How to Complete Herald's Illusion and Enter Crimson Manor in Phantom Blade Zero

Quick Answer

To enter Crimson Manor in Phantom Blade Zero, you need the Puppet's Tongue, and you get it by completing The Herald's Illusion. That quest starts when you step into the first portal, which appears after you defeat the boss at the Puppet Testing Grounds in the Village of Lu. The quest then asks you to enter all three portals scattered across the game. Finish all three, claim the Puppet's Tongue, and return to the locked door in the depths of the Sha-Chi Tower. Completing Herald's Illusion and entering Crimson Manor is entirely optional, but the area can significantly affect how the game's ending plays out.

Phantom Blade Zero released on October 29, 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Windows. It is a wuxia action RPG from Chinese studio S-Game, directed by Soulframe Liang and built on Unreal Engine 5. You play as Soul, an elite assassin of the Order who is framed for a crime.

What You Need Before You Start

You cannot brute-force the manor door. The prerequisites are specific:

• Phantom Blade Zero on PS5 or Windows. Our Phantom Blade Zero hub tracks the other optional content worth clearing along the way.
• The Sha-Chi Tower Base Key. This unlocks the northeastern side of the map, where Crimson Manor is first discovered. The Puppet's Tongue is the item the manor door requires.
• The Puppet Testing Grounds boss defeated. This fight in the Village of Lu is the trigger that opens the path to the first portal.
• Patience for a multi-area quest. The Herald's Illusion is not a one-portal job. You must enter all three portals before the manor door will open.

One thing worth knowing up front: Crimson Manor is optional and is not required to finish the main story. That said, skipping it is not free. This and several other side activities can significantly affect the game's ending, so if you care about your final outcome, treat the manor as required reading.

Step 1: Reach Crimson Manor Through the Sha-Chi Tower

You will first discover Crimson Manor after acquiring the Sha-Chi Tower Base Key, which grants access to the northeastern side of the map.

1. Head to the northeastern side of the map with the key in hand.
2. Follow the path down and turn left to find a metal wall.
3. Break the wall using the Powderkegs found further ahead. The kegs respawn endlessly, so you never run out of demolition tools.
4. Once the path is open, take the elevator down into the depths of the Sha-Chi Tower.

Crimson Manor sits down there. The door will be locked when you arrive, and opening it requires completing The Herald's Illusion, which is where the next three steps come in.

Step 2: Start The Herald's Illusion at the First Portal

The quest begins in the Village of Lu, and it begins with a boss fight.

1. Defeat the boss at the Puppet Testing Grounds in the Village of Lu.
2. After the fight, look to the left to find a path leading up to a portal.
3. Enter the portal. This starts The Herald's Illusion.

Inside, you will find a hanging puppet. You cannot do much with it just yet, so treat this first visit as the quest trigger rather than a puzzle to solve. The important part is that the quest is now active.

Step 3: Enter All Three Portals

The Herald's Illusion requires you to enter all three portals scattered throughout the game. The first one is done; two remain. The second portal is located at the end of the Mandate Encampment: after acquiring the Training Grounds Key, make your way to the northwestern part of the map and fight the final boss of this region, then find the portal further ahead. The third and final portal is at the end of the seventh region, Mountain of Imprisonment, which is only accessible after you have restored the Illusory Pipa and used it north of Meigu Lake. Progress through the Mountain, defeat its final boss, and after a cutscene involving a major NPC exit through the portal and proceed to the next portal ahead, which takes you back to the hanging puppet.

• Do not expect a single portal to finish the job. The manor door stays locked until the full set is done, so there is no shortcut here.

Step 4: Claim the Puppet's Tongue and Open the Manor Door

Completing The Herald's Illusion yields the Puppet's Tongue, the item the manor door is waiting for.

1. Finish the quest by entering all three portals.
2. Confirm the Puppet's Tongue is in your inventory.
3. Return to the locked door in the depths of the Sha-Chi Tower, using the same elevator route from Step 1.
4. With the Puppet's Tongue in hand, the door opens and Crimson Manor becomes explorable. Inside you can challenge the secret boss hidden in the Manor and get the final Acolyte Mask. The puppet also hands over the Crystal Puppet Eye [Yin] along with the Puppet's Tongue.

That is the whole gate: the door only asks for the quest item.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping the Village of Lu boss. Without defeating the Puppet Testing Grounds boss, the path to the first portal never opens and the quest never starts.
• Expecting the hanging puppet to do something on your first visit. It is a quest marker, not an interactive object yet.
• Writing off Crimson Manor as main-story content. It is optional, but skipping it can change how the ending plays out.

Cleaning Up the Sha-Chi Tower Side Content

Before you leave the northeastern map for good, sweep the area around the metal wall for anything you passed on the way in. And keep an eye on your other optional activities, because as noted, they can significantly affect the game's ending alongside Crimson Manor.

None of it is mandatory, but it all counts toward the same ending.