Master Soul finds himself in the Weeping Creek Valley, a strange and challenging land far from Pangzhen. You’ll need to guide him through it as he races against the clock; with only 66 days to live, Soul’s path holds both peril and adventure.
Getting familiar with the terrain is essential here, especially since enemies lurk around every corner and resources can be scarce. Navigating this valley is crucial to reach the town and keep his deal with the Flesh Sculptor. Keep an eye out for helpful markers and pay attention to your surroundings to avoid losing time.
As you set out, remember to explore thoroughly—it’s a game-changer. Check your map often, collect items, and don’t forget to unlock skills early on to enhance your gameplay. Getting these elements in line at the start can save you a lot of headaches later.
After the fall, Soul finds himself injured in a forest area. Hold the prompt displayed on screen to get him back on his feet. Although he needs to reach Pangzhen, you’ll have to figure out your surroundings first. Trust me, the only way to advance is forward.
This is where the game opens up, allowing you to check the map and explore. You’ll see markers for inaccessible areas and quest objectives, guiding you as you progress. For instance, looking back from your starting location reveals a chest below—but you can’t reach it yet. The game will even mark it on your map, showing you what weapon is required to access it later.
Follow the path upstream to advance through the valley. As you navigate, listen for an eerie weeping sound from a distance—it’s tied to a new quest, “Whence The Weeping”. Keep in mind that quests are quite intricate here, often spanning multiple regions.
Sometimes, you’ll get objective markers, but a lot of it is on you to explore and piece together. For now, just ignore the Whence The Weeping quest and keep moving through the valley. Along the way, some enemies are bothering an old man; your first task is to take them out.
This one tripped me up initially, but practice your parries here on these simple foes. It’s essential for mastering combat mechanics that will serve you throughout the game.
Explore The Forest Valley
Get another collectible book next to the ladder, then climb it to find more foes waiting above. Use your stealth skills to sneak up and execute an assassination on them—this is satisfying and effective. Just crouch, tiptoe behind them, and hit that execute button.
Sprint along the wall to the other side, then take the stairs up. You’ll find a ladder that will lead you down to yet another Bell. Don’t pass up the chance to interact with it and save your progress again.
In front of this Bell, interact with the rift coming from the broken statue—it’s a curiosity that could lead you into trouble. Enter the rift at your own risk! You’ll be transported to a realm where you meet a hefty boss, the Aberrant Three-Faced Puppet. Spoiler alert: you’re not meant to defeat her just yet.
This encounter unlocks the Triple Threat Tales and marks the fight on your map for later. Trust me, you’ll want to come back when you’re better equipped for a true challenge.
After obtaining your new talisman, follow the path to the right and around the mountain. You’ll spot a chain that takes you down, leading to a campsite where a frightened young woman awaits. This is Yu’er, who fled from Pangzhen amidst chaos.
Yu’er is looking for a rare flower to heal her sick father, and it’s important to exhaust all dialogue options with her to gain the Flesh Lily Tale. Just as you part ways, she tries to offer Soul her lucky charm, but he kindly declines—it’s a poignant moment that sets the tone for emotional exchanges to come in the game.
Don’t fret about Yu’er’s Tale right now. For the time being, continue your journey. Climb the rock ahead where you’ll find golden loot. This time, pick up the Sanguine Twin, a weapon worth trying. It could make a difference in your fights moving forward.
After climbing the ladder here, be sure to activate the Bell to reveal new map areas and save your progress. This is an essential step—don’t skip it!
Follow the Path Upstream
As you take your journey, follow the winding path upstream through the lush valley. Keep your ears perked, because Soul will start picking up on the faint sound of a mysterious weeping echoing in the distance. This eerie sound will trigger an intriguing new quest titled, “Whence The Weeping” that you won’t want to miss!
With no shield-breaking weapons at your disposal yet, your best strategy is to counter his blue-flash attacks and use Shadow Step to strike from behind. This requires timing, but once you nail it, you’ll be able to whittle down his HP without taking much damage.
After dispatching him, the red thread starts fading, and the barrier lifts. Before you leave, be sure to open the chest ahead for a Sha-Chi Amber Shard that could come in handy later. From the nearest Bell, fast travel back to the Red Thread Barrier Bell to commence the next phase.
