Phantom Blade Zero Pangzhen Walkthrough: Collectibles, Memory Flowers and Tales Locations (First Visit)
The main Pangzhen collectibles you can grab on your first visit in Phantom Blade Zero, in route order: Memory Flowers, Blackstone and Sha-Chi Amber Fragments, chests, keys, treasures and boss rewards, plus where to find all eight Pangzhen Tales and what to do with the Flaming Mane.
Pangzhen is the big town hub in Phantom Blade Zero, and it's easy to walk past half of what it hides on your first trip through. This guide follows the order you'll actually move through the town and lists most of the Memory Flowers, Blackstone and Sha-Chi Amber Fragments, chests, key items and boss rewards you can grab on the first visit, plus where to find each of Pangzhen's eight Tales.
Quick answer: On your first visit you can start seven of Pangzhen's eight Tales. The Sword and the Way, The Undying Heroic Spirit, The Star Performer and The Cube all start inside Myst's Tavern. A Brother Once More starts in Huang Manor, Kin Against Kin past the Lion Dance Hall, and A Mother's Heart on the backstreet route below Back Hill Pavilion. The eighth, Don't Forget Me, can't be finished until you have the repaired Illusory Pipa. The most important pickup is the Flaming Mane Phantom Edge from the Lion Dance Grandmaster. Its fire burns away the branch barriers that block the last parts of town, so plan on one cleanup loop once you have it.
Before you go: two things to do in the Village of Lu
Two Pangzhen rewards depend on conversations you have to finish before you enter Pangzhen:
- Young Master Lan: after you open the Smuggler's Tunnel, go back and tell Lan Shaodi. If you do, he hands you the Lan Manor Key on the road near Pavilion of Knowledge Crossroads.
- Old Man Gen (The Journey Home): tell him the tunnel is clear before you leave. His quest finishes in Pangzhen's backstreets.
You also need a spare Flesh Lily from the Weeping Creek Valley quest if you want the Blessed Jade Pendant after the Chang Hong fight.
1. Arrival: Hidden Storehouse to South Gate Bridge
| Collectible | Where |
|---|---|
| Blackstone Fragment | From the Abandoned Wine Cellar Bell, follow the main path round to the far side of the locked gate. It's in the chest there. Open the gate from that side for a shortcut back to the Bell |
| Sha-Chi Amber Fragment | Keep going onto the rooftops. The chest sits on a small platform among the crates on your left |
| Flameward (accessory) | From the South Gate Bridge Bell, take the stairs up to the small balcony on the right |
| Fire Meteor (Phantom Edge) | Story reward for beating Blaze, Shadow Warden Captain |
2. Jingyang Hall, Marketplace and Huang Manor Crossroads
| Collectible | Where |
|---|---|
| Memory Flower (Lion Dance Grandmaster 1/6) | Inside the inn right next to the Marketplace Bell |
| Blackstone Fragment | Same inn, upper floor. Drop to the balcony overlooking the street for the chest |
| Memory Flower (Lion Dance Grandmaster 2/6) | On the road straight ahead of the Huang Manor Crossroads Bell, on a table under the red cloth and lanterns |
| Lan Manor Key | Walk across the street from the Pavilion of Knowledge Crossroads Bell. Lan Shaodi gives it to you if you reported back in the Village of Lu |
| Pavilion of Knowledge Rooftop Key | Fight your way up the big guarded building next to the Pavilion of Knowledge Crossroads Bell |
| Sha-Chi Amber Fragment | From the Pavilion of Knowledge Crossroads Bell, go up through the alleys and follow the balcony of the building on the right to the chest at the end |
If you've collected every case file for Four Fierce Axes in Weeping Creek Valley, hand them to the Child of Insight at the top of the Pavilion of Knowledge for the Blood Oath Dagger.
3. Cavalrybane and Myst's Tavern
| Collectible | Where |
|---|---|
| Armybreaker (weapon) | Reward for beating Cavalrybane, Elite Shadow Warden and his two mounted spearmen |
| Memory Flower (Lion Dance Grandmaster 3/6) | Up the stairs from Cavalrybane's arena, in front of a branch-blocked path |
| Blackstone Fragment | Through the narrow path between buildings beside the arena. The chest is on the raised walkway by the rooftops |
| Huang Manor Key | Talk to Shopkeeper Niu in Myst's Tavern |
| Tiger Paperweight (treasure) | Get the Tianxiang Pavilion Key through The Star Performer (below). The chest is on the pavilion's second floor |
Myst's Tavern is where four Tales start, so talk to everyone inside:
- The Sword and the Way: Daoist Bi Di, standing by the water.
