Whence the Weeping Walkthrough: Source & Radiant Fan Reward

What Is Whence the Weeping?

Whence the Weeping is an optional purple Story quest — IGN classifies it as a Purple Story Quest, meaning it lives in the Story tab but never gates progress. It is also, quietly, one of the longest commitments in Phantom Blade Zero: the first objective appears minutes after the opening carriage sequence, and the finale waits until you have cleared most of the mid-game. The quest log never says more than “Find the source of the weeping.” For how it sits alongside the game’s 33 traditional Tales, see our all Tales index.

Unlike the missable Tales clustered around Bai Chilian, this quest cannot fail. The real risk is forgetting it exists while regional deadlines eat your attention — treat it as the slow-burn thread that ties the Weeping Creek Valley walkthrough to the Mountain of Imprisonment walkthrough.

Step 1: The Crying in Weeping Creek Valley

Trigger: automatic, during Chapter 1’s Against the Flow.

Right after Soul wakes up in Weeping Creek Valley, follow the path forward under the hanging horse until you hear someone crying. Soul remarks that “this weeping isn’t in my head — it’s drifting in from somewhere in the distance,” and the quest banner adds Whence the Weeping to your log with the objective “Find the source of the weeping.” Moments later a woman named Inani appears and tells you the bells ring only for you — and that they will heal your wounds. That is all the direction the game gives you for the next several hours.

There is nothing to find in the valley itself. The crying is a thread you pick up again region by region, so do not burn time combing creek beds for a hidden NPC.

Step 2: The Trail Through Crimson Forest to the Village of Lu

IGN’s Snake’s Reflection walkthrough notes the quest updates as you push into the Crimson Forest — the crying seems to come from deeper in the trees. Still no action required; the quest is confirming you are walking the right road.

The first real lead arrives early in the Village of Lu. Meet Jewel, one of Forge’s sisters, and ask her “about the faint weeping.” She explains the sound could be the Chord — Inanis’s daughter — crying out for help. Your objective updates to “Could the Chord be in the northern mountains?” and the endgame of the quest finally has a destination.

Step 3: Prerequisite — the Illusory Pipa and the Weeping Mistgate

Before you take the boat toward the northern mountains, finish the Illusory Pipa parts quest. The route to the Mountain of Imprisonment runs through the Weeping Mistgate on the northeastern side of Meigu Lake, and that gate is blocked by a mist that only disperses while the Illusory Pipa is in your possession — Polygon flags this as a hard gate, not a convenience. Our Illusory Pipa Parts guide covers the assembly if you have not started it.

If you arrive at the mistgate without the pipa, the game gives no explanation; the mist simply does not clear. Check your Story tab before sailing.

Step 4: The Mountain of Imprisonment and the Source

The Mountain of Imprisonment is a late-mid-game region with its own quest board — Ledger of Atonement, Hero’s Lament, and the Broad Saber tales all live up there. Push the main route to the region’s final boss: Huangxing, the Kunlun Renegade, also the unlock for the Crossroads of Blood trophy. Beating him awards the Flying Guillotine Phantom Edge.

Here is the part players fumble: use the Flying Guillotine on the mechanism inside Huangxing’s boss room to open the floor, then descend to the bottom of the shaft. A scene plays at the source of the crying, Whence the Weeping completes, and you receive Inani’s Radiant Fan — the quest’s true reward. The cutscene only triggers after the descent; defeating Huangxing alone does not finish the quest, so if your log still shows the quest active after the fight, look around the arena for the mechanism prompt.

Rewards and Why This Quest Matters

The payoff is two Phantom Edges for one thread: the Flying Guillotine, earned as Huangxing’s drop, and Inani’s Radiant Fan, granted at the source of the weeping. That is a unusually dense return for a quest the game handed you for free in its first hour, and it is why completionists should keep the thread tracked rather than letting it rot in the Story tab. If you are assembling Phantom Edges across the run, the Crimson Forest also hides the Martial-class Iron Gauntlets behind an optional Maskwalker — our guide covers the Fist Focus engine they enable.

Narratively, the quest is the game’s longest setup-and-payoff: the crying you hear before you even meet Forge resolves into one of Phantom Blade Zero’s central lore reveals at the mountain’s roots. Skipping it does not lock you out of any trophy — but you will walk past the Weeping Mistgate wondering what the mist was hiding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you complete Whence the Weeping before the Mountain of Imprisonment?

No. The objective chain is gated by the campaign: Jewel’s hint only becomes available in the Village of Lu, and the Weeping Mistgate only opens with the Illusory Pipa. Rushing the main story does not shortcut it.

Do you need to defeat Huangxing to finish the quest?

Yes. He is the region’s final boss and the floor mechanism is in his arena. The good news is the fight also unlocks a Silver trophy and pays out the Flying Guillotine, so the quest and the boss reward each other.

Is Inani’s Radiant Fan a main weapon or a Phantom Edge?

Polygon’s walkthrough logs it as a Phantom Edge, awarded at the bottom of the boss-room shaft once the Flying Guillotine mechanism opens the floor. It is the only way to obtain it.

Sources: polygon.com (‘Whence the Weeping’ quest walkthrough), IGN wiki (Whence The Weeping page; Against the Flow and Snake’s Reflection walkthroughs) — launch guides, October–November 2026.