With the battle on Mount Windless behind Yi, he has a new goal: Helping cure Ouyang Xue of her wounds. Master Daoxuan of Wudang Sect can create a pill that will do the job, but he needs 'crude magnets' to make the pill. He sends Yi out to collect them from a place called the Cave of Tribulations, which you may have visited (albeit briefly) during an Urgent Quest earlier in Wandering Sword.
On the way out of Wudang Sect you may run into two different messages:
- As you climb the stairs down from the Disciples' Dorms you'll hear something about the beggars in Tancheng City guarding a stage. If you travel there you'll watch a lengthy cut scene involving the Beggars' Guild, and it will culminate in a new side quest: Soulwrecking Song - Overture.
- If you have Bai Jin in your party - and you've completed his personal quests up to Precipice Scenery, as well as gotten his Affinity up to 80 - he'll speak up. This triggers a new side quest, Outer Lands Scenery.
Leave Wudang Sect and follow the roads southeast. Eventually you'll see a waterfall on your right. The Cave of Tribulations is attached to the waterfall.
Cave of Tribulations - Enemies
- Bandit - Patrol
- Bandit - Secret Guard
- Bandit - Sentry
- Bandit - Soldier
- Bandit - Spy
Cave of Tribulations - Drops
- Bamboo Xun
- Black Leather Liuhe Boots
- Cloud-Nine Nectar
- Coldiron Knuckles
- Demon Conquerer
- Dragon Scale Saber
- Fanyang Straw Hat
- Featherless Arrow
- Ghost Claws
- Green Jade Thumb Ring
- Ivory Weiqi Stones
- Jadeite Guanyin
- Jade Weiqi Stones
- Jinxian Crown
- Lacquer Art Teapot
- Lianpearl
- Ox Horn Teapot
- Peachirosa
- Pottery Xun
- Purplelight Garment
- Satin
- Serpent Spear
- Silver Light Saber
- Spiced Beef
- The Analects
- The Turbulent Waterfall
- Tiger Claws Boots
- White Tiger Sword
- Zisha Teapot
If you head east of the entrance you'll see a mound of Crude Magnets sitting beneath a light. This is what you came here for - piece of cake - but an overeager bandit will rush up and challenge your claim.
Zhao Jiujie
Were you not this far into Wandering Sword, Zhao Jiujie might be a potent opponent. Unfortunately even Yi by himself could probably handle this guy without much trouble. Jiujie uses the following moves:
- Three-square saber attacks
- A six-square saber attack that can also inflict Poison
- Bloodstained Devil's Saber, a diamond-shaped AOE attack that can drain HP
That sounds like a potent array of moves, but Jiujie doesn't have the attack power or backup to really make the most of what he can do. Send your characters in and maul him.
Jiujie will back down a bit after the fight. You can either attack him again - the second fight is a bit tougher, but not by much - or ask why the Cave of Tribulations is overcrowded with enemies. Asking about the cave will drive Jiujie to ask a favor of Yi, in exchange for the Crude Magnets. You have two options:
- Accept the favor
- Attack Jiujie again and take the Crude Magnets
If you decide to beat up Jiujie a second time you can just grab the Crude Magnets and be on your way. If not, you're heading to the other end of the cave of Tribulations to do Jiujie a favor first: Defeat Mounting-Piercing Python and Mountain-Coiling Python, a pair of no-good bandit brothers.
Assuming you decide to head deeper into the cave, there are a few things of interest before you reach your targets:
- In addition to the Crude Magnets, you can harvest Gold Ore, Coldiron Ore, Shouwu, and Jade Ore while exploring the Cave of Tribulations.
- Just north of the entrance to the cave is a chest, sitting off to the side of the path. The chest contains Hide, Coal, and the Silverlight Saber Advanced Blueprint.
- Just south of Jiujie and the Crude Magnets is a fishing spot. There are a few fish here you might struggle to find outside this cave.
- East of Jiujie is a path that leads north and back around to the entrance. On your right as you head north along this loop is a chest containing a Dragon Scale Saber, Lead Ore, and a Heartfire Pill.
- In the southeast of the clearing where you find the two Python brothers is a chest. It contains Iron Wood, Zhennan Wood, and Steel Ingots.
A little ways into the Cave of Tribulations you'll find the two bandit brothers roaming around. You need to defeat both of them in combat, and they're accompanied by a squad of enemies. Still, they're not that big a deal, and aside from one move they're identical to each other, wielding hidden weapons from a distance. Get in close and thrash 'em. Mind that there are two Bandits at your back when you enter this fight.
You'll receive a Xuanhuo Token after the battle, once the brothers retreat. There are two cave entrances near this clearing, and if you head into the doorway on the left (the right doorway is too spooky for Yi) you'll find the treasury. Go through the left tunnel and you'll wind up near a chest containing the Minced Fish Soup with Ginseng and Danggui Recipe and some Mineral Drugs Powder. From here you can face off against a much stronger opponent than the brothers, assuming you check to the east.
Earthshaking Dragon
Boasting stronger attacks and accompanied by a large band of Bandits, Earthshaking Dragon is a potent fighter. He uses the following attacks:
- A multi-directional polearm attack
- Two AOE polearm attacks, one of which Ignites targets
- Madness Staff Technique, a wide AOE attack that inflicts Demonized on targets
Earthshaking Dragon's friends are also capable of inflicting Bleed on your characters, and will do so often.
Despite his power Earthshaking Dragon doesn't hit terribly hard, and you'll sustain most of your damage from the annoying Bandits who pelt you with ranged attacks from the sides. Leave your strongest fighter to keep Earthshaking Dragon occupied while the rest of your team wipes out the Bandits. Once that's done, converge on Earthshaking Dragon and begin the slow process of chipping away at his considerable HP. Ranged attacks are preferable, given Earthshaking Dragon's many AOE moves, but not mandatory.
Defeating Earthshaking Dragon (or just weaving past him) will allow you to get at a chest. It contains Black Gold Ore, a Two-Time Refined Essence Pill, a Two-Time Refined Breath Pill, and the Exorcism Staff Advanced Blueprint. Not too bad.
Head back to Zhao Jiujie and he'll give you the Crude Magnets in exchange for the Xuanhuo Token. A cut scene follows that explains a few things, and you'll be done in the Cave of Tribulations.
Check in with Daoxuan, on the upper levels of Wudang Sect, and he'll give you a Nine-Time Refined Healing Pill, as well as a small Affinity boost with the master. Take the pill to Gusu City, to the southeast, and hop on the boat at the pier to travel to Mingjian Manor. Several cut scenes will trigger once you approach the front gates, and eventually you'll be left on the manor grounds after dark.
Head to the Guest Room in the northwest to trigger another string of cut scenes. By the end one of your most important moves will have changed, you'll know a great deal more about the game's backstory, and your Affinity with Ouyang Xue will rise. You'll also receive A Letter from Qingxu, which triggers the next main quest.
One last thing. If you return to the Cave of Tribulations later - not sure exactly when, but probably after this quest is complete - you can enter the cave on the right, near the spot where you battled the brothers. Inside is a large chamber with one chest, in the northwest. It contains the High-Grade Duabilism Sparigism, the High-Grade Manalixir Spagirism, and a Four-Time Refined Meridian Pill.