Now, one thing to keep in mind as you explore is that while you’ll encounter some handy objective markers guiding you to your next steps, there will be plenty of times where you have to rely on your instincts. A lot of the adventure involves wandering off the beaten path and discovering hidden gems on your own, so don’t hesitate to explore every nook and cranny!
Upon entering the boss arena, you’ll find Jagged Steel already engaged in combat with two enemies. You can either eliminate them yourself or let him take care of business—your choice!
This boss uses powerful sword strikes that can build up the Bleed status. Once it maxes out, expect massive HP loss, so keeping track of your health is key.
This isn’t just any boss fight, but rather a tutorial fight designed for you to practice your parrying techniques, so it should be manageable.
After you finally overcome Jagged Steel, The Frenzied Brute, you’ll be rewarded with his sword. A solid weapon to start with, this item inflicts Bleeding, which should make things easier as you progress.
How Bells Work
When you draw closer to the Bell, you’ll be greeted by the soothing voice of a woman named Inaris. She’ll share some insightful information about the function and purpose of the Bell, helping you understand its significance in your journey.
Bells serve as essential checkpoints throughout the game. Whenever you interact with one, it not only illuminates the surrounding area on your map but also restores your HP and Medicine to keep you in fighting shape. Make sure you take advantage of these handy spots as you traverse the world!
Just a quick heads-up: unlike many Soulslike games, defeating enemies and then touching the Bell again won’t cause them to respawn. So once they’re gone, they’re gone for good, giving you a little breathing space as you navigate through the game.
At the moment, the Bell has a handful of features that you can explore. The first option lets you train your abilities and unveil new skills for Soul using Remnant Dust. Plus, it’s a great spot to save your game progress, ensuring you’re all set for your next adventure.
Your starting abilities only ask for Remnant Dust, which is easy enough to gather. However, as you delve deeper into the game and level up your skills, you’ll find yourself needing to hunt down Blackstone, Sha-Chi Ambers, and Blue Flowers. These are crucial for boosting your attributes and unlocking even more exciting abilities.
These valuable items are represented as shards, so you can’t just pick one up and be done with it. Instead, you’ll need to collect several shards of the same type to craft them into a complete item. It’s all part of the fun of scouring the game world!
For instance, if you gather four Blackstone Shards, you’ll create one Blackstone, which will amp up your Attack Power and Guard Break Percentage. The process is similar for the other items too. And don’t miss out on the chance to unlock Fluid Form for free; make sure you take advantage of that opportunity!
One crucial aspect to note is that the saving mechanics can feel a bit quirky. The game does save automatically whenever you touch a Bell, but I highly recommend you always make a manual save just to be on the safe side. It’s better to be cautious than to lose any progress!
As you venture further into the game, you’ll discover a range of additional features available at the Bell, so keep an eye out for those as you level up!
Continue Through The Valley
After you’ve wrapped up your business with the Bell, press onward and clear out the two foes that are lurking nearby. If you glance to your right, you’ll spot some green loot – go ahead and grab it to snag the Blood Letter of Despair book. Just so you know, books are a cool collectible in this game that you won’t want to miss!
It’s time to scale the rock in front of you and keep moving along the path, taking out any enemies that try to stand in your way. When you reach the end of this route, right by the waterfall, you can scoop up some Remnant Dust to add to your stash.
Now, make your way up to the left and follow that wooden log across. As you navigate this narrow path, you’ll be treated to a quick cutscene of birds taking off in a frenzy, as if they’re sensing danger. Stay alert as you traverse the wooden platforms here and make sure to dispatch any enemies you encounter.
Right next to the ladder, you can pick up another book item that’s just waiting to be collected. After you grab it, ascend the ladder. Once you reach the top, you’ll find a few enemies up there, and it’s the perfect opportunity to slip in undetected for a stealthy assassination.
Just ease into a crouch, tiptoe behind them, and then hit the execute button to carry out a smooth assassination. It’s a cunning way to take them out without raising the alarm!
Dash along the wall to get to the opposite side, then take the stairs up. If you look to your right, there’s a ladder waiting for you. Climb down that ladder, and you’ll find yourself at another Bell. Be sure to interact with it to keep your journey going.
