Festering Secret Quest in Phantom Blade Zero: How to Start It and When It Closes

Quick answer: Beat Peng Meng to get the Dread Axe, then go to the chained barricade by the Outpost bell in Weeping Creek Valley. Finish the tale before you beat Bai Chilian, because that fight closes it.

What you need

You need the Dread Axe before the barricade will open. It drops from Peng Meng, the Axemaster. The Dread Axe page covers the weapon, and the guide on how to break iron chains shows how the prompt works.

After the Peng Meng fight, the game shows the Four Axes case file book. It is worth reading. In it, Peng Meng accuses Gu Lingran of killing three of his brothers, and Gu Lingran’s name comes up again in this tale.

How to start Festering Secret

Travel to the Outpost in Weeping Creek Valley and rest at the Outpost bell. Just past the bell is a wooden barricade wrapped in huge iron chains. Two Ironchain Gate Guards stand in front of it, and they will not attack you.

Walk toward the barricade. Soul comments that the chains are hiding something. The tale banner for FESTERING SECRET then appears with the objective “Investigate the chain-sealed courtyard at the outpost”, and an L Ctrl prompt shows on the chains. This banner tells you the tale has started.

Festering Secret banner and the L Ctrl prompt at the chains, Phantom Blade Zero

Press L Ctrl at the chains. A short scene plays in which Soul cuts through them. The guards object, and one of them runs off to tell the captain.

The cut chains at the Outpost barricade, Phantom Blade Zero

Go up the stone stairway beyond the barricade, toward the bamboo courtyard and its large house. Expect a fight as you ascend: one swordsman stands at the stairway’s upper end, a spearman is on the side stairs, and a second swordsman is in the house.

Guards beside the opened barricade, Phantom Blade Zero

While you’re at the Outpost, check the rack beside the Forge. Sanguine Reach sits there if you haven’t picked it up yet.

All Festering Secret objectives

The tale opens with the question “What secret lies within the outpost’s chain-sealed courtyard?” These are its objectives, as the game lists them:

“Investigate the chain-sealed courtyard at the outpost”
“Uncover the truth of how the Mandate disciples became Maskwalkers”
“Deliver the captain’s order to his lieutenant at the Sha-Chi Tower outskirts”
“Show the captain evidence of Gu Lingran’s crimes”
“Confront the captain about the suspected Transcension”

The tale is one of several in the region. The full list of Phantom Blade Zero tales shows the others.

Finding the captain and Lieutenant Fu

The captain: Captain Zheng Rong, shown as Swordsman Captain, is about 86 m from the Outpost bell. The steps “Uncover the truth of how the Mandate disciples became Maskwalkers”, “Confront the captain about the suspected Transcension” and “Show the captain evidence of Gu Lingran’s crimes” all point to him. Confronted, he admits the Transcension was meant as a shortcut to power and hands you an order for his lieutenant.

The lieutenant: Lieutenant Fu is on patrol at the old camp outside the giant tower, about 34 m from the Lóng Pillar Overlook bell. Pick “The captain’s orders” with him. The evidence is a letter to Sect Leader Ming proposing to lure and seize the Four Axes. Be ready for fights around his camp.

Back to the captain: Show him the evidence to close the step. He says a body dressed like Gu Lingran was found on the cliff across the ravine.

When Festering Secret closes

Festering Secret closes when you beat Bai Chilian, Lady of the Twin Serpents. That victory changes the Crimson Forest camp. After it, the tale can no longer start, and if it is already underway it can no longer progress. Finish every objective before you take on the Bai Chilian fight. The missables list covers the other content that boss locks out.