TL;DR – Key Takeaways
- The Rusted Loong Key is found in a gold chest near the Long Pillar Overlook Crane Bell inside Creek Valley Plains.
- You can only reach it after completing the Deep in the Valley quest and opening the Sha-Chi Tower Base Camp Gate.
- The key opens a locked cave door to the northeast — just past where you pick up the Congeleaf.
- Inside the cave, defeat the Transcended enemy to earn a Sha-Chi Amber Fragment.
- At the end of the cave, activate the Weeping Creek Long Pillar Bell and interact with the Dragon Statue to trigger the Bloodline Awakening quest.
What Is the Rusted Loong Key in Phantom Blade Zero?
The Rusted Loong Key is a story item in Phantom Blade Zero found in the Creek Valley Plains section of Weeping Creek Valley. It opens a locked cave door that players would otherwise walk straight past, and behind that door is a bell, a Sha-Chi Amber Fragment, and the trigger for the Bloodline Awakening questline.
It is easy to miss. There is no marker telling you a key is waiting in that chest. If you activate the Long Pillar Overlook Bell, grab the items, and move on — you might not even realize you have it until much later.
This guide covers exactly where to find it and where to use it so you do not miss a thing.
Before You Can Get the Rusted Loong Key
The Rusted Loong Key is locked behind two gates, in a way. You cannot access the area it sits in until you have done the following:
- Progressed through the Steel and Steam chapter and defeated The Hunt boss at the Great Waterfall.
- Earned the Hunter’s Chain Sickle Phantom Edge as a reward from that fight.
- Used the Chain Sickle to grab the Sha-Chi Tower Base Camp Gate Key from the Sha-Chi Tower Summit ledge.
- Opened the gate at the Creek Valley Plains Entrance Bell to start the Deep in the Valley quest.
Once you are inside Creek Valley Plains, the key is not far. Our full Phantom Blade Zero Deep in the Valley Quest Guide walks you through the whole area if you need it.
Where to Find the Rusted Loong Key
After entering Creek Valley Plains through the main gate, take the eastern path. Defeat the enemies as you go and keep heading forward until you reach a pair of houses.
Enter the house on the left side. Inside, activate the Long Pillar Overlook Crane Bell. Right behind the bell, you will find a gold chest. Open it and you will get two items:
- Book: Reflections
- Rusted Loong Key
Do not skip that chest. Players who rush past it without opening it will have no key when they reach the locked gate later, and there is no second chance to grab it from the same spot.
Where to Use the Rusted Loong Key
Leave the Long Pillar Overlook Bell area and cross the bridge into the next section. As you continue, you will pick up a Congeleaf from the ground along the route — grab it, as it is needed for the Apprentice Healer Tale with Yu’er.
Right near where you found the Congeleaf, look to your right. You will spot a locked gate set into the rock. This is exactly where the Rusted Loong Key goes. Interact with it and the gate swings open, revealing a long cave ahead.
What Is Inside the Cave?
The cave leads northeast toward the Weeping Creek Long Pillar. It is a straight path, but there are enemies in your way.
As you go through the tunnel, you will encounter a Transcended enemy near a group of steel crates. This one is worth fighting — defeating it rewards you with a Sha-Chi Amber Fragment. These fragments permanently expand Soul’s Sha-Chi gauge, so every one matters. Collect four of them total and Soul gains more max Sha-Chi for blocking and using Phantom Edge skills.
Keep going to the far end of the cave and activate the Weeping Creek Long Pillar Bell. This is the second Creek Valley Plains bell and expands your map coverage. Behind the bell, pick up the Book: Wulin Tales.
The Dragon Statue and Bloodline Awakening
Once you exit the cave on the other side, you will see a large Dragon Statue — also called a Long Pillar — standing in the middle of the area. This statue is not decoration.
