Phantom Blade Zero features a secret ending that reveals more about Soul’s journey and provides an additional final boss encounter.
However, unlocking it isn’t as simple as completing the main storyline.
You must finish several optional story quests, defeat hidden bosses, and complete specific challenges before reaching the game’s final stages.
If you want to unlock the True Ending in Phantom Blade Zero, you need to keep track of several easily missed objectives throughout your adventure.
Some of these quests begin in the early regions, while others require you to explore hidden locations and defeat optional bosses.
This guide explains all the important requirements and how to complete them.
Spoiler warning: This guide reveals optional quests, boss encounters, important items, and the requirements for the True Ending.
What Do You Need to Unlock the Secret Ending?
The Secret Ending, also known as the True Ending or Perfect Ending, requires you to complete several optional Story Tales before progressing too far into the late game.
The most important requirements include completing Secrets at the Heart of the Lake, collecting both Crystal Puppet Eyes, defeating the required optional bosses, and finishing all five Long Pillar challenges associated with Bloodline Awakening.
You should also complete the required purple-icon Tales in the Story menu rather than focusing exclusively on the golden main-story quests.
1. Complete All 10 Required Purple Story Tales
The first thing you should do is complete the following ten optional Tales.
These quests are spread across different regions, and some require you to revisit previously explored locations after acquiring new abilities or items.
| Story Tale | What you need to do |
|---|---|
| Deep in the Valley | Return to Sha-Chi Tower with the Hunter’s Chain Sickle, collect the Base Camp Gate Key, and unlock Creek Valley Plains. |
| Illusion of Inanis | Follow the purple quest markers in Crimson Forest and complete the associated encounter. |
| Sha-Chi Powered Boat | Collect two Transcension Cores and install them on the boat to unlock water exploration. |
| Allure of Vanity | Collect the required Memory Flowers around Meigu Lake and visit the island they unlock. |
| Illusory Pipa | Find the Pipa Head, Strings, and Backplate. Take them to Myst in Pangzhen to repair the instrument. |
| Pillars of Kunlun | Follow the quest objectives near Sha-Chi Tower and through the Mandate and mountain areas. |
| Whence the Weeping | Progress through the different regions and use the repaired Illusory Pipa to access the Mountain of Imprisonment. |
| The Herald’s Illusion | Visit the three special portals in the Village of Lu, Mandate Encampment, and the Mountain of Imprisonment. |
| Crimson Manor | Return beneath Sha-Chi Tower in Weeping Creek Valley and use the Puppet’s Tongue to open the manor. |
| Secrets at the Heart of the Lake | Collect all four Acolyte Masks, access the hidden mirror area in Meigu Lake, and complete the ritual. |
Make sure these Tales appear as completed in your quest log.
The game uses purple icons to distinguish these optional story quests from the golden main-story objectives.
Important: Complete these ten Tales before entering Mirage Estate. This is the safest progression checkpoint for securing the True Ending. If you receive a warning about unfinished business, return to the earlier regions and finish your remaining objectives first.
2. Complete Secrets at the Heart of the Lake
Secrets at the Heart of the Lake is one of the most important quests for unlocking the secret ending.
It involves collecting four Acolyte Masks, finding two special items, and accessing a hidden area in Meigu Lake.
Here’s how to complete it.
Find All Four Acolyte Masks
You must defeat four special scarecrow enemies known as Acolytes. Each one rewards you with a mask.
Their locations are:
Acolyte Yanru: Found in the Village of Lu.
Acolyte Lei Ting: Found in Pangzhen. You need the Flaming Mane Phantom Edge to burn the barrier near the Pond of Fading Song bell to reach her.
Acolyte Guhe: Found on the eastern village dock island in Meigu Lake.
Acolyte Hansui: Found inside Crimson Manor. Reaching this location requires completing several other quests, including Illusory Pipa and Whence the Weeping.
Once you have all four masks, you can access the hidden mirror area in Meigu Lake.
Collect Both Crystal Puppet Eyes
You also need two important items to complete the ritual.
Crystal Puppet Eye (Yin): Obtained during The Herald’s Illusion quest after completing the three special portal encounters.
Crystal Puppet Eye (Yang): Found inside Crimson Manor after progressing through its hidden route and defeating the Puppet Scavenger.
