Steel and Steam is chapter 2 of Phantom Blade Zero. It continues in Weeping Creek Valley, now on the plains and in the Sha-Chi Tower. The goal is to climb the tower and reach the Great Waterfall, where the chapter boss is The Hunt in two phases: Hunter of the Order and Sixfold Scythe. He gives you the Hunter’s Chain Sickle, which opens the grapple points. There are two optional bosses: Hua, Deadly Betrothed and The Gold-Masked One. It ends when you ring the Crimson Forest bell. No guide gives the length.
Chapter summary
From the Valley plains entrance, Soul enters a steel tower full of archers and clay enemies. The chapter revolves around that tower: you clear it floor by floor, get its furnace running with a crank and meet several characters who open long questlines, such as the Pillars of Kunlun or A Severed Mindseal. The rematch with The Hunt at the Great Waterfall gives you the sickle, and with it you retrace your steps to areas you could not reach before, such as the Long Pillar Overlook and the lift down to the Crimson Manor. A cave behind the waterfall leads to the Crimson Forest.
Steel and Steam route
Key bells, objectives and boss of chapter 2
- BellPlains Entrance
- ObjectiveClear the Sha-Chi Tower
- BellValley Sha-Chi Tower Summit
- BellGreat Waterfall
- BossThe Hunt (2 phases)
- With the sickleLong Pillar Overlook
- BellCrimson Forest
Order according to Vandal (Spanish guide) and Fextralife.
Step by step
Book and petal titles are translated from the Spanish version of the game; the in-game English wording may differ.
- Plains EntranceActivate the Creek Valley Plains Entrance bell. Talk to the frightened Mandate soldier: the purple quest Deep in the Valley begins. Fextralife says you get here by breaking a chained door near the tower with the Dread Axe.
- Steel Tower and the broken bowTake out the archers and the Transcended. You get the Broken-String Bow, a Blackstone Fragment and the book Ruins of the Sha-Chi Tower. Activate Valley Sha-Chi Tower 1st Floor.
- Ruthless Archer CampActivate the bell; a golden chest holds the Token of Pursuit. Take the bow to the old archer at the Outpost to close Purge the Sect: he gives you the Feather Bow, which shoots down marked objects. Fextralife says the story continues without it, but recommends completing it now.
- Hua, Deadly Betrothed (optional)On the ground floor of the tower, across the wooden bridge, is Hua, Deadly Betrothed. She gives you the Scarlet Wraithblade. Activate Flesh Lily Fields and pick up the twin Flesh Lilies: take them to Yu’er at the outpost to progress Flesh Lily.
- Tower summit and the furnaceClimb to Valley Sha-Chi Tower Summit. The Shadow Warden gives you A Severed Mindseal. The Sha-Chi Furnace Inspection Crank drops from a masked warden; use it on the furnace on the ground floor, take out the Primal Stone and bring it up to the Warden.
- The Pillars of KunlunTalk to the exhausted man in the tower: he leaves you the book Commentary on the Pillars of Kunlun and activates the purple quest Pillars of Kunlun, which cannot be completed yet. Continue to the Waterfall Bridge bell; under the bridge there is a chest with materials.
- The Hunt at the Great WaterfallActivate Great Waterfall and defeat The Hunt, Hunter of the Order and, in the second phase, The Hunt, Sixfold Scythe. It is mandatory. He gives you the Hunter’s Chain Sickle.
- Go back with the sickleFrom The Beginning bell, on the southeast scaffold, there is a chest with Lingran’s Pendant. Grapple to the top of the tower for the Sha-Chi Tower Base Camp Gate Key: going through that gate completes Deep in the Valley. You reach Long Pillar Overlook, the second Crane Bell, with the Rusted Loong Key in a chest. Here you also find Gu Lingran’s letter for Festering Secret.
- Tower baseActivate Valley Sha-Chi Tower Base. A second use of the crank gives the Reflex Device, and a chest holds the Vessel Restorative. In the village by the overlook you pick up the Hierba coagulante for Apprentice Healer and the fourth Blackstone Fragment.
