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Unofficial guide · Launch edition · Last checked Confirmed Reported Conflict After unlock

Mountain of Imprisonment guide: way in, bosses, quests and collectibles

The Mountain of Imprisonment is an optional region past Meigu Lake, tied to the True ending. You enter it with the Illusory Pipa. Reported · PowerPyx

Dark cavern settlement with warm lantern light, hanging chains and wooden scaffolding stacked around a central tower.
A dark cavern settlement with hanging chains, from the official media gallery. Atmosphere only; the shot is not matched to a named spot in the Mountain of Imprisonment. Image: S-GAME / official website media gallery

Spoiler note: this page covers a late area. It names bosses, quests and rewards, with boss names in a fold. It does not describe story events.

Quick answers

This is a launch-day page. Only PowerPyx lists the region's items so far, so every claim carries its source and single-source claims say so.

How to get in

The pipa comes from the Meigu Lake chain; see Meigu Lake for the parts and map and regions for where the area sits in the story.

The way in · sources
Entry
Mountain of Imprisonment is an optional region tied to the True ending. PowerPyx numbers it the 7th region. To enter, get the Illusory Pipa through the quest of the same name, then walk into the mist at the far north of Meigu Lake.
Reported · PowerPyx
The pipa
Once Myst has repaired it, the Illusory Pipa is a Phantom Edge that dispels certain barriers, and it is the key to the barrier in the north of Meigu Lake. PowerPyx lists the quest among those to finish before Mirage Estate.
Reported · PC Gamer
Region order
The main story visits eight named regions in this order: Weeping Creek Valley, Crimson Forest, Village of Lu, Pangzhen, Mandate Encampment, Meigu Lake, Mountain of Imprisonment and Mount Soulrend. Two lead-in quests, Diverging Paths and Reckless Pursuit, come before the first region.
Reported · Gamersky

Bells in the Mountain of Imprisonment

See saving and fast travel for how Bells work.

Bells in order · reported
BellWhat is near it
The Lady's PathStart of the region: a roadside woman, dogs, and the first boss's arena beyond
Commander's PlatformA hub of wooden platforms and cliff structures with several items and quest steps around it
Iron Butcher's CampThe first big fight, a chest in its arena, and the first cages with prisoners to free
Hanging Cage CavernPacked cave with a large enemy group, a lever for lowering a cage, and two prisoners to talk to
Cavern PassageThe cave boss and the return trip for the quest tied to it
Shrine Outer GateLongest stretch: a second boss, many quest steps, the fifth Banyan tree and a door that the Bell opens
The Lady's ShrineTwo late boss fights and the rooms around them
Puppet CellA portal chain that ends at a hanging statue

Reported · PowerPyx PowerPyx's header says 8, matching the list.

Bosses in the Mountain of Imprisonment

Names are in a fold because they are story spoilers. Steam and PowerPyx's trophy guide back Huangxing. Names are PowerPyx's spelling; the Crusher, who runs off in a scene here, is fought in Mount Soulrend. Clean-up fights are in the clean-up table.

Spoiler · show Mountain of Imprisonment bosses
Bosses · reported
BossWhereNotes
Iron Butcher, the Frenzied BruteThe Lady's PathDrops a weapon tempering material, the Iron Butcher Mask.
Bi Feng, Giant Saber CommanderCavern PassageDrops the Juggernaut weapon. Our ending notes say beating him is needed for the True ending, together with Zhu Yuan.
Kui Yanyan, the DerangedShrine Outer GateDrops the Missing Lift Crank key item and one Sha-Chi Amber Fragment.
Jade-FaceThe Lady's ShrineDrops the Seamless Death weapon.
Huangxing, the Kunlun RenegadeThe Lady's ShrineDrops the Flying Guillotine Phantom Edge. Huangxing's name is a Steam achievement.

Reported · PowerPyx Attack notes are on the boss list where we have them.

Quests in the Mountain of Imprisonment

Most of the region's value is in its quest chains. Full notes and missable flags are on side tales.

