestial Medicine and, because it’s part of the same quest chain, how to unlock the Zodiac Village.
How to craft medicine in Black Myth: Wukong
When you first reach chapter 2 of Black Myth: Wukong, proceed until you find the Village Entrance Shrine in Sandgate Village. From there, drop off the side of the rock to the lower path and walk right into the cave area. You’ll see an anthropomorphic dog hanging out by a rock. This is Xu Dog. He’s the medicine guy around these parts.
Xu Dog will tell you that one of his formulas has been swallowed by a nearby frog and that he’ll reward you if you get it back for him. Turn to your right and head down past the cave and into the water. You’ll find a frog miniboss here named Lang-Li-Guhh-Baw. Defeat him to earn some materials and the Evil Repelling Medicament formula.
Return to Xu Dog to deliver the formula and he’ll thank you by teaching you how to craft basic medicines at any shrine. He’ll then disappear and head to a furnace later in the chapter.
How to get Celestial Medicine in Black Myth: Wukong
Continue chapter 2 until you reach the section’s final boss, the Yellow Wind Guai. Up a sand ridge from the boss — before you enter the arena — you’ll find the Cellar Shrine. At the back of the Cellar area, you’ll meet Xu Dog again. Talk to him to unlock Celestial Medicine pills.
In exchange for Mind Cores — a rare ingredient occasionally dropped by powerful enemies — you can purchase these special pills to increase your stats. Here are all the Celestial Medicines sold by Xu Dog, and the respective stats they increase:
* Jade Lotus Pill: max health
* Taiyi Pill: max mana
* Nonary Pill: max stamina
* No-Mind Medicament: defense
* Iron Bull Pill: stamina recovery rate
* Yang Supplementing Pill: chill resistance
* Water Jade Pill: burn resistance
* Bloom Seed Decoction: poison resistance
* Wujin Pill: shock resistance
As you upgrade these stats to certain levels, it’ll cost you more Mind Cores to purchase the same pill. So while you can fully invest your Mind Cores into more health, you’ll get more bang for your buck if you spread them around. And if you decide you don’t like how you’ve allocated your Mind Cores — or if you move into an area where you need more burn resistance — you can select the Remake Celestial Medicines option to get a complete refund.
Once you’ve reached chapter 3, you’ll be able to continue Xu Dog’s quest with a new character to unlock the Zodiac Village, a hub for all of your deity friends.
How to unlock the Zodiac Village in Black Myth: Wukong
Continue into and through chapter 3 until you hop off of the massive turtle. Unlock the North Shore of Bitter Lake Shrine in Bitter Lake and take the left path toward what looks like the ruins of a temple. But keep to the shore line and the water.
Before long — just in front of the turtle’s left foot, in a pool surrounded by rocks — you’ll come across a robed dragon who is talking to himself and crackling with lightning. This is Chen Loong, another helpful NPC. However, when you first approach him, he’ll tell you to stop prying and attack you. Defeat him to progress the quest.
When his health hits zero, he’ll loudly complain about how hurt he is. He’ll then tell you he needs a resurrection pill from Xu Dog.
Return to the Cellar Shrine in Crouching Tiger Temple and speak to Xu Dog. Keep talking to him using the special “talk” prompt until he mentions Chen Loong. He’ll basically tell you that this moaning is very typical Chen Loong behavior, and give you a formula for Fortifying Medicament and the Special-made Bone-Strengthening Pellet for your mutual friend.
Return to Chen Loong in Bitter Lake and deliver the medicine — you’ll find him standing near where you met him, by the little hut. He’ll immediately throw the pill away and give you a scroll, which will teleport you into the Ruyi Scroll’s Zodiac Village. This is your new hub zone, and all of the characters you’ve met along the way will disappear from where they were living and set up shop here.
Xu Dog will offer his medicine services, and next to him you’ll find Shen Monkey to help with all your Gourd upgrade needs. At the back is Chen Loong, who farms medicinal ingredients for you if you give him seeds. And to the west is Yin Tiger, a blacksmith who can upgrade your armor.
You can return to Zodiac Village by selecting the Ruyi Scroll option at any shrine or using the Ruyi Scroll item in your inventory.
Looking for more help on your adventure as the Destined One? Check out our other Black Myth: Wukong guides, which can help you find all three hidden bells in chapter 1, sober up the Yellow-Robed Squire in chapter 2, and track down all of Buddha’s Eyeballs.
