Unlock Xu Dog's Secret Brew: Crafting Medicines in Black Myth: Wukong

Hey folks, it’s 2026 and I’m still absolutely obsessed with Black Myth: Wukong. Seriously, this game just keeps on giving—new builds, hidden nooks, and suddenly you realize you’ve been sleeping on one of the most OP mechanics: medicine crafting. I mean, we all love swinging that staff around, but when you can chug a potion that makes you tankier than a mountain god? That’s a game changer. Let me take you through my journey of unlocking Xu Dog’s mysterious brew system, so you too can brew up some real monkey-business buffs.

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The Doggo Who Brews: Finding Xu Dog

So there I was, wandering the dusty canyons of Chapter 2, smacking sand lizards, when I stumbled upon this random NPC literally chilling under a rock. Xu Dog—part sage, part canine, all vibe 🐕. He’s chilling near the Sandgate Village – Village Entrance shrine. From the waypoint, just turn around like you’re leaving the village, and look for a shaded nook beneath a big rock formation. I swear, I walked past him three times before I even noticed the floppy ears.

He tells you this wild story—apparently a giant frog swallowed one of his precious medicine recipes. You know, normal Tuesday in the Journey to the West. And of course, you’re the Destined One, so who’s gonna get it back? Yep, you.

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That Lightning Frog… My Arch-Nemesis

The recipe thief is none other than the Lang-Li-Guhh-Baw miniboss, just a leap away from Xu Dog’s ledge. Picture the slimy frog you fought back in Chapter 1’s swamps, but now it’s got a makeover: lightning spells. ⚡

I went in cocky, thinking “Frog? Easy.” Two seconds later I’m eating a tongue lash and a thunderbolt to the face. The shock debuff is no joke—it makes every hit feel like a truck. My heart was racing… I had to use every dodge and immobilize spell to chip away at its health. If I can give one tip: stay mobile, bait its leaping slam, then punish. Took me four tries, but when that last hit landed? Chef’s kiss.

Once you beat it, you’ll grab the Evil Repelling Medicament formula. Hand it back to Xu Dog, and boom—medicine crafting unlocked! From then on, any shrine will have a “Make Medicines” option, or you can just chat with Xu Dog whenever you find him again (he travels, mysterious little guy).

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Your Magic Apothecary: How Brewing Works

Now here’s where it gets fun. You need two things: recipes and ingredients. Recipes are scattered across the world—some just lying on altars, others sold by Xu Dog himself. Ingredients are mostly herbs and fungi you’ve been ignorantly picking up this whole time (don’t worry, we all did).

Here’s a cheat sheet of early-game brews that saved my monkey butt more times than I can count:

Potion 🧪	Effect	Ingredients
Evil Repelling Medicament	Huge damage reduction (long duration)	Licorice + Jade Lotus
Tiger Subduing Pellets	Extra damage dealt (long duration)	Snake-Head Mushroom + Purple Linzhi
Body-Cooling Powder	Removes burn, boosts burn resistance	Fragrant Jade Flower + Jade Lotus
Shock-Quelling Powder	Clears shock, boosts shock resistance	Gentian + Jade Lotus
Antimiasma Powder	Removes poison, boosts poison resistance	Tree Pearl + Jade Lotus
Body-Warming Powder	Escapes chill, boosts chill resistance	Fire Bellflower + Jade Lotus
Longevity Decoction	Max health boost (long duration)	Licorice + Fragrant Jade Flower

I started carrying Tiger Subduing Pellets for bosses and Evil Repelling for those nasty gank fights. It’s almost unfair… almost. 😏

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Level Up Your Brewing: Celestial Medicines

Fast forward a few hours. After crashing through more chapters, I found Xu Dog again—this time in the cellar of Crouching Tiger Temple. And he’s got a new trick: Celestial Medicines. This is basically a passive skill tree using Mind Cores (those rare, glowing pickle-looking things you get from meditating).

You can sink Mind Cores into health, mana, stamina, or elemental resistances. Best part? You can refund them any time with zero penalty. Experimenting is actually encouraged! I poured points into max health early, but late game I respec’d into stamina for those endless combo chains. Pro tip: keep a few cores for a rainy day, because some secret bosses will make you reconsider your life choices.

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A Few Personal Brewing Tips

• Farm smart: Jade Lotus grows near water, while Licorice likes cliff sides. Make mental notes, and grab them every time you revive at a shrine. It adds up fast.

• Don’t underestimate resist powders: I used Shock-Quelling right before the lightning frog and suddenly I wasn’t flinching like a wet cat.

• Xu Dog is your buddy: After Chapter 2, he appears in multiple locations, selling rare recipes. Always check his pocket. Especially the “Celestial Medicines” tab, because you might forget it exists.

• Time your buffs: Pop pills before big mobs, not during. The animations are slow and you’ll get slapped mid-drink. I learned that the hard way…

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And that’s my ultimate medicine crafting guide! Honestly, this system turns the Destined One into a real survivor. If you’ve been brute-forcing through fights, give herbalism a try—you’ll feel like a mythical pharmacist in no time. 🌿

I hope this helps you find Xu Dog and slay that rude electric frog. Now go forth and brew some magic, little monkey. ✨