Phantom Blade Zero has two shops, both paid in Remnant Dust: The Peddler (Mandate Outpost in the Valley, limited stock that never restocks) and Quick Hand Zhang (freed in the Crimson Forest, then runs five hideouts). Upgrades come from Forge (weapons and Phantom Edges), Jewel (accessory polishing), Myst (Soul Temper) and the healer at the Green Serpent House (medicines); once you meet them, everything is available at any Bell. The NPCs with the earliest missable tales are Yu’er, the Brooding Old Archer, the Watchful Shadow Warden and Old Man Gen.
Where each NPC appears
In order of arrival: who is in each region and what they offer
- PrologueThe Flesh Sculptor and Old Man Gen
- ValleyForge, Peddler, Yu’er, archer, Warden
- Crimson ForestZhang, Yu’er, Lanlan, Inanis
- Village of LuJewel, Old Man Gen, Zhang
- PangzhenMyst, healer, Lei Dang, Niu
Cross-checked with Fextralife, Metabot, KeenGamer, PowerPyx and Vandal. Upgrades are then available at any Bell.
Merchants and services table
| NPC | Location | What they offer | Quest | Missable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forge | Weeping Creek Valley · her smithy at the Mandate Outpost | Upgrades weapons and Phantom Edges; upgrades can be reverted | — | No |
| The Peddler | Valley · his house at the Mandate Outpost | Tier 1 metals, Solvent and Phantom Edge materials (table below) | — | Stock never restocks |
| Quick Hand Zhang | Crimson Forest (Trail of Cages) and 4 more hideouts | Talismans, crystals, Healer’s Memories, Banyan’s Heart and his own accessories | Quick Hand’s Request and The Wily Hare’s Three Dens | Yes, if you don’t free him at his cage |
| Jewel | Village of Lu | Polishes accessories (+1/+2; cannot be undone) | — | No |
| Myst | Pangzhen · Myst’s Tavern | Soul Temper (5,000 Dust + material); restores the Illusory Pipa | Boat trip to Meigu Lake | No |
| Green Serpent House healer | Pangzhen · west side | Upgrades medicines with Healer’s Memories; gives the Green Serpent Brew | — | No |
| Lei Dang | Pangzhen · Jingyang Hall | Repairs the Flaming Mane | Story | No |
| Shopkeeper Niu | Pangzhen · Myst’s Tavern | Huang Manor Key | «A Brother Once More» | — |
“Missable” refers to what the NPC offers in your current playthrough. Quests reset in the New Cycle.
What The Peddler sells and how much it costs
The Peddler lives in a wooden house at the Mandate Outpost, with a horse tied up outside. It is the first shop in the game and only sells first-tier upgrade materials. Stock is fixed: GamerFuzion confirmed it does not restock, and SoloJugadores says he leaves the Outpost once you reach the Village of Lu. If you have Dust to spare, buy the metal for the weapon you use most.
| Material | Spanish name | Units | Price each |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forged Metal | Metal forjado | 6 | 1,040 |
| Twinned Metal | Metales gemelos | 6 | 1,040 |
| Broadplate Metal | Metal de placa ancha | 6 | 1,040 |
| Solvent | Solvente | 12 | 832 |
| Exotic Copper Ingot | Lingote de cobre exótico | 3 | 1,040 |
| Darkfire Charcoal | Carbón de fuego oscuro | 3 | 1,040 |
| Mechanical Gear | Engranaje mecánico | 3 | 1,040 |
| Ancient Timber | Madera antigua | 3 | 1,040 |
Total to empty the shop: 41,184 Remnant Dust.
What Quick Hand Zhang sells at each hideout
Zhang is a legendary thief of the Wulin. You find him locked in a hanging cage in the Crimson Forest, next to the Trail of Cages Bell: pull the lever and open the cage to start his tale and unlock his shop. He then moves to one hideout per region, each with its own stock.
| Hideout | Most useful stock | Price (Dust) |
|---|---|---|
| Crimson Forest | Weapon, Phantom and Traversal Reforge Talismans · Tainted Crystal Shard · Quick Hand accessories | 2,000 · 7,440 · 30,000 |
| Village of Lu | Banyan’s Heart · Refined Indigo Crystal · Incense Ash | 100,000 · 9,920 · 832 |
| Pangzhen | Quick Hand’s Manual (tempering material) · Banyan’s Heart · Healer’s Memories | 50,000 · 100,000 · 7,440-9,920 |
| Meigu Village (Meigu Lake) | Healer’s Memories (Master included) · Banyan’s Heart · polished materials | up to 16,000 |
| Mirage Estate | Flawless metals · Universal Solvent · Master Healer’s Memory | 2,880 · 2,400 · 16,000 |
Prices from Metabot, checked against PowerPyx and AllThings.How. Sources disagree on one point: Metabot lists two weapons at 30,000 in the Crimson Forest, while AllThings lists the two Quick Hand pendants at that price. Quick Hand’s Manual costs 50,000 in the release version (9,920 was seen before launch).
He has two quests: bringing him each region’s relics (Quick Hand’s Request, the Lost and Found trophy and a true ending requirement) and visiting all five hideouts (The Wily Hare’s Three Dens), which according to Vandal gives the Maintenance Oil used to temper Goldblaze.