Keep both items in your inventory, as they are required for the next stage of the quest.
Enter the Hidden Mirror Area
After collecting all four Acolyte Masks, travel to the western side of Meigu Lake using the Sha-Chi Powered Boat.
Look for the large mirror near the snowy shoreline. Interact with it to enter the hidden area known as the Phantom Illusionist’s realm.
Explore the area and defeat the Blizzard Blademaster at the end. Once the boss is defeated, you will find a puppet statue.
Interact with the statue and insert both Crystal Puppet Eyes. This will transport you to the Heart of the Lake, where you must defeat the puppet monks and stop the ritual.
Completing this encounter and the subsequent interaction with Inanis finishes Secrets at the Heart of the Lake. Make sure the quest is marked as completed in your Story menu.
3. Defeat Zhu Yuan and Commander Bi Feng
There are two optional boss encounters that you must complete for the True Ending: Zhu Yuan and Commander Bi Feng.
Zhu Yuan can be found at Sha-Chi Tower in the Meigu Lake region. Travel to the tower and locate the optional boss encounter. Defeat him to complete the first requirement.
Commander Bi Feng is located inside the Mountain of Imprisonment. Continue exploring the area until you encounter him and defeat him.
Both encounters are optional, which makes them easy to overlook when following the main storyline.
However, they are important requirements for unlocking the secret ending. Defeating both also contributes to the Two Blade Masters trophy or achievement.
4. Complete Bloodline Awakening and All Five Long Pillars
Bloodline Awakening is another important optional quest that you must complete to unlock the True Ending.
You can start this quest by discovering your first Long Pillar. Each pillar takes you into a special challenge against the Gold-Masked One.
There are five Long Pillars scattered across the game world. You must complete all five challenges to finish Bloodline Awakening.
Here are their locations:
| Long Pillar | Location |
|---|---|
| First | Weeping Creek Valley |
| Second | Crimson Forest |
| Third | Eastern Meigu Lake |
| Fourth | Phantom Illusionist’s Ruins in Meigu Lake |
| Fifth | Pangzhen |
The challenges can be completed in any order, and the game tracks the discovered pillars on your map once Bloodline Awakening is active.
The later challenges also provide useful Soul Tempering materials, making them worthwhile even if you aren’t pursuing the secret ending.
After defeating the Gold-Masked One in all five challenges, check your Story menu to confirm that Bloodline Awakening is complete.
5. Watch Out for the Point of No Return
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is rushing into Mirage Estate without completing the required optional quests.
Mirage Estate acts as an important progression checkpoint. Before entering, open your Story menu and verify that all ten required purple Tales are completed.
There is another important warning later in the game.
When you reach Mount Soulrend, you will encounter a bell called The Last Chance. Interacting with it commits you to the final stretch of the story.
Before passing this bell, make sure you have completed the following:
- All ten required purple Story Tales.
- Secrets at the Heart of the Lake.
- All four Acolyte Masks.
- Both Crystal Puppet Eyes.
- Defeated Zhu Yuan.
- Defeated Commander Bi Feng.
- Bloodline Awakening.
- All five Long Pillar challenges.
Bloodline Awakening can still be completed after entering Mirage Estate, but the earlier ten Tales should be finished beforehand.
I also recommend creating a manual save before entering Mirage Estate and another before interacting with The Last Chance bell. This gives you a backup if you discover that an important requirement is missing.
6. Complete the Final Boss Fight to Unlock the Secret Ending
Once you have completed all the requirements, continue through Mount Soulrend and finish the main storyline.
You don’t need to select any special dialogue options or make a particular decision during the final encounter. The game automatically checks your completed quests and boss encounters.
If all the requirements are satisfied, defeating the normal final boss will trigger an additional boss encounter.
Defeat this additional opponent to unlock the True Ending.
Completing it also rewards you with the With Heart and Blood trophy or achievement.
Do You Need to Complete Quick Hand’s Request?
Quick Hand’s Request involves finding hidden treasures across different regions and returning them to Quick Hand Zhang.
Although completing this quest provides additional rewards and Phantom Edges, its requirement for unlocking the True Ending has not been conclusively established.
If you are attempting a completion-focused playthrough, finishing it is worthwhile. However, it should not be confused with the confirmed ending requirements.
