Hua Qianxiao, the Sword Fanatic, is a mandatory boss in Phantom Blade Zero and the first major opponent encountered in the Red Forest. Inspired by the wuxia trope of the drunken fighter, he combines unpredictable movements, alcohol-fueled techniques and a flying sword. Players should explore the starting area before facing him, with the exception of Long Pillar, to collect upgrades and useful equipment.
The Reflex Talisman is one of the most valuable accessories for this encounter. It increases perfect-parry and perfect-dodge windows by 15%, rising to 25% after being upgraded in later regions. The Dreadful Axe, a Spectral Blade, is also especially useful because it can quickly break Hua Qianxiao’s shield, emptying his Sha-Chi bar and creating a long opening for attacks.
Most of the fight revolves around recognizing the boss’s attack patterns. Hua Qianxiao uses very few special blue attacks, while his red attacks are easier to anticipate. He throws his sword rapidly when fighting from a long distance, ends certain melee combos after flying toward the player with a red attack, and can also approach while lying on his back close to the ground before launching another red strike. His quick ranged attacks can drain health quickly, so a defensive approach is recommended.
Hua Qianxiao’s main gimmick is that his Sha-Chi bar constantly depletes, unlike those of other enemies. He replenishes it by drinking alcohol. This can happen after he jumps onto the player and pins them down, although that move appears infrequently, or more commonly when he surrounds himself with a blue shield while the player is not attacking.
When the blue shield appears, players have a few seconds to break it. A non-charged attack with the Dreadful Axe is the simplest option, instantly emptying the boss’s Sha-Chi bar and opening him to attacks. However, Hua uses this ability often, and players may not have enough special charges to interrupt every attempt. A two-handed weapon such as the Bloody Long can also damage the shield, but retreating to heal and recover Sha-Chi is often the safer choice. Allowing the boss to drink is not necessarily disastrous.
Players should be particularly careful when white lines appear around Hua Qianxiao during the drinking animation. This indicates a rarer version in which he charges his sword, causing it to spin around the shield. In that situation, prioritizing defense is safer than trying to force an attack.
Changing weapons instantly restores the player’s endurance, or Sha-Chi. This can prevent the guard from breaking during extended enemy combos or after using Sha-Chi attacks. Switching weapons whenever the orange bar is nearly empty helps maintain defensive options and sustain attacks.
Once Hua Qianxiao’s orange Sha-Chi bar is depleted, his posture breaks and he remains vulnerable for several seconds. Players should use Sha-Chi combos during this opening, then switch weapons once the bar is empty to continue attacking or avoid running out of Sha-Chi when the boss resumes his assault.
Defeating Hua Qianxiao rewards players with the Sword Fanatic’s Broken Sword. It is useful for a ranged-focused combat style, although that approach has limitations in Phantom Blade Zero. The weapon can be repaired much later through the Soul Forge, which strengthens its ranged attacks.
Sources: Jeuxvideo.com.