Four Fierce Axes in Phantom Blade Zero: How to Start the Tale and Where the First Case Files Are

Four Fierce Axes is a Tale, Phantom Blade Zero’s version of a side quest, set in Weeping Creek Valley. It follows the Four Axes brothers and their eldest, Axemaster Peng Meng. You build the case by collecting pages of THE “FOUR AXES” CASE FILES.

Quick answer: Read THE FOUR AXES REBELLION: CALAMITY case-file page at the tombstone shrine near the Broken Puppet Valley bell to start Four Fierce Axes, a tale about Axemaster Peng Meng and his brothers.

How to start Four Fierce Axes

Travel to the Broken Puppet Valley bell in Weeping Creek Valley.

Walk about 12 metres north-east of the bell to a big fallen tree. A tombstone shrine sits at its foot, and a hanged body hangs from the tree above it.

Find the page glowing green at the shrine and press E to read it. It is THE “FOUR AXES” CASE FILES entry THE FOUR AXES REBELLION: CALAMITY. In short, its writer gloats that Fourth Axe would not sign a confession even under torture, that Third Axe took back his words in court, and that the made-up charges against them are coming apart.

The Four Axes Case Files page The Four Axes Rebellion: Calamity at the tombstone shrine in Phantom Blade Zero

Close the page. The tale banner appears right away, which confirms Four Fierce Axes has started:

“FOUR FIERCE AXES – Uncover the truth behind The Four Axes Rebellion”

Four Fierce Axes tale banner Uncover the truth behind The Four Axes Rebellion in front of the stilt house in Phantom Blade Zero

Every case-file page glows green, and Mind’s Eye makes that glow easier to spot.

Where the Four Axes Case Files pages are

Each case-file card has a page indicator with 8 dots, so the full set runs to eight pages. These three sit close to where the tale begins:

Page	Dot	Where
THE FOUR AXES REBELLION: CALAMITY	2nd	Tombstone shrine beneath the toppled tree, roughly 12 m north-east of the Broken Puppet Valley bell
THE FOUR AXES REBELLION: CHAOS	3rd	Set on a table in the stilt house reached by the long staircase, beside the Calamity page
THE FOUR AXES REBELLION: CONFUSION	4th	On a table in the home along the yard’s western edge, below the Outpost Courtyard bell

The stilt house stands out: it’s a wooden building with a long staircase spanning the stream, just behind the spot where the tale banner appears. The Chaos page contains Second Axe’s trial testimony. Years before, Master Ming attempted to attack a woman, and the Four Axes caught him. Later, Master Gu had the brothers captured and tortured.

The Four Axes Case Files page The Four Axes Rebellion: Chaos inside the stilt house in Phantom Blade Zero

The Confusion page contains a scout dispatch about Axemaster Peng Meng. He has taken shelter in a remote place and used abandoned equipment to attempt a crude Transcension, leaving him extremely dangerous. Reading the page grants 446 Remnant Dust.

The Four Axes Case Files page The Four Axes Rebellion: Confusion in the house by the Outpost Courtyard yard in Phantom Blade Zero

The collection item text for THE “FOUR AXES” CASE FILES spells out what the set is for:

“Letters, final testaments, notes, manuscripts… anything connected to the secrets behind the ‘Four Axes’ can be gathered in this volume. Scattered traces and hidden threads intertwine, each lending credence to the others, until together they reveal the truth and clear the wrongfully accused.”

Four Fierce Axes evidence markers at the Valley Sha-Chi Tower

Later in Weeping Creek Valley, open the map (M) near the Valley Sha-Chi Tower Base bell. It shows two FOUR FIERCE AXES markers, each labelled “Gather evidence of the conspiracy against The Four Axes”. One is on the tower’s lower floors, north-west of the bell. The other is south of it.

Map with two Four Fierce Axes markers reading Gather evidence of the conspiracy against The Four Axes by the Valley Sha-Chi Tower in Phantom Blade Zero

Peng Meng, the Axemaster: location and drops

PENG MENG, THE AXEMASTER waits by the river beyond the stele pavilion, about 140 metres south-west of the Outpost bell. On the default PATHBREAKER difficulty, he has 18,720 HP. In his introduction, chains pierce his shoulders and bind him.

Peng Meng, the Axemaster bound with chains through his shoulders as Soul approaches through the river in Phantom Blade Zero

His codex identifies him as the Four Axes’ eldest brother. Seeking vengeance for his three brothers, slain by treachery, he underwent Transcension. A Mandate squad finally brought him down at great cost and left him chained behind the Outpost.

Beating him gives you the Dread Axe Phantom Edge, whose lore reads “A thick-bladed great axe once wielded by the Axemaster, Peng Meng.” It also unlocks the hidden achievement THE AXE’S GRUDGE, described as “Defeat Axemaster Peng Meng”. Two more Weeping Creek Valley items tie into the brothers:

BLOOD OATH DAGGER: “Used to Soul Temper the Dread Axe.” It’s the dagger the Four Axes used to swear brotherhood in blood, later entrusted to the Pavilion of Knowledge.
BOULDERGUARD (accessory, nearest bell The Axemaster’s Holding Cell): “Reduces damage taken by 15% while not Guard-Broken.” Its lore covers the Four Axes brothers.

Four Fierce Axes quest log objectives

These are the quest log lines the tale uses. The tale banner reads “Uncover the truth behind The Four Axes Rebellion”.

“Gather evidence of the conspiracy against The Four Axes”
“Deliver the evidence against the Mandate leaders to the Child of Insight in Pangzhen”
“Uncover the truth behind The Four Axes Rebellion”
“Axemaster Peng Meng has become a Maskwalker. Defeat him”

The delivery objective sends the evidence to the Child of Insight in Pangzhen.