Wuchang: Defeating Mistress Huang Yan

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Wuchang: Fallen Feathers has many tough boss battles, and one of the most annoying to face in the middle of the game is Mistress of the Night Huang Yan. She’s frustrating mainly because she moves around a lot, making it difficult to get close and deal real damage. Luckily, there are some tricks that can help you beat her.

The bosses in Wuchang are a big reason the game feels so much like classic Soulsborne games, with tough fights that remind players of Sekiro or Dark Souls. Each battle requires you to adapt and stay persistent if you want to win, and Huang Yan is a perfect example of this challenge.

Where to Find Mistress of the Night Huang Yan

You can find Huang Yan in the Cloudspire area. First, you’ll need to travel through the Rebel Camp, defeat General Ai Nengqi and Ming General Liu Cheng’en at Snowpeak Pass, and you’ll finally arrive in Cloudspire City.

Once there, you’ll navigate through the city, which is full of hidden corners and enemies that can surprise you from behind or push you off ledges. You’ll reach a large plaza where you can activate the Snowfall Palace shrine. Looking straight ahead, there’s a staircase leading up to the main hall of the palace, and there are useful items on both floors. The boss, Huang Yan, is located just to the right of the staircase, behind the middle curtains in an arena accessed via a hallway called the “Treasure Trove.” You can get there by taking the elevator down after talking to a helpful citizen.

How to Prepare for the Fight

A good armor set to use is one that offers strong resistances to Corruption and Frostbite. The Palace Maid’s set is a solid choice because you can often get it by defeating palace maid enemies throughout Snowfall Palace. The Satin Dress or Junior Maid’s Garments are decent options, but anything with high resistances to these effects will help.

Best Strategies for Beating Huang Yan

Many players choose different weapons and builds, but one effective setup is a Flamebringer Longsword combined with the Flame Bone Needle and Crescent Moon Discipline. This build maximizes Burn damage, which Huang Yan is weak against.

Alternatively, building around fire damage with various weapons works well, too. The key is to position yourself for powerful charged backstabs, which can knock her down, giving you a chance to land an instant obliteration attack. Also, consider using consumables like Kong Wine or Sapphire Lotus Seeds to reduce Frostbite from her spells.

How to Beat Her

When the fight begins, Huang Yan usually teleports to different spots on the arena. She often casts Corruption spells—launching orb projectiles that you must dodge. She also has melee attacks and spells involving Corruption and Frostbite, which you should avoid carefully.

Some spells to watch out for:

When she puffs her pipe and rings a charm, she’ll wave her lantern and send out two waves of Corruption balls. Dodge sideways and attack her from behind afterward.
A sudden explosion may follow, which can be deadly if you’re nearby.
She’ll also throw a Corruption orb into the air; it will shoot smaller orbs that home in on you until it dissipates.

She also breathes Frostbite in front of her and can attack with kicks that can’t be blocked. At times, she deflects your attacks with her pipe, so be patient and watch her movements.

When She Transforms

At about half health, Huang Yan will turn into a flying snow fox, rushing at you quickly and dealing Frostbite damage. She’ll switch between human and fox forms multiple times. She’ll surround herself with ice clouds, signaling when she’s about to change.

In the second stage, besides dodging her swift Fox attacks, you can also hit her from behind with spells like Echo of Dhutanga to knock her down for a big attack. Using fire-based weapons and circling behind her during spell casting creates perfect opportunities to land heavy hits and knock her prone, which is a great way to finish her off.

Final Tips

Once you learn her attack patterns and spell cues, she’s not so hard to beat. Timing your dodges and circling behind her makes her vulnerable, especially during her spell casts when she’s less mobile. With patience and practice, you can overcome one of the trickiest bosses in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers and claim victory.