Quests and rewards · reported
QuestSteps hereReward
CuiFree an old man in a cage at Iron Butcher's Camp, then meet Lu at Commander's Platform, give him the Rootless Dew, pull the levers on the tall ladder, and talk to him again before The Lady's ShrineCui's Red Ribbon and the Crude Radiant Heart accessory
The Broad SaberTalk to a prisoner in Hanging Cage Cavern, beat Bi Feng, then go back to himRitual Cauldron Fragment III
Hero's LamentLower the cage with the lever, talk to the man inside, later bring Moji's Bloodstained Sword to Liu YiThe Ink Cut Phantom Edge
Don't Forget MePush over a puppet-woman's tree on the main path, free the man in the cage, inspect a body near the boss arena at Shrine Outer Gate, then finish in Pangzhen's MarketplaceUltimate Talisman accessory
Ledger of AtonementTalk to the friendly Maskwalker several times, then return the ledger at the Shrine Outer GateA Sha-Chi Amber Fragment, the Bloodstained Necklace and the Backstreet Courtyard key
The Herald's IllusionWalk through the door by the Puppet Cell Bell and interact with the hanging statue once all gates are enteredPuppet's Tongue and Crystal Puppet Eye [Yin]
Whence the WeepingCompleted hereThe Inanis' Radiant Fan Phantom Edge

Reported · PowerPyx Rewards are as PowerPyx lists them. See side tales for notes on what can be missed.

Spoiler · show the Whence the Weeping steps

Whence the Weeping starts in Weeping Creek Valley and ends on the Mountain of Imprisonment. Quest tracking only appears late. Reported · PC Gamer

Key items on the route

Key items · reported
ItemWhereUse
Detached Cage LeverCommander's Platform: climb the ladder east of the Bell and drop into the building, in front of a bodyLowers a cage you meet in Hanging Cage Cavern
Rootless DewCommander's Platform: on the rocks southwest of the Bell, past the large gazeboYou hand it to Lu as part of his quest
Missing Lift CrankKui Yanyan's drop at the Shrine Outer GateLowers the cages at the gate, one of which holds the sword below
Shrine Gate KeyShrine Outer Gate cave: defeat a group of three masked enemiesOpens the way on; PowerPyx does not say which door
Moji's Bloodstained SwordShrine Outer Gate: in the last cage lowered with the crankGiven to Liu Yi to finish Hero's Lament

Reported · PowerPyx Uses are as PowerPyx implies them; it does not name the doors the keys open.

Collectibles in the Mountain of Imprisonment

Full lists are on their own pages; this is the count and the points worth knowing.

PowerPyx header counts · reported
CategoryCountNotes
Bells8All 8 named in the walkthrough
Weapons and Phantom Edges5Juggernaut, Ink Cut, Seamless Death, Flying Guillotine, Inanis' Radiant Fan
Accessories and medicines4Baishan Writ, Talisman of Despair, Crude Radiant Heart, Desperate Stand
Challenge locations1The fifth Banyan tree
Sha-Chi Amber Shards44 named in the region; 2 more in the Meigu Lake clean-up
Blackstone Shards44 named in the region; 2 more in the Meigu Lake clean-up
Memory Flowers66 in the region; 16 more in clean-up visits

Reported · PowerPyx Only PowerPyx lists this region's items; Game8's map and walkthrough pages do not name it, and we could not read Fextralife's page. Our existing Amber and Blackstone lists show six each for this region because they include the clean-up ones; the header's 4 and 4 count only what is inside.

Existing lists · sources
Banyan tree
The fifth Banyan tree is on the main path of the Mountain of Imprisonment. PowerPyx and PC Gamer agree; the Illusory Pipa requirement is PC Gamer's alone.
Reported · PowerPyx
Sha-Chi Ambers
PowerPyx lists six fragments for Mountain of Imprisonment; no second guide covers them yet.
Reported · PowerPyx
Blackstones
PowerPyx lists six Blackstone Fragments in Mountain of Imprisonment; no other guide covers the area yet.
Reported · PowerPyx

Full lists: Memory Flowers, Banyan's Hearts, Sha-Chi Amber Fragments, Blackstone Fragments and the collectibles overview.

Weapons, Phantom Edges and accessories

Where each one comes from. Effects are on weapons, Phantom Edges and accessories.

Weapons and Phantom Edges · reported
ItemTypeWhere
JuggernautWeaponBi Feng, at Cavern Passage
Seamless DeathWeaponJade-Face, at The Lady's Shrine
Ink CutPhantom EdgeReward for Hero's Lament
Flying GuillotinePhantom EdgeHuangxing, at The Lady's Shrine
Inanis' Radiant FanPhantom EdgeReward for Whence the Weeping
WhiteshadowWeaponBlizzard Blademaster, Meigu Lake clean-up (Whiteshadow's Fall Bell)

Reported · PowerPyx Single source. Flying Guillotine is also the tool that opens several cracked walls; those visits are under tempering materials.

