Let me tell you, the first time I wandered out of those oppressive woods and into Yellow Wind Ridge, I thought I was finally catching a break. Then I reached Sandgate Village and saw two boss health bars pop up at once: the King of Flowing Sands and the Second Prince of Flowing Sands. It felt like a nightmare, but after some trial and error I found a trick that makes this fight way more manageable than it looks. If you are stuck on this royal rat duo in 2026, here is exactly how I prepared, what I focused on, and how you can bring them down without losing your mind.

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Open the Shortcut First

You will find the King and Second Prince in Sandgate Village, right after the Village Entrance shrine. Before you even think about fighting, unlock the shortcut back to the arena. The first time you get there, the main doorway is closed and guarded, so you have to take a detour to the right. Work your way around, clear the enemies, and then head back toward the door to open it. It sounds tedious, but trust me, having a short runback makes this fight far less frustrating.

Once the path is open, spend some time making your Destined One stronger. I always put a few Sparks into Health or Stamina before a tough fight, and unlocking new stance abilities helps a lot too. If you have the materials, craft the Ebongold gear set. At this point in the game, it is the strongest armor you can get, and some pieces come with Burn Resistance, which is perfect for this fiery region. I also recommend crafting a bit of medicine to boost your damage before the fight.

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The One Trick That Changes Everything

Here is the secret the game never tells you: ignore the King completely. When the fight starts, both health bars appear. The King climbs the pillars and throws pots at you from a distance, while the Second Prince stays on the ground swinging a giant mace-like weapon. It feels like you need to deal with both, but you really don't. If you kill the Second Prince, the whole fight ends. The King is basically unreachable anyway, so don't waste energy trying to hit him.

I was skeptical at first, but it works. Stay locked onto the Second Prince, keep moving, and the King's projectiles become a non-issue. You will naturally dodge them while you circle around the big rat.

How to Read the Second Prince's Attacks

The Second Prince of Flowing Sands is intimidating, but he is also slow and predictable. His weapon gives him long range, but those heavy swings leave huge openings. Here are the moves you need to watch for:

  • Sweeping attack – This is his most common move. It comes out with a wide horizontal swing. Dodge through it, then immediately punish while he recovers.

  • Long spin attack – This is a variation where he spins his weapon around him in a big arc. Pay attention to the windup, because after you dodge this one, you have a massive window to attack. I like to pop my transformation here and unleash a full combo while he is stuck in the recovery animation.

  • Thrust attack – He uses this when he is at mid-range. The camera can make the dodge timing feel awkward, so try not to stand still for too long. Keeping some distance or staying behind him helps.

  • Smash attack – This one has a fast animation, but it is easier to escape once you know it is coming. Again, constant movement is your best friend.

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Rewards for Beating the Duo

This fight doesn't drop a game-changing spirit, but the rewards are still solid. You will earn 1102 experience points and 1026 Will, which should help you grab any remaining armor upgrades.

On top of that, you get these materials:

Material Quantity
Stone Spirit 1x
Silk 2x
Yaoguai Core 1x
Blood of the Iron Bull 1x

The Blood of the Iron Bull is especially useful because you need it to upgrade your spirits. Stronger spirits hit harder and require less QI to invoke, so don't forget to spend it.

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Where to Go Next

Once this royal duo is down, you have a choice. The main gate in front of you is locked and requires Sterness of Stone, Keeness of Tiger to open, so you need to go left or right around the side of it. I recommend taking the left-hand route near the shrine. That path continues the King's storyline, since he scuttles away after the fight to awaken the next major boss: the First Prince of Flowing Sands. Good luck, Destined One. You're going to need it.