Crimson Forest

The route at a glance

1. Pangzhen Bridge Overlook: Hua Qianxiao
2. Outlaw Trap: Jing Ye
3. Thieves’ Camp: Quick Hand Zhang and the riddles
4. Sha-Chi Tower Gate: Stone Hand Iron Fever
5. Mirrorwood: six Memory Flowers and Bai Chilian
6. Lóng Pillar 2, the first Banyan, and the shield backtrack

1–6 · The route at a glance · What you can miss · Bosses in this chapter · All 21 Bells · Questions

1 · Pangzhen Bridge Overlook: Hua Qianxiao

Inanis appears as you enter the forest and starts Illusion of Inanis.

At Pangzhen Bridge Overlook, fight Hua Qianxiao, the Sword Fanatic. When he drinks, his shield turns back into Sha-Chi and drains by itself: back off, wait for the bar to empty, then break his guard and finish him.

You get: The Fanatic’s Broken Blade

2 · Outlaw Trap: Jing Ye

Make sure Apprentice Healer from Chapter 1 is handed in, then go to Outlaw Trap for Jing Ye, the Outlaw.

While he is mounted, wear him down from range with the Cavalrybane charm and the Broken Blade’s flying swords. At half health he dismounts behind a thorn shield that hurts you for light attacks: switch to the Dread Axe and use three charged swings to break it.

You get: Outlaw Warblade

3 · Thieves’ Camp: Quick Hand Zhang and the riddles

Free Quick Hand Zhang from his cage on Trail of Cages (The Wily Hare’s Three Dens).

At Thieves’ Camp: Yu’er gives A Healer’s Mercy, Zhang in the cave gives Quick Hand’s Request, and the Rafter Lord in the house asks three questions for Honor Among Thieves. Answers: he stole the landlord’s jade belt; a butterfly; the blood letter does not say. The reward is the Silent Wrap accessory.

The dungeon under Cliffside Lodge fires repeating crossbows down every corridor. Leave it until you have the Bastion shield.

You get: Silent Wrap

4 · Sha-Chi Tower Gate: Stone Hand Iron Fever

At Crimson Forest Sha-Chi Tower Gate, beat Stone Hand Iron Fever. The old house key and a Sha-Chi Amber Fragment are on the way.

You get: Iron Gauntlets

5 · Mirrorwood: six Memory Flowers and Bai Chilian

Collect all six of Inanis’ Memory Flowers in Mirrorwood (Resonant Strings).

Before the boss, go back to Chapter 1 for the Boulderguard (Outpost, then The Axemaster’s Holding Cell).

Fight Bai Chilian, Lady of the Twin Serpents at Threadbound Great Tree. With all six flowers, the Chord joins you at two-thirds health in phase two and chips her Sha-Chi.

You get: White Serpent & Crimson Viper, Broken Illusory Pipa

6 · Lóng Pillar 2, the first Banyan, and the shield backtrack

Clear the second Lóng Pillar against Mó Yuan, Leader of the Bastion of Mó.

Warp to Parting Mists, take the Outlaw Warblade and the Cavalrybane charm, clear the riders and purify the first Human-Faced Banyan for the Banyan’s Heart (Heart of the Banyan).

Once you take the Bastion from Zhuo Bi, the Gatekeeper at the start of Chapter 3, warp straight back to the Thieves’ Camp dungeon. Raise the shield through the crossbow fire for the Blackstone and the chest in the poison pool.

You get: The Banyan’s Heart, Blackstone

What you can miss

• Apprentice Healer must be handed in before you beat Jing Ye, the Outlaw.
• Before you beat Bai Chilian, Lady of the Twin Serpents: Purge the Sect, Festering Secret, A Healer’s Mercy, Honor Among Thieves, the Chapter 1 Boulderguard, and all six Memory Flowers (Resonant Strings).

Bosses in this chapter

All 21 Bells

Crimson Forest has 21 Bells in the game’s fast-travel list.

Questions

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