The Black Myth Wukong prison doors with purple circles on them in the Pagoda area of chapter 3 are locked off when you first arrive, and considering what’s inside one of the cells at the start - behind the Lower Pagoda checkpoint - you'll want to unlock them. Opening up these cells blocked by this purple magic is optional, and something you won't even be able to do until about halfway through the area, meaning you'll have to go back to the beginning to earn the fruits of your labor and open up all the prison cells.
Still, it's worth doing, as there's a whole new transformation spell available to those who do it - one that turns you into a two-headed fire breathing rat, and who could object to that? With that in mind, here's how to open the Black Myth Wukong prison cells in the pagoda, and unlock the doors with the purple circles on them.
How to unlock the Black Myth Wukong purple circle doors in Chapter 3
The locked prison doors with purple circles on them in Chapter 3 of Black Myth Wukong are opened when you defeat an optional boss halfway through the region: Captain Lotus Vision.
To find this boss, you need to progress through the main path from the starting point at the Lower Pagoda checkpoint, ascending the first set of stairs and then doubling back to cross the fallen wooden beam that acts as a bridge. Follow this path until you reach the Upper Pagoda checkpoint.
From there, the main route is to follow along at the same level. However, if you look behind you from this checkpoint, you'll see a drop down onto a shrine roof. Descend that and you'll end up in the arena with the Captain Lotus Vision boss.
Captain Lotus Vision is a kind of floating statue that deals in ranged, magical spells that home in on you, as well as summoning stationary turrets that fire beams across the ground. Mobility here is key to survival - the Captain's attacks are a constant bullet-hell barrage, so you'll need to be agile to have the best chance at survival. Fortunately, having a checkpoint just next to him means that your Black Myth Wukong mana bar should be full, so the best course is to cast Immobilize when close, then spam every high-power attack you have (a strategy that works for many enemies, as outlined in our Black Myth Wukong tips).
Otherwise, you'll want to keep a reserve of stamina untapped, as the Captain has a nasty habit of teleporting around the arena. You need to sprint to keep pace, while also leaving enough Stamina both to attack and dodge projectiles. Maybe consider investing in some Black Myth Wukong skills that support high stamina builds, if you're having trouble.
Once defeated, absorb the Spirit of Captain Lotus Vision, and all the cells with purple circles on them will be unlocked. There are numerous cells back along the path, but the one you should prioritise is the one with the NPC prisoner at the very start. He doesn't specifically have anything to give you, but right next to him is a sword that, when claimed, teaches you the Ashen Slumber spell, a transformation that grants you the ability to breath fire and create an explosion when you turn back.
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