Accessories and medicines · reported
ItemWhere
Baishan WritThe Lady's Path: after the roadside woman screams, kill the dogs and take it from her
Talisman of DespairIron Butcher's Camp: free the man in a cage after the Crusher runs away
Crude Radiant HeartReward from the Cui quest, after talking to Lu on the ground
Desperate StandThe Lady's Shrine: in a chest in the room with a Memory Flower
Sha-Chi Blood CatalystMeigu Lake clean-up: reward for turning in Quick Hand Zhang's treasures
Ultimate TalismanPangzhen clean-up: reward for finishing Don't Forget Me
Acolyte WhiskMeigu Lake clean-up: a chest on the dock near Phantom Illusionist Ruins Bell #3
Acolyte IcicleMeigu Lake clean-up: beside Phantom Illusionist Ruins Bell #5
Phantom BrewMeigu Lake clean-up: a lower room on the ship, Phantom Illusionist Ruins Bell #7

Reported · PowerPyx Single source; effects are on the accessories page.

Ritual Cauldron and other materials · reported
MaterialWhere
Ritual Cauldron Fragment INorth of The Lady's Path Bell, in the lower area, behind a wall the Flying Guillotine opens
Ritual Cauldron Fragment IINorth of the Cavern Passage Bell, up a ledge in the cave, behind a wall the Flying Guillotine opens
Ritual Cauldron Fragment IIIReward for The Broad Saber
Iron Butcher MaskIron Butcher's drop

Reported · PowerPyx You get the Flying Guillotine late in the region, so Fragments I and II mean going back.

Clean-up in earlier regions

Much of PowerPyx's page is not in the region. These visits need something you get here.

Clean-up visits · reported
RegionWhat you getHow
Mandate EncampmentMemory Flowers of the Mandate Leaders, parts 3 to 5, and the Enhanced Chainsaw materialThree flowers sit at the Confinement, Behind the Encampment Waterfall and Main Encampment Gate Bells; they work once you hold the Shattered Hero's Courage. The chainsaw material is in the southern building behind a Flying Guillotine wall.
Weeping Creek ValleyLeng Tu's Memory Flower, part 5, and the fight with the Puppet Scavenger and Acolyte HansuiThe Puppet's Tongue opens the Crimson Manor door; the flower is on the manor's upper balcony. The boss at the Scavenger Pens drops the Alloyed Scythe Blade, Crystal Puppet Eye [Yang] and Hansui's Frost Mask.
Meigu LakeThe Phantom Illusionist Ruins route: Xuan Li's flowers 1 to 3, Blizzard Blademaster's flowers 1 to 6, Forbidden Blight Scripture flowers 1 to 3, two Amber, two Blackstone, two Quick Hand Zhang treasures, Boy's Clothing materials and Chaos Iron Fragment IOpens once you hold the four acolyte masks; ends at Whiteshadow's Fall with the Blizzard Blademaster and the Secrets at the Heart of the Lake quest.
PangzhenDon't Forget Me, finished at the MarketplaceGive the note to the woman on the top floor of the building for the Ultimate Talisman.

Reported · PowerPyx Single source. We have not checked these in the game; full lists are on the collectible pages.

What we're checking

Questions

How do you get to the Mountain of Imprisonment?

Get the Illusory Pipa through the quest of the same name, then enter the mist at the far north of Meigu Lake. PowerPyx calls the region optional and tied to the True ending; PC Gamer also says the pipa is needed to reach it.

Reported · PowerPyx
Is the Mountain of Imprisonment required for the True ending?

PowerPyx calls the region optional but related to the True ending. Our ending notes say one fight here, Bi Feng, must be beaten for the True ending, together with Zhu Yuan in Meigu Lake.

Reported · PowerPyx
How many collectibles are in the Mountain of Imprisonment?

PowerPyx counts 32 locations: 8 Bells, 5 weapons and Phantom Edges, 4 accessories and medicines, 1 challenge, 4 Amber, 4 Blackstone and 6 Memory Flowers. Its walkthrough then adds clean-up visits to earlier regions with more flowers and fragments.

Reported · PowerPyx
How do you get the Flying Guillotine?

It is the Phantom Edge dropped by Huangxing at The Lady's Shrine, near the end of the region. PowerPyx then uses it to open cracked walls at The Lady's Path, Cavern Passage and in Mandate Encampment.

Reported · PowerPyx

Sources and checks

Press, reviews and data sites