Walkthrough

Phantom Blade Zero's story runs through 11 chapters, the prologue included, from Diverging Paths to A Soul's Worth, across nine regions from Weeping Creek Valley to Mount Soulrend. This walkthrough gives the order, the bosses and rewards of each chapter, and the two deadlines that lock content.

6:05 Phantom Blade Zero's main story has 11 chapters, the prologue included, by Game8's count, and it runs through nine regions in order: Weeping Creek Valley, Crimson Forest, Village of Lu, Pangzhen, Mandate Encampment, Meigu Lake, Mountain of Imprisonment, Mirage Estate and Mount Soulrend (PowerPyx). S-Game's State of Play shows the eight ink wash maps and the places they join, and says the game is neither open world nor a straight line. Previews before launch reported eight chapters; the released game's menus list more. This page contains story spoilers.

Quick facts

Chapters	11 with the prologue (Game8)
First deadline	Beating Bai Chilian changes the Outpost and Thieves' Camp for good (Missables)
True Ending deadline	Entering Mirage Estate (Endings)
Last warning	The Last Chance bell, at Mount Soulrend (PowerPyx)
Manual saves	20 slots and 3 autosaves (PowerPyx)
After the credits	Free roam, then New Game Plus (PowerPyx)
Length	About 40 hours for one reviewer (How Long to Beat)

Chapters in order

Game8's bosses and rewards are below. It had not finished its pages for the last chapters on Oct 31, 2026, so the rewards there come from its boss list.

Chapter	Where	Bosses	Main rewards
Prologue: Diverging Paths	The duel	Zuo Shang	None
1: Reckless Pursuit	Wagon on the main road	The Hunt	None
2: Against the Flow	Weeping Creek Valley	Jagged Steel, Peng Meng	Jagged Steel, Dread Axe
3: Steel and Steam	Weeping Creek Valley	The Hunt again	Hunter's Chain Sickle
4: Snake's Reflection	Crimson Forest	Hua Qianxiao, Jing Ye, Stone Hand Iron Fever, Bai Chilian	The Fanatic's Broken Blade, Outlaw Warblade, Iron Gauntlets, White Serpent & Crimson Viper
5: Heartless Remnants	Village of Lu	Zhuo Bi, Master Bi Yuan, Master Bi Hai, Yuzan, Iron Fiend and Jade Dancer, Mu Xiaokui	Bastion, Tianxuan Bronze Sword, Kuye Temple Prayer Beads, Heartrend Pipa, Fiend Saws, Wild Oriole Sword
6: Town of Death	Pangzhen	Blaze, Cavalrybane	Fire Meteor, Armybreaker
7: The Heart's Trail	Pangzhen	Wu Xuan, Gu Wanyue, Xie Qiudong, Chang Hong, Flame	Wolfjaw, Everflow, Thunder Spear, Dormant Flaming Mane
8: The Lake	Pangzhen and Meigu Lake	Soulclaimer, Heartpiercer	Parting Hooks, Sundering Dual Axes
9: Stalemate	Later regions	Not listed yet	Not listed yet
10: A Soul's Worth	Mount Soulrend	Meng Hua, then a hidden last boss on the True Ending path (PowerPyx)	Not listed yet

How the story moves

The Steam achievements mark the road by name, so they work as a checklist: escape the pursuers on the main road, pass through the Outpost, exit the cave behind the waterfall, unravel the illusion in Mirrorwood, leave Village of Lu for Pangzhen, visit the Order's Tavern, solve the Serpent Head Lock in the Green Serpent House, investigate the Training Grounds, reach the Realm of Mirage, cleave through the Heart of the Lake, pass through Mirage Estate, then step into the snow and head for the cliff. On Oct 31, 2026, 90.9% of Steam players had the first and 8.3% had reached the road to Pangzhen.

Mirage Estate opens through The Four Serpent Houses: take a part from each of the White, Black and Red Serpent Houses and place them in the door at the Green Serpent House in Pangzhen (GosuGamers). Do the required side quests first (Endings).

Tips for every chapter

Talk to everyone. Some quests start only from a dialogue option, Game8 notes; Yu'er's "ask how to save her father" starts Flesh Lily.
Go back with each new Phantom Edge. The Dread Axe and Hunter's Chain Sickle open routes in earlier regions (Phantom Edges).
Finish a region before leaving it, and keep a manual save at its start and end, PowerPyx advises; some Tales fail when the story moves on (Side Quests).
Use bells to save, upgrade, learn skills and shop (Game8).

Frequently asked questions

How many chapters does Phantom Blade Zero have? Phantom Blade Zero has 11 chapters counting the prologue, by Game8's walkthrough; previews before launch reported eight.

What is the last chapter of Phantom Blade Zero? A Soul's Worth, which Game8 lists as the last chapter, after Stalemate.

Can you go back to earlier areas in Phantom Blade Zero? Yes. Bells fast travel between regions, and PowerPyx says you can return after the story, though some side Tales will have closed.

Can you miss things in Phantom Blade Zero? Yes: the largest cut-off is beating Bai Chilian in Chapter 4, and the True Ending has its own deadline at Mirage Estate (Missables).