- The Undying Heroic Spirit: the Purple-Robed "Wolf" Leader.
- The Star Performer: the Leading Opera Actress. Use her rouge on the incense in the alley next to Cavalrybane's arena, beat the enemies for the Tianxiang Pavilion Key, then take the Tattered Dance Fan from the dancer on the pavilion's third floor back to her. Your reward is the Dance Fan accessory.
- The Cube: the Fisherman. This one continues at Meigu Lake later.
4. Huang Manor
Open Huang Manor with Shopkeeper Niu's key. All four Medicine Pot Fragments (Chain, Handle, Body and Lid) are inside, so sweep every room, including the stairs to the bedroom. With all four you get the Manor Medicine Pot accessory.
Upstairs, the bed holds a Memory Flower (Reunion with Brother). Picking it up starts A Brother Once More. Shopkeeper Niu then points you to Meigu Lake for the rest of it.
5. Backstreets: South Town Pond to Pond of Fading Song
| Collectible | Where |
|---|---|
| Sha-Chi Amber Fragment | Cross the rooftops out of Myst's Tavern and drop through the hole into the inn by South Town Pond. The chest is against the wall by the wine-jar shelves |
| Wolfjaw (Phantom Edge) | Reward for beating Wu Xuan, the Fallen General |
| Ink Stick (treasure) | Past Wu Xuan's arena, through the small door and up the stairs |
| Zhang's Hideout Bell | In the building behind Wu Xuan's arena. Drop down to meet Quick Hand Zhang, who wants Pangzhen's four Lost Treasures |
| Blackstone Fragment | Dropped by the sword-wielding enemy at Backstreet Rest |
| Sha-Chi Amber Fragment | From Backstreet Rest, climb the stone steps, follow the alley and climb the wall on the left into the ruined buildings |
| Blackstone Fragment | Dropped by one of the enemies in the next alley. Make sure you clear the whole group |
| Congeal Talisman (accessory) | Chest at the end of that alley |
| Sha-Chi Amber Fragment | From the Narrow Alley Residence 2nd Floor Bell, take the zipline. The chest is by the steps of the courtyard building |
| Carved-Edge Inkstone (treasure) and Memory Flower (Lion Dance Grandmaster 4/6) | Inside that same courtyard building, next to each other |
6. The Well and Green Serpent House
| Collectible | Where |
|---|---|
| Memory Flower (The Search 1/2) | After beating Gu Wanyue, the Wailing Wraith, slide down the well wall rather than jumping. It's at the bottom |
| Memory Flower (The Search 2/2) and Mandate Encampment Outer Gate Key | Next to a coffin in the wine-jar room further in. You need this key to reach the Mandate Encampment |
| Everflow (medicine) | Reward for the healer-led fight on the way to Green Serpent House |
| Green Serpent Brew (medicine) | Talk to the healer inside Green Serpent House |
| Memory Flower (Estate Experiments 3/3) | Outside the gate of the building up and to the right of the Green Serpent House Bell |
| Memory Flower (Estate Experiments 2/3) | Grapple onto the roof by the Bell and climb the ladder |
| Blackstone Fragment | Go through the wine-jar cave to the courtyard full of red barrels. The chest is there |
| Bronze Essence | Use the furnace in that same courtyard. This is the item Daoist Bi Di wants for The Sword and the Way: Soul Temper the Tianxuan Bronze Sword with it, then go back to him for the Kuye Temple Sutra |
| Thunderward (accessory) | Chest at the end of the building to the left of the Bell |
| Sha-Chi Amber Fragment | Upstairs in that building, on the narrow walkway |
| Memory Flower (Lion Dance Grandmaster 5/6) | Leave through the side door. It's on the sloping path by the stairs |
| You Loong's Deluge (Phantom Edge) | Head all the way down and beat You Loong, Leader of the Blackwater Crew |
The Banyan Tree challenge is across the wooden walkway from You Loong's arena. It's a wave fight that ends in a rematch with Master Bi Yuan of the Tianxuan Sect.