- Valley Long PillarThe Rusted Loong Key opens the northeast door. Activate Weeping Creek Long Pillar and pick up the Hierba dorada cicatrizante, the last one Yu’er needs. The duel with The Gold-Masked One is optional; Vandal recommends leaving it for later and saving manually first, because the pillar can bug out.
- Lift to the Crimson ManorUnder the tower there is a lift down to the Crimson Manor bell, where the Ancient Armor Fragment is. The manor door does not open yet: see how to enter the Crimson Manor.
- On to the Crimson ForestGo back to the Great Waterfall and follow the cave to the end. Ringing the Crimson Forest bell starts Snake’s Reflection.
Chapter bosses
| Boss | Type | Reward | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Hunt, Hunter of the Order and The Hunt, Sixfold Scythe | Mandatory (two phases) | Hunter’s Chain Sickle Edge | How to beat The Hunt |
| Hua, Deadly Betrothed | Optional according to Vandal (Fextralife puts her on the main route) | Scarlet Wraithblade weapon | How to beat Hua |
| The Gold-Masked One (1) | Optional | Counterstrike Bracers and 28,000 Remnant Dust | Long Pillars and The Gold-Masked One |
Tales and purple quests in this chapter
| Tale or quest | Where it starts | Missable if you move on? |
|---|---|---|
| Deep in the Valley (purple) | Mandate soldier, Plains Entrance bell | Yes: it fails if you cross into the Mirage Estate without finishing it (it is finished in this chapter) |
| A Severed Mindseal | Shadow Warden, Valley Sha-Chi Tower Summit | Yes: hand in the first Primal Stone before leaving the Valley |
| Pillars of Kunlun (purple) | Exhausted man in the Sha-Chi Tower | Yes: it fails if you cross into the Mirage Estate without closing it |
| Crimson Manor (purple) | Lift under the tower; see how to enter | Yes: it is one of the purple quests that close when you cross into the Mirage Estate |
| Bloodline Awakening (purple) | Valley Long Pillar; see the Long Pillars | Yes: pillars 1 to 4 close when you cross into the Mirage Estate |
Chapter 1 tales also progress: Purge the Sect (it closes here), Flesh Lily, Festering Secret, Four Fierce Axes and Apprentice Healer. All the purple quests in purple quests and true ending.
Leaving the Valley without handing the first Primal Stone to the Shadow Warden makes you lose A Severed Mindseal and its trophy (according to our tale page; Vandal does not mention it). Before defeating Bai Chilian, at the end of chapter 3, hand in the Purge the Sect bow and the twin Flesh Lilies to Yu’er, and close Festering Secret with Gu Lingran’s letter. Save manually before the Long Pillar: if the pillar is not destroyed, Vandal advises reloading.
Collectibles and key items
- Weapons: Scarlet Wraithblade.
- Phantom Edges: Feather Bow and Hunter’s Chain Sickle.
- Accessories: Token of Pursuit, Lingran’s Pendant, Reflex Device, Ancient Armor Fragment and Counterstrike Bracers (if you beat The Gold-Masked One).
- Medicines: Vessel Restorative.
- Keys and story items: Broken-String Bow, Sha-Chi Furnace Inspection Crank, Primal Stone, Sha-Chi Tower Base Camp Gate Key, Rusted Loong Key and twin Flesh Lilies.
- Collectibles: with the fourth Blackstone Fragment you complete a Blackstone, and in the Long Pillar tunnel is the fourth Sha-Chi Amber Fragment. There are many books in the tower (Vandal’s count).
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Frequently asked questions
Where do I get the Hunter’s Chain Sickle?
By defeating The Hunt at the Great Waterfall, in both of his phases. It is required to progress: it lets you grapple onto the grapple points.
Is Hua, Deadly Betrothed mandatory?
Vandal treats her as optional and here we treat her as a secret boss; Fextralife, on the other hand, places her on the main route. Either way, it is worth beating her: she gives the Scarlet Wraithblade and the lilies for Flesh Lily.
When should I fight The Gold-Masked One?
Whenever you want, but Vandal recommends leaving him for later, with an upgraded weapon. Save manually first: if the pillar is not destroyed when you win, reload the game.
How do I get the Feather Bow?
Pick up the Broken-String Bow in the tower and give it to the old archer at the Outpost to close Purge the Sect. Do it before defeating Bai Chilian.