NPCs with tales: where they are and when they become missable
| NPC | Location | Tale | Reward | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yu’er | Valley (First Meeting with Yu’er Bell) → Mandate Outpost → Thieves’ Camp (Crimson Forest) → her house in Pangzhen | Flesh Lily, Apprentice Healer, A Healer’s Mercy | Blessed Jade Pendant, Medicine Case, Calming Gourd | Herbs before Jing Ye; lily and thieves before Bai Chilian |
| Brooding Old Archer | Valley · rooftop at the Mandate Outpost | Purge the Sect | Feather Bow | Before Bai Chilian |
| Watchful Shadow Warden | Valley · Valley Sha-Chi Tower Summit Bell | A Severed Mindseal | Spectral Blade trophy | First Primal Stone before leaving the Valley |
| Old Man Gen | Prologue (cart driver) → Old Man Gen’s Hideout (Village of Lu) → his house in Pangzhen | The Journey Home | War Wagon Phantom Edge (at Meigu Lake) | Accept it before entering Pangzhen |
| Lanlan | Crimson Forest · big bridge east of Outlaw Trap | Secrets of the Baishan Sect | The Last of Baishan trophy | Accept it before Bai Chilian |
| Inanis | Crimson Forest · appears in the mist | Heart of the Banyan | 5 Banyan’s Hearts | Before the stairs behind the Green Serpent House |
Deadlines match our guide for each tale. You have them all in the interactive missables checklist and in points of no return.
Who’s who: a quick profile of each NPC
Forge
One of the three sisters who serve Inanis and the blacksmith of the Mandate Outpost. You meet her in Against the Flow, once the courtyard guards let you through. She upgrades main weapons and Phantom Edges with metal, Solvent and Remnant Dust, and lets you revert upgrades for a refund. The Sanguine Reach is right behind her.
The Peddler
Merchant at the Mandate Outpost. Sells only first-tier materials in limited stock. Fextralife lists no tale for him.
Quick Hand Zhang
Thief and travelling merchant. He is the NPC who stays with you the longest: he shows up in the Crimson Forest and reappears in the Village of Lu, Pangzhen, Meigu Lake and the Mirage Estate. His relics count towards the true ending.
Jewel
Another of the three sisters, a jeweller. She is in the Village of Lu, polishes accessories with crystals and Remnant Dust (polishing is not refunded) and tells you who can fix the broken Illusory Pipa. A chest behind her holds Jewel’s Knot.
Myst
The third sister, who runs the Order’s underground tavern in Pangzhen. She performs Soul Temper, rebuilds the Illusory Pipa from its three parts and opens the boat route to Meigu Lake. Talk to her before going to the docks: players report the ferryman option can disappear otherwise.
The Green Serpent House healer
Upgrades medicines in exchange for Healer’s Memories and Remnant Dust. Sources disagree on his name: Fextralife and Gfinity call him Xie Xiaorong, PowerPyx calls him Xie Huichun.
Yu’er
A young healer from Pangzhen who left to find a rare flower to cure her father. Her three tales together unlock The Healer’s Legacy trophy. Full guide: Yu’er’s quests.
Brooding Old Archer
A wounded veteran drinking on a rooftop at the Mandate Outpost. His disciples have been attacking travellers and he asks you to deal with them.
Watchful Shadow Warden
A warden who calls himself a traitor to his order. After the first Primal Stone he becomes friendly, and you meet him again later in the snow-covered Crimson Forest.
Old Man Gen
The cart driver who carries Soul in the prologue. You rescue him from the puppets in the Village of Lu and he wants to get back to his house in Pangzhen.
The Flesh Sculptor
A story character who sells nothing. Appears at the start, when Soul is close to death, and offers a Hollow Heart (no emotions) or a Tainted Heart kept beating by venom, with 66 days to live.
Why does Fextralife list only 8 NPCs?
Fextralife’s NPC page gathers eight names: Zuo Shang, The Flesh Sculptor, Old Man Gen, Yu’er, Forge, The Peddler, the Brooding Old Archer and the Watchful Shadow Warden. Zuo Shang is actually a boss (the prologue rival), and Zhang, Jewel, Myst and the healer are missing. That is why we cross-checked that list with Metabot, KeenGamer, PowerPyx, Vandal and our own guides. See every story character in Phantom Blade Zero characters and find each NPC on the interactive map.
Frequently asked questions
Where is The Peddler in Phantom Blade Zero?
In a wooden house at the Mandate Outpost, in Weeping Creek Valley. He sells first-tier metals, Solvent and Phantom Edge materials.
Does The Peddler restock?
No. GamerFuzion confirmed the stock runs out for good. Emptying the shop costs 41,184 Remnant Dust.
Where do you free Quick Hand Zhang?
In the Crimson Forest, next to the Trail of Cages Bell: climb to the scaffolding, pull the lever and open his cage.
Where can you buy a Banyan’s Heart?
From Quick Hand Zhang, for 100,000 Remnant Dust, at his hideouts in the Village of Lu, Pangzhen and Meigu Lake.
Who upgrades weapons, accessories and medicines?
Forge upgrades weapons and Phantom Edges, Jewel polishes accessories, Myst performs Soul Temper and the Green Serpent House healer upgrades medicines.
Which NPCs have missable quests?
Yu’er, the Brooding Old Archer, Lanlan and Inanis (before Bai Chilian or the Green Serpent House), the Watchful Shadow Warden (before leaving the Valley) and Old Man Gen (before entering Pangzhen).
What currency do merchants use?
Remnant Dust, the same resource you spend on upgrading gear and skills.
Sources: Fextralife · Fextralife · Metabot · KeenGamer · Vandal.
Kaarosu Damu Kira is a soulslike player with 12 platinum trophies, from Dark Souls and Bloodborne to Elden Ring and Black Myth: Wukong, and the author of PBZ Guide. Now going for the Phantom Blade Zero platinum, Kaarosu turns every fight into clear, fact-checked guides.
