Quick answer: The story runs through nine named chapters, from Against the Flow to A Soul’s Worth. This page lists each main story quest in order with its objectives and walkthrough.
All nine chapters
- Against the Flow
- Snake’s Reflection
- Heartless Remnants
- Town of Death
- Hero or Heretic
- Treason and Confinement
- The Lake
- The Way Forward
- A Soul’s Worth
The story moves through its regions in this order: Weeping Creek Valley, Crimson Forest, Village of Lu, Pangzhen, Mirage Estate and Mount Soulrend. Main story quests are separate from the side content collected in the full list of tales.
Against the Flow objectives
The opening quest sends you upstream toward the Great Waterfall, then into an outpost held by the Mandate. The objectives update in this order:
- “Follow the path upstream”
- “Find the Great Waterfall”
- “Continue searching for the Great Waterfall”
- “Report to the guard by the broken wall”
- “Enter the outpost held by the Mandate”
- “Break the Chain Barrier with the Dread Axe and continue on”
The quest closes out once the Chain Barrier is broken with the Dread Axe and you push past it.
Snake’s Reflection objectives
This quest points you toward Pangzhen, but the road in doesn’t stay open. You end up crossing the Crimson Forest to reach the Village of Lu.
- “Follow the main road through the forest to Pangzhen”
- “Find another way into Pangzhen”
- “Cross the Crimson Forest and reach the Village of Lu”
The route through the forest is laid out in the Snake’s Reflection walkthrough.
Heartless Remnants objectives
From the Village of Lu, the path into Pangzhen runs underground through the Smuggler’s Tunnel. Puppet No. 44 stands in the way until you unlock it with an eyeball.
- “Find the Smuggler’s Tunnel in the Village of Lu”
- “Enter the well”
- “Use the lift”
- “Use the eyeball to unlock Puppet No. 44”
- “Enter Pangzhen”
The well entrance has its own Heartless Remnants walkthrough.
Town of Death objectives
Inside Pangzhen, the quest takes you to Yu’er’s home, down into the Order’s underground tavern and out through its passage into the backstreet.
- “Visit Yu’er’s home in the backstreets of Pangzhen”
- “Enter the Order’s underground tavern”
- “Pass through the tavern’s passage into the backstreet”
The end of the quest is covered in the Town of Death walkthrough.
The Heart’s Trail objectives
The search in the backstreet continues here. You need to open the Lion Dance Hall gate and find a weapon that can burn through brambles before the way into the Mirage Estate opens up.
- “Continue searching for the “Heart” in the backstreet”
- “Open the Lion Dance Hall gate”
- “Find a weapon capable of burning through brambles”
- “Find the way into the Mirage Estate”
Each stop is covered in the The Heart’s Trail walkthrough.
The Way Forward objectives
This quest starts in the Mirage Estate and moves on to Soulrend Mountain. There, the Opera Ticket opens the Opera House, and the Tiger Cannon blasts through a wall.
- “Enter the Mirage Estate”
- “Search for the Perfect Vessel where the Radiant Heart lies”
- “Travel to Soulrend Mountain”
- “Find the “Opera Ticket””
- “Use the Opera Ticket to unlock the Opera House”
- “Blast through the wall with the Tiger Cannon”
Content you can miss along the story path is collected in the list of missables.
A Soul’s Worth objectives
The last chapter has a single story objective:
- “Reach Soulrend Cliff”
Your ending is decided before the final region, so the choices that shape it are already behind you when you head for Soulrend Cliff. The outcomes are broken down in the Phantom Blade Zero endings guide.
