Story walkthrough: prologue to Pangzhen · Phantom Blade Zero

Prologue and carriage

Learn climb, wall-run and crouch; finish the dojo defense tutorial against Zuo Shang.
Separate his two encounters: the later sword projections require defense after the apparent melee ending.
On the road clear the initial enemies, then defend the cart against The Hunt; answer the Triangle QTE.
The fall opens Weeping Creek Valley; this cart fight is not the chain-sickle reward fight.

At the broken carriage start Whence the Weeping, then touch The Beginning and Lady’s Rift Bells.
Speak to Yu’er about her father to open Flesh Lily. Take Sanguine Twin from the rack near her Bell.
The red-thread route opens after clearing the puppet in Broken Puppet Valley; collect the nearby amber chest.
Continue through Jagged Steel to Rustblade Pavilion; collect his weapon and approach Outpost Courtyard.
Clear the courtyard group to advance the objective; enter the outpost and speak to Forge.
Collect Sanguine Reach behind the smithy, then inspect the upper-house route for Cell Key.
Open the underground cell for Blackstone and speak to the petrified disciple for Four Fierce Axes.

Defeat Peng Meng to obtain Dread Axe and examine the crane Bell by his arena.
Break the chains near Forge, clear the interior enemies and continue Festering Secret.
Yu’er’s recipe opens Apprentice Healer; keep its herb checklist separate from the main route.
From the crane Bell axe gate, follow the village route to Axemaster’s Holding Cell.
Under the bridge check metal and Blood-Stopper Vine; the nearby axe gate leads to Focus Pill’s chest.
At Plains Entrance talk to the anxious disciple, climb toward Ruthless Archer Camp and clear it.
Take the broken bow back to the old archer at the outpost to obtain Feather Bow.

Follow the tower thread upward, touching the first-floor and summit Bells.
At the summit accept the warden’s Mindseal request before descending through the floor opening.
The lower route reaches Flesh Lily Fields: defeat Hua, take her weapon and inspect the altar for Twin Flesh Lilies.
Return the lilies to Yu’er; continue the captain’s request near the boulder.
From the summit route take the furnace crank, insert it at the first-floor furnace and recover the Primal Stone.
Report to the warden, then cross Waterfall Bridge toward Great Waterfall.
Defeat The Hunt here for Hunter’s Chain Sickle. Use its traversal points for return loot rather than expecting cart rewards.
Revisit the starting ledge, archer-camp roof and tower-summit pipe route; the latter gives a base-camp gate key.
Climb beyond the waterfall, inspect the optional cave and leave toward Crimson Forest.

Meet Inanis’s illusion, take the entrance flower and inspect the crane Bell memory.
Follow Abandoned Main Road to Pangzhen Bridge Overlook; defeat Hua Qianxiao and use the sickle after the bridge collapse.
At Trail of Cages enter the cave, operate the crank and release Quick Hand Zhang.
The Outlaw Trap tunnel crank opens a secret path; keep its prison and hidden-room keys distinct.
Defeat Jing Ye, then talk to the two Baishan disciples at the bridge.
In Thieves’ Camp start the healer and treasure requests before leaving; check the west cave and upstairs key route.
Use the outpost courtyard key to enter Red Serpent House; continue through Cliff of Longing to Cliffside Lodge.
Find the lodge’s upstairs cellar crank, open the underground path and collect its prison/secret-chamber tools.

At Mirrorwood Entrance descend to Iron Fever; after victory inspect both the nearby ledge and cave flowers.
At the long pillar, interact with the dragon statue for Bloodline Awakening, then take the sickle route onward.
From Burial Grounds follow the steam-engine route and lamps through the fog.
Talk to Inanis’s illusion, begin Banyan Heart and interact with the large tree in the water.
At Mirrorwood Depths collect nearby memories before solving the portals. First route: cobweb-side, middle, right.
Second portal route: right, left, middle. Defeat Bai Chilian and take the broken pipa and twin-serpent weapon.
Enter Village of Lu; speak to Jewel about pipa/weeping, then reach the camp outer gate and Old Man Gen’s hideout.
Accept The Journey Home before advancing the route; leave the village entrance to continue.

Defeat Zhuo Bi for Bastion. Open Young Master Lan’s tale and inspect ribbons as you travel between Bells.
At Three Puppets Well and Blue Fireflies Temple, collect ribbons and speak to the masked weaver for motherhood.
Use the stream’s crying encounter for the mother’s talisman, then return to the weaver.
Meet Zhang, deliver regional treasures and open the nearby shortcut before the axe-gated route.
At Black Serpent House collect the next ribbon; proceed to Bi Yuan and take the bronze sword.
Continue toward Smuggler’s Tunnel, speak to the wounded thief for Leave None Alive, then defeat Bi Hai for prayer beads.
Engine Giant Remains opens the well; sweep Survivors’ Courtyard and talk to the monk.
Talk to the poetry puppet for Wooden Heart. The flower-gated optional pit leads to Dusk and Puppeteer’s Bell.
Below the well, inspect the next ribbon and defeat Yuzan. His pipa is separate from the repair quest’s Illusory Pipa.
Read The Herald for Crimson Manor, collect Cui’s ribbon, then use the crane Bell to lower the lift.
At Lakeside finish the desired quest checks before Mu Xiaokui. After victory collect the Eye and dock weapon.
Use Puppet No.44’s Eye, update Gen/Lan quests, obtain the tunnel cage key and free the thief.
Touch Hidden Passage to Pangzhen Bell and take the doorway into town. The later lake/estate routes use the separate progression and ending checks.

Reviewed November 1, 2026. Values apply at the stated levels and conditions.