Unlock The Triple Threat Tale
When you find yourself in front of this mysterious Bell, you’re going to notice a peculiar rift that seems to be flowing out from a damaged statue nearby. It’s hard to resist the intrigue, so go ahead and step into the rift; who knows where it might lead you!
Once you’ve taken the plunge, you’ll be whisked away to a whole new realm. Here, you’ll encounter the fearsome Aberrant Three-Faced Puppet, a boss so powerful that it’s probably not the best idea to engage her just yet. Just a heads up, this challenging confrontation is waiting here for you should you choose to accept it later on.
After you meet your inevitable demise at her hands, you’ll even get a nod from Soul himself, who will note that this battle isn’t one you should take on at the moment. But don’t worry, this moment unlocks Triple Threat Tales and adds a marker on your map for this epic showdown, allowing you to come back to it when you’re more prepared.
Continue Following The Path Upstream
Make your way up the ladder and use the wall to carefully navigate to the other side. Tucked away in the corner, you’ll stumble upon some dazzling purple loot just waiting for you to grab. Don’t miss out on this treasure!
What you just found is a Traversal Talisman! This nifty item empowers you to travel back to any Bell you’ve visited before, even if you’re not right next to one, making your journey through this world a lot smoother. Nice score!
Next up, take a leap across using the chain and take care of the enemy waiting on the other side. In doing so, you’ll score a new accessory called the Hunter’s Insight. Gear up and get ready for action!
Don’t forget to equip this gem! It can give you a solid boost by increasing the damage you deal and reducing Sha-Chi against enemies you’re fighting by 7%. Every little bit helps when you’re in the thick of battle!
First Meeting With Yu’er
As you navigate your adventure, take the route to the right, skillfully making your way around the mountain. You’ll then need to use the chain to get yourself across. Once you’re over, don’t forget to grab the other chain to descend all the way down. Each step is vital—stay on your toes!
When you reach the bottom, you’ll spot a campsite where a young lady appears to be frightened. As you approach, Soul steps forward to chat with her. This is Yu’er, who managed to escape the chaos in Pangzhen.
Unlock The Flesh Lily Tale
It turns out her father is unwell, which is the reason she fled to seek out a rare flower that’s part of a medicinal recipe to help cure him. Make sure you fully exhaust all of Yu’er’s dialogue options when she prompts you. That way, you’ll receive the valuable Flesh Lily Tale, which could be essential to your quest!
As you wrap up the conversation and Soul is about to leave with Yu’er, she attempts to hand him her lucky charm. However, Soul graciously declines and gives it back to her, which leads her to have a heartfelt moment and start crying. It’s a touching scene that adds so much depth to their encounter.
Soul shares a poignant thought with her: “Sometimes holding back your tears is all you can do to keep your spirit alive.” This meaningful line will resonate later on in the game, demonstrating the emotional undercurrents that can shape your journey.
There’s no need to fret about this particular Tale for the time being. Trust me, you won’t be making any real headway with it right now anyway!
Find The Great Waterfall
Let’s put Yu’er’s Tale on the back burner for just a bit. Right now, our focus should be on pushing ahead. Make your way up the rock face; once you reach the top, you’ll be rewarded with some shiny loot. Be sure to grab it, as it contains the Sanguine Twin. This is an exciting new weapon, and you’ll want to give it a whirl!
Go ahead and climb the ladder and interact with the Bell that’s up there. This will open up your map so you can see what’s around you. Don’t forget to unlock new abilities and save your progress; it’s crucial for your journey ahead!
Unlock The Red Thread Barrier
Head towards the path that leads to the red thread. You’ll encounter a few enemies standing in your way, but taking them down will reward you with an accessory called the Battle Wraps. This nifty item boosts the damage you inflict on enemies by 5%, so it’s definitely worth your time to defeat those foes!
Next, make your way toward the red thread barrier and don’t forget to interact with the Bell that’s nearby. You won’t be able to push through the barrier just yet, but if you take a moment to look up, you’ll notice a lone red thread snaking off to the left—that’s where your path lies.