7. Lion Dance Hall and Ancestral Shrine Square
| Collectible | Where |
|---|---|
| Memory Flower (Bitter Kin) | From the Lion Dance Hall Bell, grapple up to the bridge and go left. Picking it up starts Kin Against Kin |
| Thunder Spear (Phantom Edge) | Reward for beating Chang Hong (both phases) at Ancestral Shrine Square |
| Blessed Jade Pendant (accessory) | In the building past Chang Hong's arena. Give the spare Flesh Lily to help Yu'er's father |
| Heavy Lion Hall Gate Key | Clear the enemies back in Chang Hong's arena |
| Blackstone Fragment | Unlock the Lion Dance Hall door. One of the enemies in the courtyard drops it |
| Memory Flower (Lion Dance Grandmaster 6/6) | In the second courtyard, just past that fight. This completes the set for +10% max HP |
| Sha-Chi Amber Fragment | Chest inside the Lion Dance Hall buildings |
| Dormant Flaming Mane | Reward for beating Flame, the Mask-Bound Lion Dance Grandmaster |
8. Flaming Mane cleanup loop
Take the Dormant Flaming Mane to Lei Dang at Jingyang Hall and he restores it into the Flaming Mane Phantom Edge. From then on, paths blocked by branches can be burned open. Do this loop before you leave town:
| Collectible | Where |
|---|---|
| Jade Brush Rest (treasure) | Back at the Marketplace Bell. Clear the fire blocking the small door behind you, then follow the rooftops to the chest |
| Goldblaze (Phantom Edge) | Quick Hand Zhang's hideout. He wants the four Lost Treasures (Tiger Paperweight, Ink Stick, Carved-Edge Inkstone, Jade Brush Rest). |
| Formless Divine Mirror (accessory) | Burn the branches on the path from the Pond of Fading Song Bell to reach Back Hill Pavilion. The chest is near that Bell |
| Backstreet Cellar Crank | Follow the ridge from Back Hill Pavilion and drop onto the small wooden platform. Kick the ladder down for a shortcut |
| Memory Flower (A Mother's Heart 1/2) | Down that ladder, on the plank walkway. Picking it up starts A Mother's Heart |
| Dusty Old Wooden Comb | Unlock the door by the Old Man Gen's House Bell and examine the body. Take it back to Old Man Gen in the Village of Lu to finish The Journey Home |
| Memory Flower (A Mother's Heart 2/2) and Merciful Dew (medicine) | Use the crank on the mechanism by Old Man Gen's House, go through the cellar and beat the monster at the top |
| Parting Hooks (weapon) | Burn the branches above the Pavilion of Knowledge Crossroads, cross the rooftops past Mandate Lodgings and Dockside Warehouse, then beat Soulclaimer, Elite Shadow Warden in the courtyard |
| Sha-Chi Amber Fragment | Upstairs in the building next to the Pangzhen Docks Bell |
| Memory Flower (Estate Experiments 1/3) | Burn the branches on the stairs beyond Huang Manor Crossroads. It's beside the stone staircase just before the Mirage Estate Bell |
The docks also open the boat to Meigu Lake. You can go now, but finish the list above first.
All eight Pangzhen Tales at a glance
| Tale | Where it starts | Reward or next step |
|---|---|---|
| The Sword and the Way | Daoist Bi Di, Myst's Tavern | Kuye Temple Sutra (bring him the Bronze Essence from Green Serpent House) |
| The Undying Heroic Spirit | Purple-Robed "Wolf" Leader, Myst's Tavern | Continues in the Mandate Encampment |
| The Star Performer | Leading Opera Actress, Myst's Tavern | Dance Fan |
| The Cube | Fisherman, Myst's Tavern | Continues at Meigu Lake |
| A Brother Once More | Memory Flower on the bed upstairs in Huang Manor | Continues at Meigu Lake |
| Kin Against Kin | Memory Flower on the bridge past the Lion Dance Hall Bell | Follow the farmer's story |
| A Mother's Heart | Memory Flower below the Back Hill Pavilion ridge | Merciful Dew |
| Don't Forget Me | Finishes in the building next to the Marketplace Bell, behind a barrier | Needs the repaired Illusory Pipa to dispel the barrier, so it comes later |
What has to wait
A few Pangzhen items can't be collected on the first visit. The Illusory Pipa repair with Myst needs all three parts. Don't Forget Me needs the repaired Pipa. The Mandate Leaders Memory Flowers in Pangzhen need the Shattered "Hero's Courage" from The Undying Heroic Spirit. Part of the Pangzhen map is Mirage Estate, a separate story region you come back to much later. Our Phantom Blade Zero walkthrough covers where the three Illusory Pipa parts are.
You can find Phantom Blade Zero on Steam.