To defeat Commander Honglan in Wuchang Fallen Feathers you need to parry, counter or dodge her attacks and build up the Poise Break meter to be able to use Obliterate. Use Charged Heavy Attacks when you're safely behind her to also trigger Obliterate while using Light Attacks where it's safe to do so.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is one of the best Soulslike games released this year. It's also one of the cruelest, as players will be having a fun time with the game only to be smacked hard in the face by a punishing boss -- in my case, it was the formidable Commander Honglan who stopped me in my tracks.