Nine Sols Ji Boss Guide: Location & How To Beat

If Lady Ethereal marked the difficulty spike in Nine Sols, then Ji, the overseer of the Grotto of Scriptures, represents the game fully embracing its late-game challenge. Ji is undoubtedly a tough opponent—not just because of the heavy damage he deals with but also due to the intricate and layered nature of his fight, which can easily overwhelm you if you're not prepared to handle what's happening on screen.

If you're gearing up to face Ji or want to be ready when you encounter him later in the game, this guide is for you. Below, we'll provide a detailed overview of Ji's location, his move set, and, of course, some general tips on how to defeat him in Nine Sols.

Ji Boss Location

After defeating Lady Ethereal and returning to the Four Pavilions, you'll need to speak with Ruyi. Ruyi will inform you that the next Sol Seal holders are located in the Grotto of Scriptures and the Empyrean District, respectively. If you choose to head to the Grotto of Scriptures, you'll find Ji in a room at the top left corner of the map.

We recommend grabbing the Node just below her boss room, as it provides a quick route for the boss run or for teleporting back to the Pavilion for upgrades. Once you're ready, head through the door and prepare to face Ji.

Ji Boss Fight Overview

Ji presents a two-phase boss fight characterized by less heavy and massive impact attacks compared to Jiequan or Lady Ethereal. Instead, Ji relies on a mix of projectile attacks, boomerang daggers, AoE attacks, and close-up heavy strikes. This makes the fight more about observing Ji’s movements and telegraphs, knowing when it's safe to attack, and when you need to be defensive.

Before diving into detailed strategies and tips for defeating Ji, let’s first review his abilities and attacks. Note that Ji retains all the attacks from the first phase in the second phase, with a few additional moves added to his repertoire.

Nine Sols Ji Phase 1 Attacks

• Divination Attack: Ji spins three orbs around himself, becoming invincible. You must parry one to select its effect, or the orbs will stop spinning on their own. The effects are:
  • Whirlwind Symbol: Causes daggers to rain down up to six times.
  • Circular Wave Symbol: Initiates the Crimson Wave Creator attack.
  • Swords Symbol: Fires energy daggers from both sides of the screen in pairs.
  • Gourd Symbol: Drops a Gourd that provides Azure Sand if broken early or health if broken later.
• Double Dagger: Hurls two energy daggers that pass by you and then return to Ji for another attempt.
• Fast Dagger: Unleashes a single, fast-moving energy dagger that hits nearly instantly.
• Dagger Rain: Causes energy daggers to fly out and return to you in a left-to-right pattern.
• Hidden Dagger: Pulls a hidden dagger from the ground behind you to stab you in the back.
• Crimson Wave Creator: Deploys a device on the ground that generates a circular wave of crimson energy, requiring precise dodging as it expands and recedes.
• Black Hole: Summons a small black hole that pulls you towards its center while Ji performs other attacks.
• Crimson Dash: Charges up his staff and thrusts it forward in a crimson flash, which can be parried.

Nine Sols Ji Phase 2 Attacks

• Crimson Staff Slam: Charges his staff, leaps into the air, and slams it down with crimson energy, releasing a Crimson wave upon impact.
• Crimson Pillar: Floats into the air with his staff above his head, summoning a pillar of crimson energy that deals heavy damage if you’re caught in it.

Ji Boss Fight Strategy

Given the wide array of abilities that demand precise dodging and parrying, the fight against Ji is all about perfect timing. Fortunately, there's some leeway for mistakes due to the opportunity for free healing, which is facilitated by our recommended strategy of using Ji's Divination attack against him.

Ji's Divination attack allows you to heal if you successfully parry the correct Orb. Additionally, it gives you the chance to select a more advantageous attack if you find yourself in a tight spot. Before Ji starts spinning the Orbs, you'll have a brief moment to identify and move towards the one you want to parry.

Ideally, you'll want to parry the Gourd Orb nine times out of ten. With enough practice, you'll be able to position yourself perfectly to parry the desired Orb as Ji prepares his attack. If you have a choice, prioritize the Gourd, followed by the Whirlwind, Crimson Wave, or the Sword symbols. The Whirlwind is the easiest to dodge by staying underneath Ji and parrying in the air with Tai Chi Kicks.

You'll also need to master parrying Ji's Daggers, as these are his most frequently used attacks. Successfully parrying them will quickly build up your Talisman charges and interrupt his attacks. Use your Talisman charges after the Daggers have left the screen, as they persist even if you stagger Ji with a Talisman.

Ji’s Charge attacks with the staff are easy to identify from a distance, but the Crimson Wave and Black Hole attacks can be more challenging. Address these attacks before shifting focus back to offense. Once you’ve managed Phase 1, you’ll enter Phase 2, where Ji introduces two new attacks and the fight becomes more intense.

In Phase 2, Ji will teleport more frequently and unleash larger attacks more often. Although the tempo increases, the fight becomes more difficult due to the lack of a foolproof strategy. Your best approach is to grind down his health while surviving his relentless attacks.

Take your time to learn Ji’s attack patterns, and know when to attack and when to defend, especially in phase 2. With patience, practice, and a bit of luck, you'll eventually defeat Ji, one of the toughest bosses in Nine Sols.