After a tense confrontation, Soul ends up taking the life of his old friend Zuo Shang during a chaotic encounter. Fortunately, his fate takes a twist when he meets the Flesh Sculptor, who offers him a shot at resurrection.
By choosing the Tainted Heart, Soul is brought back to life, but there’s a catch: he only has 66 days before the heart is reclaimed, sealing his fate once more. And so, Soul embarks on a desperate journey.
This chapter introduces you to intriguing challenges. You’ll need to prepare for intense enemy encounters, including:
- The Journey To Pangzhen
- Defeat The Pursuers
- The Hunt, Hunter Of The Order First Encounter
- The Flesh Sculptor’s Deal
The Journey To Pangzhen
The adventure kicks off with Soul riding in an oxcart alongside Old Man Gen as they head to the plague-stricken town of Pangzhen. The local populace suffers from a maddening affliction that doesn’t kill them but drastically erodes their sanity.
Rumors of wooden husks tethered by red strings have been circulating, signaling strange occurrences linked to the Thread-Binding Sect. Soul is suspicious that this could all be the work of their dark magic.
In the midst of their conversation, gunfire erupts as they are ambushed. With quick thinking, Soul shoves Old Man Gen to safety while he prepares to confront the attackers.
As Old Man Gen is deep in conversation, the tension spikes when Soul suddenly pulls him down just in time to avoid a hail of bullets targeting their oxcart. Looks like Soul’s got some unwelcome followers hot on their trail. With a swift move, Soul tosses the Old Man to safety – a true act of heroism – while bravely staying put on the oxcart to confront those pursuers head-on.
Defeat The Pursuers
Once controls switch to you, relax; the oxcart drives itself. Your focus should be on fending off the pursuers behind you.
You’ll first encounter two mounted foes launching bullets your way. Don’t panic! Hold your guard button to parry the incoming gunfire.
Watch for a blue-flash attack from one of them. When this happens, make sure to press the guard button promptly.
After they resume firing, keep your guard up. A red-flash attack will follow, so be ready to dodge at the right moment.
The enemies will close in on you, and it’s time to take them down. You won’t need to steer the cart, so just aim and execute your attacks to bring them down.
Once you’ve dispatched these two, a third enemy will leap onto the cart. You’ll need to defend yourself: guard against their attacks and combo your hits to drain their Sha-Chi.
The Hunt, Hunter Of The Order First Encounter
With the third enemy out of the way, another threat arises in the form of a formidable foe named The Hunt, who wields chain sickles and needs to be taken seriously.
He confronts Soul by presenting a bounty poster featuring Soul’s face, claiming he’s responsible for the murder of the Shadow Sovereign. This complicates things, as Zuo Shang held that title, having previously killed Soul.
Amidst the confusion, you have a new fight on your hands. Keep your positioning tight in the oxcart as you focus on evading and defending against The Hunt’s deadly attacks.
Considering your only safe haven right now is that oxcart, make sure to keep an eye on your positioning. You’ll want to prioritize parrying or blocking those fierce attacks coming from The Hunt. It’s all about staying agile and anticipating your enemy’s moves in this tight space.
The Hunt swings his sickles for standard attacks, which you can either parry or block. Watch his movements carefully.
When he leaps, preparing a blue-flash attack, make sure to parry right as he comes down, then quickly mash the button that appears.
During some attacks, he may jump and disappear before launching a powerful blue-flash attack back down. Time your parry just right to avoid damage.
Another assault involves him swinging one sickle down while slashing horizontally with the other. Ensure you parry or block effectively during these sequences.
Watch for his wide-swinging sickles during a blue-flash attack; they’ll turn bright white before widening. Be ready to parry when they reach this point.
The Flesh Sculptor’s Deal
Once you bring The Hunt down, Soul delivers the final blow, sending him over the edge of a cliff. However, destiny takes another turn as the path ahead crumbles, causing Soul and the oxcart to tumble down.
A flashback rolls in, featuring the Flesh Sculptor’s proposal about a Heart in Pangzhen that can resurrect the dead and reshape flesh.
This scene also cuts to a mysterious chariot carrying unknown passengers, heightening the intrigue.
At the same time, there’s a chariot rolling through the chaos, carrying two enigmatic figures whose identities remain shrouded in mystery. Who are these individuals? The intrigue is palpable as we piece together clues about their intentions!
A deal is struck: bring the Heart to the Flesh Sculptor, and he’ll replace Soul’s current tainted heart, allowing him to live beyond his 66-day limit.
Thanks for diving into this chapter of Phantom Blade Zero!
Want to dive deeper into the game? Check out our additional walkthroughs through the handy links below:
Meet our former Staff Writer at TheGamer, who has shared their gaming wisdom through over 1,000 articles covering everything from the biggest AAA blockbusters to the quaintest indie gems. You’re in for a treat!
