How to complete the Phantom Blade Zero Cui quest

The Phantom Blade Zero Cui quest is one of the longest in the entire game and has some vague objectives that make it difficult to complete. Starting in the Village of Lu after finding the puppet child Cui, this quest doesn't conclude until the final region of the game. Worst of all, you can fail the quest much sooner than that if you don't have the right items or leave a specific area, blocking you out of its final reward. Having completed the quest myself, here's a full breakdown of how I found Cui's grandfather and parents in Phantom Blade.

How to find Cui's grandfather in Phantom Blade Zero

After finding Cui in the Village of Lu smuggler's tunnel, nothing happens with this quest until you reach the Mountain of Imprisonment, which is an optional region of the game accessed via Meigu Lake – it's a crucial area for a few sidequests, including Phantom Blade Zero Whence The Weeping.

To get to the mountain, you must repair the Illusory Pipa and then sail to the eastern side of the north shoreline to find the Weeping Mistgate. Once you've used the pipa to get through the mistgate, here's what you need to do:

1. Work your way through the Mountain of Imprisonment. Follow the main path after the Iron Butcher's Camp Bell, and you'll find a gate locked from the other side and an Old Man in the Cage asking to be let out.
2. Open the cage to free the old man. You'll learn that this is Cui's grandfather, Lu Sanqian, who also intends on getting to the summit of the mountain, so you need to help him by opening the Mountain Gate from the other side.
3. Take the nearby downhill path, follow it all the way around the mountain, and defeat Bi Feng, Giant Saber Commander at the end.
4. Collect the Rootless Dew plant on the nearby cliff just beyond the small shelter to the left of the shrine tree. Optionally, you can climb up the watchtower and drop into the derelict building to also collect a Detached Cage Lever.

5. Open the nearby Mountain Gate then speak to Cui's grandfather. He'll move on, complaining that he's very thirsty.
6. Proceed along the path to the summit, bearing right and sticking to the upper path. You'll cross a stone bridge and reach the Shrine Outer Gate Bell.
7. From this Bell, head down to the lower ledge and defeat Kui Yanyan, The Deranged. You'll get the Missing Lift Crank which will help you later.
8. Carry on down this ledge path, using the ladders to access a cave system. Bear right and you'll eventually reach a small ravine where Cui's grandfather shouts for help once again from a suspended cage – DO NOT fast travel or leave the area once you get here!

9. Kill the Mandate enemies at the far end of the ravine to get the Shrine Gate Key, then use the ladder to get to the top of the ravine.
10. Flip all the levers to lower the cages. This is also where you insert the Detached Cage Lever to lower the fourth cage which contains Moji's Bloodstained Sword, a part of the 'Hero's Lament' quest. I highly recommend completing this quest as you get an excellent Phantom Edge out of it.
11. Climb back down and open all the cages. When you open Cui's grandfather's cage, Soul will also give him the Rootless Dew you collected earlier to cure his insatiable thirst, then he'll carry on to the summit. If you fast travel away from this area, Lu Sanqing will be dead when you return and, as far as I'm aware, you cannot continue the quest unless you reload a previous save.
12. Keep going through the ravine to find your way back to the lift. You can now use the crank to take the lift up.
13. Open the Shrine Outer Gate and fight your way along the path ahead and you'll eventually get to a large building, The Lady's Shrine, where Cui's grandfather will be dragging himself on the ground.
14. Speak to Cui's grandfather to end this stage of the quest. Now you need to find Cui's parents instead.

Lu Sanqing at least has the decency to leave you a book page and the Crude Radiant Heart Accessory (though it's unfortunately not one of the best Phantom Blade Zero Accessories).

To find Cui's parents and wrap up the Cui quest, you need to get to Soulrend Cliff via Pangzhen's Mirage Estate. So, before you head there, you should finish off other objectives, such as getting inside the Phantom Blade Zero Crimson Manor and completing 'Secrets at the Heart of the Lake', which involves you fighting the Phantom Blade Zero Blizzard Blademaster. Although don't worry about the Phantom Blade Zero Triple Threat quest for now as this crops up while you're in the Mirage Estate.

How to find Cui's parents in Phantom Blade Zero

This stage of the quest is much simpler than finding and helping Cui's grandfather, but bear in mind that if you have not done all the above, you will be locked out of completing these final steps:

1. Go through the entire Mirage Estate area of Pangzhen to get to Soulrend Cliff then follow the path up the mountain.
2. When you get to the Last Mandate Encampment, look for a Man Holding a Corpse in the walled area. This is on the only route through the area so should be impossible to miss.
3. Speak to the man. You'll learn that this is Lu Jieyuan, Cui's father, holding his dead wife. Soul automatically helps Lu Jieyuan bury his wife with Lu Sanqing and Cui's belongings.

And that's the end of the Cui quest in Phantom Blade, though it's not quite the end for Lu Jieyuan. Keep going through Soulrend Cliff and you'll soon fight the Crusher and the Saw. After beating the first phase of this boss fight, Lu Jieyuan will make a brief appearance in a cutscene. Beat the second phase and Lu Jieyuan will give you a Baishan Headband, the necessary item for Soul Tempering the Baishan Stormswords, which is one of the best dual-wield weapons in the game.

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