Elder Gongsun sits right beside the General Shrine fast travel point in Qinghe, and he is easily one of the toughest opponents you can face at the very start of Where Winds Meet. Many players walk into this duel expecting a simple early game test and walk out wondering what went wrong.
The good news is it’s a completely manageable fight once you understand how his patterns work, and you don’t need any weapon upgrades or high-level skills to bring him down. With a focused loadout and just a bit of patience, Elder Gongsun becomes a very fair duel. Here is everything you need to know.
Recommended Loadout
- Weapon: Nameless Sword
- Skills: Shadow Step, Daunting Strike
These give you quick mobility and reliable ways to interrupt Elder Gongsun when he tries to recover Qi.
Also Read: Where Winds Meet Guide: How to Unlock All Weapon Martial Arts
How Elder Gongsun’s Attack Patterns Work
Gongsun is always waiting for an attack from you. After your attack, he does one of two things:
- A forward kick
- A two-handed shove
These two openers determine the rest of his combo.
If He Starts With a Kick
A kick signals his longest and most aggressive melee chain. It is very hard to punish, and the only safe way to deal Qi damage during this sequence is by parrying.
The much easier option is to completely avoid the whole attack by taking to the air. His kick combo stays entirely on the ground, so a triple jump keeps you out of danger. You might have to dodge or parry once near the end, but you avoid almost all of the pressure this way.
If He Starts With a Shove
The shove sends him sliding back into lotus stance, and then he fires four palm strikes, follows up with a delayed axe kick from above, and finishes with a powerful red-glint palm strike.
This last red-glint strike is, bar none, the best punish window in the whole fight. It has a generous parry timing, and it’s always right after the delayed axe kick. Stay calm, watch for it, and you get free damage every time.
Also Read: Where Winds Meet: Echoes of Old Battles Quest Guide
Follow-up Moves Available to Elder Gongsun
After his opening combo, he can chain into a variety of different abilities.
- Qi Recovery: He stands still and recuperates Qi by moving his hands in a set pattern. Interrupt him immediately. Shadow Step works perfectly if you are close. Daunting Strike can close the gap if you are farther away.
- Pole Vault: He hops between the poles at the sides of the arena, calling out “Left”, “Right”, “Front”, or “Back” with each hop. When he stops calling out directions, that’s when he’s going to dive down with a kick. This final strike can be dodged or parried.
- Frog Jump: He glows yellow and becomes a frog. He does three heavy jumps, which cause shockwaves. All three jumps can be dodged or parried.
- Frog Cloud: He crouches into a glowing frog stance and summons a dark cloud that blinds you if you stay in it. Dodge out immediately, then jump over the quick frog leap that follows.
Also Read: Where Winds Meet: Little Master’s Legacy 1 Encounter Quest Guide
Rewards for defeating Elder Gongsun
Defeating Elder Gongsun will give you the Top Fighter Achievement and put him in your roster as a Combat Assist companion. You can also collect 5 Echo Jade from the Achievements menu under the Qinghe section.
