To unlock the "Final Battle" ending, considered the true conclusion to the story in Phantom Blade Zero, players must complete a series of specific side quests before reaching the game's final boss. This ending is crucial for fully understanding Soul's journey and tying up narrative loose ends.

Prerequisites for the True Ending

The primary requirements for unlocking the true ending are the completion of three key questlines: "Secrets at the Heart of the Lake," "Bloodline Awakening," and the entirety of Quick Hand Zhang's questline. It is highly recommended to finish these quests before progressing to the "Mirage State" area in Pangzhen, and certainly before reaching the peak of Mount Soulrend.

Additionally, players will need to acquire specific items during their playthrough. These include the "Illusory Pipa" weapon, obtained after completing the "Illusory Pipa" side quest, and the "Flame Mane" phantom edge. Players must also unlock access to the Crimson Manor and the Mountain of Imprisonment to obtain the two Crystal Puppet Eyes.

Completing 'Bloodline Awakening'

The "Bloodline Awakening" quest requires players to destroy five Lóng Pillars scattered throughout the game world. Each pillar is guarded by a challenging opponent known as the Gold-Masked One. Victory in these duels is necessary to destroy the pillars.

The five Lóng Pillars can be found in the following locations:

  • Weeping Creek Valley (Weeping Creek Lóng Pillar bell)
  • Crimson Forest (Mirrorwood Lóng Pillar bell)
  • Meigu Lake (Midlake Lóng Pillar Dock bell)
  • Phantom Illusionist Ruins (Four Guardians' Mirror bell)
  • Mirage State (Mirage Estate Lóng Pillar bell)

It is advisable to destroy the pillar within the Four Guardians' Mirror dimension before advancing further into that area, as fast travel via bells is not possible within the Phantom Illusionist Ruins.

Completing 'Secrets at the Heart of the Lake'

This quest involves collecting four Acolyte masks, earned by defeating Acolyte bosses, and presenting them at a mirror located on the northwest side of Meigu Lake. The scarecrows marking the Acolytes' locations are found in various areas:

  • Yanru (Village of Lu): Accessible from the Terrace bell, Yanru's scarecrow is in a rice field to the right. Defeating this boss yields the Blazing Mask.
  • Lei Ting (Pangzhen): Using the Flame Mane to access Pangzhen Slums, players can find Lei Ting's scarecrow on the road leading down to the lake from Old Man Gen's House bell. This grants Lei Ting's Thunder Mask.
  • Guhe (Meigu Lake): Located in Meigu Village East Dock, Guhe's scarecrow is in the southeastern corner of the island, marked by a flock of crows. Defeating this boss rewards the Venom Mask.
  • Hansui (Weeping Creek Valley): Hansui does not have a dedicated scarecrow. To fight this boss and acquire the Frost Mask, players must locate and defeat the Puppet Scavenger secret boss beneath Crimson Manor, where Hansui will appear to assist.

After collecting all four masks, players must proceed to the mirror in the northwestern part of Meigu Lake, near the Four Guardians's Mirror bell, to enter the Phantom Illusionist Ruins. The final step involves defeating the Blizzard Blademaster and placing the two Crystal Puppet Eyes into a statue that appears post-battle.

Completing Quick Hand Zhang's Questline

Quick Hand Zhang's questline begins after rescuing him in the Crimson Forest and continues through five distinct stages, each tied to a specific area and requiring the collection of 16 jade boxes containing treasures. After gathering all treasures from an area, players must deliver them to Zhang's corresponding hideout.

Zhang's hideouts are located as follows:

  • Crimson Forest: Accessible via a tunnel reached by climbing a wall northwest of the Thieves' Camp.
  • Village of Lu: Found within a tunnel beneath the Covered Bridge, with the entrance north of the river east of the Covered Bridge bell.
  • Pangzhen: Located in a house with red signs northeast of the Wu Xuan arena; climb the wooden structure and look right for the entrance.
  • Meigu Lake: Situated on the northwestern side of the island at Meigu Village West Dock, northeast of the Pangzhen Sha-Chi Tower.
  • Mirage State: Found north of the Opera House bell, following two flights of stairs.