Utilize the chain to cross and follow along this thread. This will lead you down to the ground-level area, where you need to carefully descend using the wooden platforms.
If you make your way down to the platform with the ladder, there’s a hidden gem waiting for you—a collectible book! Just drop down and give the Bell in front of you a little nudge to unveil the map. Happy exploring!
Unlock The The Four Fierce Axes Tale
If you look to the right of the Bell, there’s yet another book just waiting for you to grab it. And if you turn to the left, be sure to step inside the house; on the table there, you’ll find another book. Snagging this one will let you unlock the intriguing Four Fierce Axes Tale. How cool is that?
This Tale is just one of those stories that’s going to need some more time before you can dive into it fully, so don’t sweat it for now.
Continue pushing forward toward the tangled red threads, you’ve got a mission to track down the enemy that’s causing this pesky barrier. We’re talking about an enemy unlike the usual suspects, sporting a shield!
Given that you’re not equipped with any shield-breaking weapons at this moment, your best strategy is to time your counters for his blue-flash attacks, then use Shadow Step to slip behind him and land some damage. It’s tricky but totally doable!
Once you take down this foe, you’ll notice the red thread begins to fade away, and just like that, the barrier is no longer an obstacle. Way to go!
Before you head out, don’t forget to open that chest waiting for you nearby to snag a Sha-Chi Amber Shard. Then, take a little detour to the nearest Bell and teleport over to the Red Thread Barrier Bell. Once you’ve arrived, just move forward from there!
As you press onwards, you’ll be treated to a quick cutscene where Soul gets jumped by a pair of enemies. But hold on! From your vantage point, you’ll spot the chains of a well-known sickle swooping in to send those foes flying, which is quite the spectacle to behold.
Right after that moment, The Hunt’s voice can be heard calling out to Soul, seemingly impatient for a showdown. Did we really just defeat The Hunt? Apparently, he’s made it out alive and is ready to confront Soul, eager to settle the score and go for that bounty.
Keep moving through the opening created in the thread, don’t forget to grab the note you spot along your path, then brace yourself for a boss battle with Jagged Steel right around the corner.
Defeat Jagged Steel, The Frenzied Brute
Once you step into the boss arena, you’ll catch Jagged Steel in action, tangling with a couple of enemies. You can either jump in and lend a hand to clear them out yourself, or you can sit back and watch him handle the situation.
Jagged Steel wields a sword, and each slash builds up the Bleed status effect. Once this effect reaches its peak, it has the potential to drain a hefty chunk of your health, so watch out!
During your encounter with this formidable boss, you’ll notice he employs an array of sword combos that keep you on your toes. Quite impressively, he often wraps up these combos with a flashy attack, which you’ll recognize by its blue or red hue.
When it comes to his swordplay, get ready for some serious action! He incorporates several attack patterns that include two to four swift slashes as well as a dynamic spinning assault where he twirls his blade while closing in on you. Keep your guard up and watch for those patterns!
Your primary objective in this fight is to successfully parry as many of his attacks as you can to sap his Sha-Chi while keeping your own meter healthy. Whenever you manage to break through his defenses, don’t hold back—be sure to unleash your Power Surge attack to inflict some serious damage!
Above your health bar, you’ll find the Bleed buildup meter. It’s crucial to keep an eye on this bar; whenever it’s getting close to maxing out, simply retreat for a bit and allow it to drain before re-engaging. Staying aware of this will really help you through the fight!
This battle serves as more of a tutorial experience for you, allowing you to hone your parrying skills and get accustomed to the timing involved. It should feel manageable, so take a deep breath and have fun with it!
Once you bring down Jagged Steel, The Frenzied Brute, you’ll be rewarded with his weapon as a trophy for your victory! This weapon is a fantastic choice to start your journey, especially since it grants the Bleeding effect. We highly recommend incorporating it into your arsenal!
And that’s a wrap on this incredible journey through Phantom Blade Zero! Thanks a million for hanging out with us!
If you’re hungry for more hints and strategies, check out the other walkthroughs linked just below:
Once upon a time, I was a Staff Writer at TheGamer, where I poured my heart into crafting over 1,000 articles about everything from blockbuster AAA titles to charming indie gems and all the wonderful games that lie in between.
