Wu Lengshuang, the Soft Sword is an optional boss in the northeast of the Mandate Encampment, past The Confinement bell. She deflects almost all your hits unless she’s stunned, so fight at mid range, wait for her spin on the spot (it almost always telegraphs a red) and wear her down with counters, Sha-Chi and weapon switches. She gives the Soft Snake Sword. If you’re on “Secrets of the Baishan Sect”, examine Bi Taotao’s body among the flowers before you go after Yubi.
Boss profile
Health, Sha-Chi, recommended level and elemental weaknesses
Weaknesses
Phases: 1 · Region: Mandate Encampment
We don’t have reliable data on her health and Sha-Chi yet. Bars relative to the boss with the most health (Mo Yuan, 186,000) and the most Sha-Chi (Huangxing, 55,860) in the game.
Where is she and how do you get there?
- Head northeastWu Lengshuang is in the northeast corner of the Mandate Encampment, in a secluded area near the path to the training grounds.
- The Confinement bellRest at it. Follow the path to a large house and go through it to the back courtyard.
- Climb to the arenaGo up the courtyard stairs: the fight starts when you reach the top.
How to beat Wu Lengshuang
Her soft sword lets her deflect most of your attacks, except when she’s stunned or guard-broken. She switches between attack and defense very quickly, and her stamina doesn’t drop on its own, so it’s a long fight that calls for patience.
Her attacks
- Deflect with counter: if you see a special glint when you hit her, she has deflected you. Counter right away; if she catches you, it stuns you and leaves you open to more hits. If she deflects you until you’re stunned, she finishes with a black flash: a spinning slash that knocks you away.
- Red counter thrust: after two special deflects in a row, she’s more likely to answer with a red thrust. Vandal (Spanish guide) warns that there’s an almost instant red from a parry that you can barely see coming.
- Spin before the red: before many attacks she spins on the spot. A red almost always follows: a spinning jump with a whip of her sword. Learn it and dodge it.
- Blue sweep: if you don’t dodge the red or your guard is broken, she usually chains a long-range spinning blue sweep that does a lot of damage if you don’t defend it. She also uses it if you stay far away for a long time.
- Typical opener: three kicks, several slashes and the spinning red-and-blue combo.
Even when you block, her damage chips away at your health little by little. Prioritize deflects and dodges over guarding.
The key: mid range and weapon switches
- Attack her at mid range and back off to bait combos you recognize.
- Don’t throw long combos at her while she isn’t stunned: she’ll deflect them.
- Wear her down with counters, Sha-Chi attacks and weapon-switch attacks. Vandal used the Fiend Saws’ charged Sha-Chi attack, switched to the Wild Oriole Sword for a Sha-Chi combo and went back to the Saws when she blocked.
Strategies to beat her
Pick the one that suits the way you play. We only recommend gear you can have when you reach the Mandate Encampment.
Strategy with fast weapons (one-handed and dual)
She’s a fast opponent: don’t chase the long combo. Land two or three hits and back off before her answer. The best options here are Wild Oriole Sword and Fiend Saws, the combination Vandal used. Keep your other weapon in reserve: switching restores all your Sha-Chi.
Strategy with heavy weapons (two-handed)
Against an opponent who deflects this much, use heavy hits only after a deflect or a perfect dodge. Try Outlaw Warblade or Armybreaker. The Outlaw Warblade restores health on hit and makes up for the attrition.
Elemental strategy
She has no known elemental weaknesses. Focus on Sha-Chi damage to stun her.
Defensive strategy (parries and dodges)
Her most dangerous attack is the red that follows her spin: always dodge it so she can’t chain the blue sweep. Deflect the blue to drain her Sha-Chi and execute as soon as she’s stunned. If you’re struggling, the Counterstrike Bracers (first Long Pillar) reward deflects.
Strategy with Phantom Edges
Bring the Bashpole, the Dread Axe or the Iron Gauntlets to break her guard, and Swordsman’s Summon (from the Seven Stars Disciple) so someone distracts her while you heal. Sparks recharge when you rest at a bell.
If you get stuck
- Upgrade your two main weapons before going back (the boss is level 21).
- Upgrade your medicines with the healer at the Green Serpent House.
- Drop to Wayfarer: it doesn’t affect any trophy and you can raise the difficulty again later.
Recommended gear
- Fiend Saws and Wild Oriole Sword to alternate Sha-Chi attacks.
- A breaking Phantom Edge.
- Upgraded medicines: the fight is long.
Rewards
- Soft Snake Sword: one-handed weapon with a counter that deflects and strikes back; its guard doesn’t spend Sha-Chi.
- A Blackstone Fragment (The Confinement).
If you’re on this tale, after beating Wu Lengshuang examine Bi Taotao’s body among the flowers and only then go after Yubi. If you skip that step, the quest may never close: some players report it doesn’t progress even when they go back to the area. Make a backup save first. The full tale gives the Soft Snake Sword and the Baishan Stormswords, and The Last of Baishan trophy. More in side quests and bugs that block your playthrough.
The other bosses in the area are in the Mandate Encampment bosses and the walkthrough in the Mandate Encampment guide. Looking for another boss? You have the list in all Phantom Blade Zero bosses in order.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Wu Lengshuang deflect all my hits?
Her soft sword deflects most attacks while she isn’t stunned or guard-broken. Hit sparingly from mid range, and wear her down with counters and Sha-Chi attacks.
“Secrets of the Baishan Sect” doesn’t progress after Wu Lengshuang: what do I do?
Examine Bi Taotao’s body among the flowers before beating Yubi. Some players report that if they skip that step, going back to the area doesn’t fix it: keep backup saves and don’t overwrite all your autosaves.
What does Wu Lengshuang give?
The Soft Snake Sword and a Blackstone Fragment.
