Mysterious Elder
Last updated 2026-02-03
Mysterious Elder is an NPC located in (Hollow) Qingming Realm. Retrieving his manuscript is required for the achievement A Clear New Chapter.
Profile
After helping "Lord", "Tiger of the Mountain" and "Solo Leader" recover their Bangboo followers, the Mysterious Elder will appear in the deepest part of the Qingming Realm. He will ask for help in finding his lost manuscript, which can be done by interacting with the Ground-Scattered Papers. After doing so, return to the Mysterious Elder, who will then explain why he wrote the story before disappearing, granting the achievement.
History
The Mysterious Elder was a swordmaster in life, and in his youth, he witnessed a trio of factions who, vying for power, ultimately destroyed one another and forswore their duty to protect civilians. In his later life, he wrote down the stories of these three factions in a novel, to serve as a warning for future generations about the nature of swordsmanship and the danger of losing oneself. It is unknown if he finished the story before his death.
At some point in time the elder's memories were absorbed by the Qingming Sword, which created a version of him within the Qingming Realm. It also materialized the characters from his manuscript as Bangboo, who then quickly became scattered across the realm. When Ye Shunguang and Phaethon entered the realm, they aided the Bangboo and recovered the elder's manuscript, and after explaining his past, he faded away.
Dialogue
- (Talk to Mysterious Elder before finding the manuscript)
- Mysterious Elder: Ah, I've searched almost everywhere around here... Where on earth did I leave my manuscript...
- (A manuscript... I feel like I've seen something similar somewhere else. If I find it, I'll bring it to this elder.)
- (Talk to Mysterious Elder after finding the manuscript)
- Mysterious Elder: Ah, I've searched almost everywhere around here... Where on earth did I leave my manuscript...
Is this what you're looking for?- You hand the paper filled with tales of swordmasters' schemes and deceptions to the elderly man.
- Mysterious Elder: This is it! Young one, where did you find this? I'm so grateful... This represents years of my hard work. If I had lost it, I would've had to take this story to my grave!
- Why write such a dark story?
- Mysterious Elder: Why... Because I experienced it myself.
- Is this story for real?
- Mysterious Elder: It's true... Of course it's true. I experienced it myself.
- Mysterious Elder: Actually, I was a swordmaster in my youth... I witnessed it all—how these three factions, in their fight for power, forgot their duty to protect the citizens, turned on each other, and ultimately marched towards their own destruction.
- Mysterious Elder: In my twilight years, I wanted to write down these stories as a warning and revelation to future generations—not all who wield a sword deserve to be called a swordmaster. Those who take up the blade must never lose sight of themselves.
- Mysterious Elder: Thanks, young one. Now that I have this draft, I should go and finish it... But if there's ever a sequel to the swordmaster novel, I hope you can create a better story.
- The old man puts away the paper and lets out a hearty laugh. After a dazzling flash of light, he vanishes just like that.
A Clear New Chapter Achievement Complete
- (Mysterious Elder disappears after obtaining the achievement)
Other Languages
| Language | Official Name |
|---|---|
| English | Mysterious Elder |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 神秘的老者 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 神秘的老者 |
| Japanese | 謎の老人 |
| Korean | 신비한 노인 Sinbihan Noin |
| Spanish | Anciano misterioso |
| French | Vieil homme mystérieux |
| Russian | Загадочный старец Zagadochnyy starets |
| Thai | ชายชราลึกลับ |
| Vietnamese | Cụ Già Thần Bí |
| German | Geheimnisvoller Greis |
| Indonesian | Orang Tua Misterius |
| Portuguese | Ancião Misterioso |