TL;DR
- Start the quest by talking to Lanlan on the bridge south of the Outlaw Trap Bell in Crimson Forest.
- This is a missable Tale — accept it before fighting Bai Chilian, Lady of the Twin Serpents.
- You need two cranks: the Crimson Forest Cellar Crank and the Crimson Forest Secret Chamber Crank.
- Rescue Junior Sister Meng, then finish the quest in the Mandate Encampment later.
- Rewards include the Soft Snake Sword and Baishan Stormswords.
Secrets of the Baishan Sect is one of the most important side quests (Tales) in Phantom Blade Zero. It spans two regions — Crimson Forest and Mandate Encampment — and it’s directly tied to the Bronze trophy called The Last of Baishan. It also plays a role in getting the perfect ending.
The catch? It’s missable. If you don’t accept it before a certain boss fight, it’s gone for good. So let’s go through everything step by step.
Phantom Blade Zero Secrets of the Baishan Sect — How to Start
You can unlock this quest shortly after defeating Jing Ye, the Outlaw, the main boss in the early part of Crimson Forest.
From the Outlaw’s Trap Bell, head east and cross the rope bridge. You’ll see two women talking near the bridge. Speak to Lanlan, the woman in blue clothing, to trigger the quest. She and the other woman are Baishan Sect disciples, and they’ll ask you to rescue their Junior Sister Meng, who’s being held at a mountain lodge nearby.
Important: You must accept this quest before fighting Bai Chilian, Lady of the Twin Serpents at the end of Crimson Forest. After that boss fight, Lanlan disappears and the quest becomes permanently unavailable.
Where to Find Junior Sister Meng — Cliffside Lodge
After accepting the quest, your goal is the Cliffside Lodge. The entrance has a locking mechanism, but you can’t open it yet. You’ll need two cranks to progress deeper underground and eventually reach Junior Sister Meng.
Step 1: Get the Crimson Forest Cellar Crank
Head inside the mountain lodge and climb to the second floor. Step onto the balcony and collect the Crimson Forest Cellar Crank sitting on the ledge.
Note: The lower area of the lodge is filled with poison fog. Move quickly when you go down.
Return to the ground floor and insert the Cellar Crank into the locking mechanism near the entrance. This opens a path going underground into the basement.
Step 2: Get the Crimson Forest Secret Chamber Crank
Head into the basement. You’ll encounter three enemies — defeat them. Then look for a climbable wall and scale it upward. At the top, you’ll find a purple chest containing a Blackstone Fragment. The Crimson Forest Secret Chamber Crank is sitting right next to that chest — pick it up.
Step 3: Rescue Junior Sister Meng
Drop back down to the room where you fought the three enemies. There’s another locking mechanism here. Insert the Crimson Forest Secret Chamber Crank to open a hidden passage.
Head inside and speak to the wounded NPC — this is Junior Sister Meng. Interacting with her advances the quest and completes the Crimson Forest portion of Secrets of the Baishan Sect.
You won’t be able to finish the quest just yet. The next stage opens up much later in the game when you reach the Mandate Encampment.
Also in this area, check out our guide on the Crimson Forest Tunnel Crank — a related key item from the same region that unlocks a separate optional area near the Outlaw Trap Bell.
Secrets of the Baishan Sect — Mandate Encampment Section
Once you’ve progressed through the story and unlocked the Mandate Encampment, it’s time to finish the quest. Make sure you complete the remaining steps before entering the final section of the Mandate Encampment — otherwise you’ll miss the rewards.
Step 4: Defeat Wu Lengshuang, the Soft Sword
Head to the Confinement Bell area inside the Mandate Encampment. Descend using the chained rope nearby. You’ll encounter Wu Lengshuang, the Soft Sword. This is a proper boss fight, so prepare your loadout before heading in.
Defeating Wu Lengshuang rewards you with the Soft Snake Sword — a weapon that can wrap around an enemy’s guard and deflect attacks. It’s a counter-heavy blade that rewards reading enemy patterns. You’ll also get a Blackstone Fragment.
After the fight, climb the stairs beyond the boss arena. Find the Baishan Sect Leader in the center of a flowerbed and interact with him to advance the quest further.
For help navigating this region, see our Mandate Encampment Outer Gate Key guide.
Step 5: Examine Bi Taotao’s Body
Follow the quest marker to a marked location. You’ll find Bi Taotao’s body — examine it. This triggers the next objective.
Step 6: Defeat Bi Taotao’s Puppet Form
After the examination, you’ll be directed to fight Bi Taotao’s puppet form. This is a combat encounter tied directly to the Baishan Sect storyline. Fight through it using the tools and Phantom Edges you’ve been building up. Check our full Phantom Edges list if you want to swap to something better suited for the fight.
Step 7: Find Yubi and Complete the Quest
After the puppet boss, a cutscene plays involving a character named Yubi. Follow her directions and head to the location she points out. Reaching that spot completes Secrets of the Baishan Sect.
Secrets of the Baishan Sect — All Rewards
Completing this Tale gives you two weapons:
- Soft Snake Sword — a flexible, counter-based blade that can bypass an enemy’s guard. It focuses on parrying, blade barriers, and punishing enemies after deflecting their attacks. Very solid for players who prefer a defensive style.
- Baishan Stormswords — a secondary weapon reward tied to completing the full questline.
You’ll also unlock the Bronze Trophy / Achievement: The Last of Baishan.
For more weapons to add to your build, see our complete Phantom Blade Zero weapons list.
Is Secrets of the Baishan Sect Missable?
Yes — this quest has two hard cutoff points you need to know about:
- In Crimson Forest: You must speak to Lanlan and accept the quest before defeating Bai Chilian, Lady of the Twin Serpents. Once she’s dead, Lanlan is no longer there and you can’t start it.
- In Mandate Encampment: You must complete the quest steps before reaching the final encounter of the area. Don’t push too far ahead before wrapping this up.
It’s also linked to the true ending requirements, so don’t skip it on any run where you care about the outcome.
Quick Tips Before You Go
- Always rest at a Bell before going into the Cliffside Lodge basement — enemies are grouped in tight quarters.
- The poison fog in the upper lodge area is not lethal immediately, but don’t linger. Grab the crank and move.
- Don’t worry about the Mandate Encampment section until you’re naturally there — the game will carry you to it through the story.
- The Soft Snake Sword is genuinely useful. Try it if your current playstyle relies on parries.
More Phantom Blade Zero Guides
Here are some related guides that might help you while playing through these areas:
- Thieves’ Camp Dungeon Key Location
- Forest Outpost Courtyard Key
- Preservation Talisman Fragments Guide
- Red Thread Barrier Guide
- Festering Secret Quest Walkthrough
- Whence the Weeping Quest Walkthrough
- Four Fierce Axes Quest Walkthrough
- Gold Masked One Boss Guide
- Gentle Thief – Honor Among Thieves Answers
- All Chapters List
Phantom Blade Zero is available on Steam, PlayStation Store, and Epic Games Store.
