Phantom Blade Zero players seeking to utilize the full capabilities of the Illusory Pipa and gain access to the enigmatic Crimson Manor will need to undertake specific quests and defeat challenging bosses. These endeavors involve collecting unique components and navigating intricate areas within the game's world.
Repairing the Illusory Pipa
The Illusory Pipa is obtained early in the campaign after Soul awakens in the Village of Lu, but it requires repair by an NPC named Myst in Pangzhen. To restore the instrument, players must gather three distinct components: the Illusory Pipa Head, Backplate, and Strings.
The Illusory Pipa Head is acquired by defeating a secret boss, Dusk the Puppeteer, located in a dark pit in the eastern part of the Village of Lu. Access to this area is granted by collecting all Firefly Memory Flowers. Dusk summons various puppet minions, including shielded variants and those that attack aggressively. Upon defeat, he drops the quest item and the Puppeteer's Bell, a Phantom Edge that allows summoning of sword-and-shield and spear-and-shield puppets.
The Illusory Pipa Backplate is found in the Mandate Encampment. Progressing through the main quest leads to the Training Grounds in the northern section of the map, where players must defeat Yubi, No. 21 Swordfighter Puppet. This boss drops the Baishan Stormswords and the Illusory Pipa Backplate. A portal located behind the building in the Training Grounds leads to a quest arc for the Crimson Manor.
Finally, the Illusory Pipa Strings are obtained by defeating Yan Qiansui, the Zither Maiden, who resides in a ruined songhouse in the southern part of Meigu Lake. Players must block Yan Qiansui's blue projectiles while avoiding red ones, as blocking depletes her sha-chi meter, making her vulnerable. The fight also features a quick-time event (QTE) to avoid area-of-effect attacks. Victory yields the Illusory Pipa Strings and the Fanatic's Fragment. Collecting both fragments grants the Fanatic's Obsession, a Soul Temper item.
Once all three components are gathered, returning to Myst in Pangzhen completes the repair. The Illusory Pipa, an artifice-type Phantom Edge, fires unblockable sonic blades that deal damage and deplete sha-chi. The red sonic blade can mind-control enemies with broken guards. Beyond combat, the Illusory Pipa is crucial for exploration, capable of dispelling mists and nullifying strong winds in specific areas, and can also be used to access the Mountain of Imprisonment.
Entering the Crimson Manor
Access to the Crimson Manor, visible early in the game, is gated behind a lengthy questline that begins in the Weeping Creek Valley. The manor is protected by a door known as Mute, which requires its "tongue" to open.
Players must first complete the side quest "Deep in the Valley" to explore parts of the Weeping Creek Valley, including the lower section of the Sha-Chi Tower. Near a Powderkeg enemy that continuously spawns, players can lure it close to wooden ruins. Its explosion reveals a lift descending to a deeper area. Here, Mute is encountered, but it is noted that the door is missing its tongue, prompting players to explore further.
The quest "The Herald's Illusion" requires players to visit three different portals leading to the Three-Eyed Puppet. The first portal is in the Village of Lu, within the Puppet Testing Grounds, accessible by completing main quest objectives and descending a well. After defeating the boss Yuzan, No. 3 Musician Puppet, players can enter the portal and interact with a hanging puppet, which opens one eye.
The second portal is located in the Mandate Encampment, found after traversing battlefields to the Training Grounds. Here, players defeat Yubi, No. 21 Swordfighter Puppet, who drops a component for the Illusory Pipa. A portal in this area leads back to the chamber with the hanging puppet.
The final portal is situated in the Mountain of Imprisonment. After reaching the shrine at the summit and defeating the boss Huangxing, who drops the Flying Guillotine Phantom Edge, players can access a hidden area. This area contains the third portal. Interacting with the hanging puppet again causes it to speak and provide the Puppet's Tongue quest item.
With the Puppet's Tongue in hand, players can enter the Crimson Manor. Inside, the library on the second floor contains lore fragments and Leng Tu's Memory Flower. A tunnel leads to a chasm where players must descend carefully. At the bottom, a boss battle ensues against the Puppet Scavenger. During this fight, when the Scavenger's HP reaches 50%, Acolyte Hansui appears and freezes it. Players must defeat Hansui, avoiding her ice-based attacks, before finishing off the Puppet Scavenger. This encounter rewards the Alloyed Scythe Blade, Crystal Puppet (Yang), and Hansui's Frost Mask. The Frost Mask is one of four key items required to access a secret location, and collecting all four Acolyte Masks is necessary for further exploration.