Short Answer

Elder Jinchi is the Chapter 1 secret-area boss behind the three bells. Beat him by treating the corpse adds as part of the fight rather than background clutter. Use them for emergency healing early, avoid them when they turn explosive, and kill them quickly when Elder Jinchi floats and tries to absorb them. The Fireproof Mantle reward makes this optional boss valuable before the chapter finale.

When This Guide Helps

Use this guide if you rang the three bells and arrived at Ancient Guanyin Temple, or if Elder Jinchi keeps undoing your progress with his heal sequence. The fight feels similar to earlier heavy humanoid pressure, but the adds change your priorities at specific moments.

This is not a speed fight. The stable plan is to survive his slow heavy swings, keep enough mana for the heal phase, and avoid letting the arena mechanics snowball.

Route And Unlock Context

Elder Jinchi is reached by ringing three Chapter 1 bells. The first bell is tied to Guangzhi, the second to Guangmou, and the third is near the Black Wind Cave entrance after Whiteclad Noble. Ring all three and you are moved into Secret: Ancient Guanyin Temple, where Elder Jinchi waits in the Grand Chamber route.

Clear chests and prepare before entering. Defeating Elder Jinchi leads to Fireproof Mantle, a vessel that is especially useful against later fire pressure in Chapter 1.

Core Mechanics

Elder Jinchi hits slowly but hard. The arena corpses make the fight unusual: they can be used for healing when attacked, they can become dangerous explosives, and during the float sequence they walk toward Elder Jinchi so he can absorb them and recover health.

Your priority changes by state. When Elder Jinchi is grounded, dodge his heavy strings and punish short. When he calls the corpses, move first and attack second. When he floats, stop hitting the boss and clear the corpses before they reach him.

Moves To Respect

Respect his slow palm and body swings. They look punishable early, but the hit can arrive after you have already started another attack.

Respect the explosive corpse call. When the adds begin chasing from several directions, create space and thin them out instead of tunneling on the boss.

Respect the heal phase. If corpses reach Elder Jinchi while he is floating, the fight can drag out and drain your gourd. Save Immobilize or transformation value for stabilizing this part.

Fight Plan

  1. Enter after clearing the secret-area route and checking your gear.
  2. Fight Elder Jinchi at mid range, punishing only after full heavy recoveries.
  3. Use corpse healing only when it is safe and do not stand inside a crowd.
  4. When he floats, immediately kill approaching corpses.
  5. Use Fireproof Mantle later as the main reason this optional fight matters.

Craft the best Chapter 1 weapon and armor available before entering the secret area. Immobilize is useful, but do not spend all mana before the heal sequence. A transformation can help burst Elder Jinchi after you stop a heal, but it should not distract you from clearing corpses.

If you have trouble with long attempts, adjust for survival first. Elder Jinchi punishes impatience more than low damage.

Common Mistakes

  • Ignoring the three-bell setup and expecting to find him on the normal route.
  • Letting corpse adds reach him during the floating heal sequence.
  • Standing still when the corpses become explosive.
  • Spending every spell early and having no answer when the arena gets busy.

Quality Check Before You Move On

You are ready to move on when you can identify the three add states: passive healing targets, explosive chasers, and heal-phase sacrifices. If the boss keeps recovering health, the problem is add control, not damage.

FAQ

How do I unlock Elder Jinchi?

Ring the three Chapter 1 bells connected to Guangzhi, Guangmou, and the Black Wind Cave entrance route after Whiteclad Noble.

What does Elder Jinchi reward?

The key practical reward is Fireproof Mantle, an early vessel that helps against fire and Scorch pressure.

Should I fight Elder Jinchi before Black Bear Guai?

Yes, if you want extra safety. Fireproof Mantle is useful for Black Bear Guai’s fire pressure later in Chapter 1.

Sources

  • How to Beat Elder Jinchi guide

    Three-bell unlock, corpse add mechanics, heal interruption, and Fireproof Mantle reward context.