Chapter 4 Route Guide: Webbed Hollow and Secret Checks

Short Answer

In Chapter 4, map Webbed Hollow first, reach Temple of Yellow Flowers second, then decide whether to open Purple Cloud Mountain before the chapter finale. The important routing rule is simple: write down suspicious branches immediately, because several optional checks are easiest while the shrine layout is still fresh.

Route Order

• Village of Lanxi: complete the opening estate route and settle into the chapter’s poison and web pressure.
• Webbed Hollow: move through Upper Hollow, Pool of Shattered Jade, Verdure Bridge, Middle Hollow, Lower Hollow, Cliff of Oblivion, and Gathering Cave as shrine loops instead of one huge cave.
• Temple of Yellow Flowers: use Mountain Trail, Forest of Ferocity, Temple Entrance, and Court of Illumination to organize the above-ground half.
• Purple Cloud Mountain: open it through the two Venom Daoist encounters if you want the chapter secret route and its vessel reward.
• Chapter finale: handle optional secret-area bosses before committing if their rewards matter to you.

Step-By-Step Checklist

• At each Webbed Hollow shrine, record whether the route forward goes up, down, across a bridge, or through a tunnel.
• When you find Pool of Shattered Jade, resolve the first Venom Daoist encounter or mark it clearly for return.
• Before major spider fights, reset at the nearest shrine and switch from exploration gear to poison-control gear.
• After reaching Court of Illumination, return toward the second Venom Daoist route if you want Purple Cloud Mountain.
• In Purple Cloud Mountain, clear Scorpionlord and Daoist Mi before fighting The Duskveil if you want their rewards.
• After the secret route, return to the chapter finale with Weaver’s Needle ready as a planned answer, not a panic button.

Optional Detours And Lockouts

Purple Cloud Mountain is the big optional route. It starts with the first Venom Daoist fight in Webbed Hollow and continues with a second encounter near Court of Illumination. If you only do the first half, the secret area is not open yet.

Scorpionlord and Daoist Mi are the two optional checks to treat carefully inside Purple Cloud Mountain. The safe order is to handle them before The Duskveil, because starting or finishing the secret-area finale can remove their reward opportunities.

Yellow Loong is a separate optional challenge tied to the Loong route. If you are here only to finish the chapter, mark the shrine and return later. If you are preparing completion goals, solve it while Chapter 4 routes are still organized.

The talisman route is another “note it now” objective. If you see repeated talisman interactions, track shrine names and finish the chain before the finale rather than trying to remember it from the next chapter.

Practical Route Advice

Webbed Hollow is confusing because many paths look similar and vertical movement hides shortcuts. Use shrine names, not visual guesses, in your notes. “Lower Hollow: poison frog branch” is useful. “dark tunnel with eggs” is not.

Temple of Yellow Flowers is easier to read, but the danger shifts to optional bosses and hidden side rooms. Do one forward pass to unlock shrines, then one deliberate return pass for marked doors, courtyards, and suspicious side routes.

For poison pressure, carry cures during exploration and save stronger consumables for boss attempts that already reach the dangerous phase. If normal enemies are forcing cures before the boss, clear the route more slowly or rest and practice the runback.

Underleveled Or Lost Recovery

If you are lost in Webbed Hollow, teleport to the most recent shrine and build a two-branch map: one path forward, one path optional. Do not continue after a third unknown branch until you have checked one of the first two.

If the chapter finale feels oppressive, make sure you are not skipping the secret-area vessel. You can still fight through without it, but the optional route exists as a real preparation path.

If Purple Cloud Mountain bosses are too hard, return to the main chapter with the secret route marked. The main route can still provide practice, Sparks, and materials before you come back.

Quality Check Before Chapter 5

Leave Chapter 4 only after you can answer four questions: Did you resolve both Venom Daoist encounters? Did you intentionally clear or skip Purple Cloud Mountain? Did you handle Scorpionlord and Daoist Mi before The Duskveil if you wanted their rewards? Did your final-boss plan include a vessel, poison answer, and clean shrine route?

FAQ

Do I need Purple Cloud Mountain?

It is optional for basic progression, but it is highly relevant preparation for the chapter finale and completion planning.

Can I come back later?

Many routes remain available, but some secret-area rewards depend on doing optional bosses before the secret-area finale. Handle those before pushing too far.

What should I track?

Track shrine name, branch direction, locked or repeated interaction, optional boss, and whether the branch reconnects.

Related Next Steps

• chapter 3 route
• chapter 5 route
• chapter 4 poison control build