Four Fierce Axes Walkthrough - Blood Oath Dagger

Four Fierce Axes is the first long-form evidence tale in Phantom Blade Zero — likely the second tale you will ever pick up — and it teaches the game’s favorite trick: a quest that starts in Weeping Creek Valley, stalls for two regions, and only pays out in Pangzhen. You are reconstructing the Mandate’s frame-up of the Four Axes, four sworn brothers destroyed by a lie. The reward is the Blood Oath Dagger, the Soul Tempering material that turns the Dread Axe into a top-tier Phantom Edge.

How to Start: Broken Puppet Valley

Arrive at the Broken Puppet Valley bell early in Weeping Creek Valley (you pass it on the main route). Beside a tombstone shrine under a dead tree, a corpse lies next to a glowing case-file page — read it to begin the tale. The subtitle reads “Specks of rust, lingering grudges.”

Then cross to the house directly opposite the shrine and collect the second document from the table inside. Two files down, five to go — and the next stop is a boss.

Uncover the Truth: Defeat Maskwalker Peng Meng

Follow the main path to the Mandate Outpost, where the investigation turns personal: the Axemaster Peng Meng has become a Maskwalker. Explore the outpost houses on the way up — including a “Petrified Mandate Disciple” hiding behind boxes who fills in the backstory — then take the upper outpost for the fight.

Peng Meng, the Axemaster is the region’s wall boss. Beating him awards the Dread Axe Phantom Edge — the heavy, guard-breaking great axe you will rely on for the rest of the game — plus the hidden achievement The Axe’s Grudge (“Defeat Axemaster Peng Meng”).

With the Dread Axe in hand, the tale’s second phase unlocks: “Gather evidence of the conspiracy against The Four Axes” — seven case files in total.

All 7 Four Axes Case File Locations

Files 1 and 2 are above. The remaining five, cross-checked against PC Gamer’s walkthrough and keengamer’s Tales guide:

The two gated files are why veterans recommend starting this tale on day one: file 6’s chain dies with Bai Chilian, and file 7 physically cannot be collected until two regions later. The all-tales roster tracks both dependencies.

Deliver the Evidence: The Child of Insight in Pangzhen

With all seven files, the objective becomes “Deliver the evidence against the Mandate leaders to the Child of Insight in Pangzhen.” You will not reach Pangzhen until you clear the Village of Lu; the tale waits for you.

In Pangzhen, head to the Pavilion of Knowledge Crossroads / Huang Manor Crossroads area — AllThingsHow measures the turn-in at about 58 meters from the Huang Manor Crossroads bell. Look for a tower hung with red lanterns, guarded by Mandate warriors. Fight through three floors of masked enemies for the Pavilion of Knowledge Rooftop Key, then meet the Child of Insight on the rooftop.

When he offers his relic dialogues, choose “The Axemaster’s Relic” — that is this tale’s turn-in. (His other relic conversation belongs to Xue, Admirer of Heroes, a separate quest with its own reward; do not confuse the two.)

Reward: Blood Oath Dagger

The Child of Insight hands over the Blood Oath Dagger — “The dagger used by the Four Axes when they swore brotherhood in blood” — and the tale completes. Its entire purpose: Soul Temper the Dread Axe. At Myst’s tavern, the upgrade reads:

Rapid Charge — increases the Dread Axe’s charge speed by 30%, for 5,000 Remnant Dust plus the dagger.

A 30% faster charge transforms the axe’s loop — charged heavies land before enemies recover, and guard-break pressure spikes. See the Soul Temper materials hub for where the dagger sits among the other tempering materials, and pair the trip with Myst’s other services while you are in the tavern.

Why You Should Pair This With Quick Hand Zhang

Four Fierce Axes and Quick Hand Zhang’s Treasures are Phantom Blade Zero’s twin cross-region collection chains — one gathers evidence, the other relics, and both end with a hand-in inside Pangzhen. Zhang’s Pangzhen set even hides a treasure inside the Tianxiang Pavilion, the same locked building another tale opens. If you are already crossing three regions for case files, run Zhang’s hideout bells in the same sweep: two chains finished for the price of one route.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many case files are in Four Fierce Axes?

Seven: two at Broken Puppet Valley, one each near the Outpost Courtyard route and the Axemaster’s Holding Cell, one in the Sha-Chi Tower forge, one from Festering Secret, and one in The Lady’s Cave after Village of Lu progress.

Is the Blood Oath Dagger a weapon?

No — it is a Soul Tempering material consumed to upgrade the Dread Axe. You keep the axe forever; the dagger is spent on the Rapid Charge upgrade.

Can I finish Four Fierce Axes before Village of Lu?

No — the seventh file only spawns once Leave None Alive sends you back to the valley. You can, however, collect files 1–6 and finish the Festering Secret leg before Bai Chilian.

Sources: keengamer All 33 Tales walkthrough, AllThingsHow Blood Oath Dagger and Four Fierce Axes guides, PC Gamer Four Fierce Axes walkthrough, Game8 case-files walkthrough and Blood Oath Dagger page, GamesRadar+ walkthrough, Fextralife quest page (October 29 - November 3, 2026).