Interacting with it challenges you to a duel against The Gold Masked One, a hidden boss tied to the Bloodline Awakening questline. This is a one-on-one fight, so come prepared. Win the duel and you receive the Counterstrike Bracers, a useful accessory reward.
The Gold Masked One is one of the more memorable optional encounters in Weeping Creek Valley. If you want the full picture of the Bloodline Awakening story, make sure you talk to every NPC and explore the Long Pillar area thoroughly before leaving.
Connected Quests That Run Through This Area
This small section of the map touches several different Tales at once. Here is what connects through the Rusted Loong Key cave and the area around it:
- Deep in the Valley – Opening the Sha-Chi Base Camp Gate is what gets you here in the first place. See our Deep in the Valley Quest Guide for all the steps.
- Apprentice Healer – The Congeleaf near the locked gate is one of the herbs Yu’er needs. Do not leave the area without grabbing it.
- Four Fierce Axes – Before heading through the cave, the Blue-Robed Swordsman nearby progresses this questline. Our Four Fierce Axes Quest Walkthrough has all the evidence locations.
- Festering Secret – The Mandate Lieutenant you need to find is inside the Creek Valley Plains area. Check our Festering Secret Quest Walkthrough for his exact spot.
- Bloodline Awakening – Starts directly at the Dragon Statue after you exit the Rusted Loong Key cave.
Tips for Not Missing the Rusted Loong Key
- Open every gold chest you see in Creek Valley Plains. The key is in a gold chest behind the Long Pillar Overlook Bell. Gold chests stand out visually — do not rush past them.
- Do not activate the bell and immediately leave. The chest is right there. Check it before moving to the next area.
- The locked gate is close to the Congeleaf. If you pick up the Congeleaf and keep walking without looking right, you will miss the gate entirely. Pause there and scan the wall.
- The Sha-Chi Amber Fragment inside the cave is missable. The Transcended enemy near the steel crates drops it. If you sprint past without fighting, you lose that upgrade permanently on this run.
- Activate the Weeping Creek Long Pillar Bell. It is at the end of the cave and easy to forget about if you are focused on the Dragon Statue fight. The bell unlocks fast travel and fills in that section of the map.
Want to see how all the outfits you can earn through quests like this tie together? Our guide on all Phantom Blade Zero outfits and how to unlock them covers every cosmetic in the game. And if you want a full picture of where this chapter fits in the story, check our Phantom Blade Zero all chapter list.
You can check system specs and preload details in our Phantom Blade Zero preload, PC requirements, and install size guide. Or read our full verdict in the Phantom Blade Zero review.
Phantom Blade Zero is available on PC via Steam, PS5 via the PlayStation Store, and Epic Games Store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Rusted Loong Key in Phantom Blade Zero?
It is inside a gold chest behind the Long Pillar Overlook Crane Bell in Creek Valley Plains. You reach this area by completing the Deep in the Valley quest and opening the Sha-Chi Tower Base Camp Gate.
What does the Rusted Loong Key unlock?
It opens a locked cave gate northeast of the Congeleaf pickup spot in Creek Valley Plains. The cave leads to the Weeping Creek Long Pillar Bell and the Dragon Statue where you fight The Gold Masked One.
Can I miss the Rusted Loong Key?
Yes, technically — but as long as you open the gold chest behind the Long Pillar Overlook Bell before leaving that area, you will have it. The locked gate requires this specific key, and there is no other way through.
What do I get for going through the Rusted Loong Key cave?
You get a Sha-Chi Amber Fragment from the Transcended enemy inside, the Weeping Creek Long Pillar Bell for fast travel, the Book: Wulin Tales, and access to the Dragon Statue for the Bloodline Awakening quest and the Counterstrike Bracers reward.
Do I need the Rusted Loong Key for the Red Thread Barrier?
No — the Rusted Loong Key is only used for the cave gate in Creek Valley Plains. If you are having trouble with the Red Thread Barrier, our dedicated Phantom Blade Zero Red Thread Barrier guide explains that separately.
