Spirit Cave – Jade Empire Walkthrough

This guide details a specific part of chapter 1 in Jade Empire. It is complete with a map, legend, and walkthrough.

Map Legend

1 – Arrival
2 – Sealed Gate
3 – Dragon Amulet
4 – Vase
5 – Vase
6 – Sealed Gate
7 – Sealed Gate
8 – Old Master
9 – Water Dragon Spirit
10 – Spirit Font
11 – Scrollstand
12 – Chest
13 – Bones
14 – Scrollstand
15 – Chest

Walkthrough

The spirit cave is a short but necessary quest for further knowledge about your heritage. It’s here that you’ll gain the Dragon Amulet, a powerful artifact able to hold up to three stat-enhancing essence gems (though it can hold more later in the game). Once you have the amulet, you can begin outfitting it with gems on its own inventory screen. I’d advise keeping only the best gems and selling the rest to whichever merchants will pay the most for them. By the end of the game, you should have quite a lot of money saved up, and you’ll most likely find that you need every coin you’ve saved to purchase some of the most powerful techniques and gems in the game.

1 – Arrival

Having dealt with the bandit ship in the Two Rivers Village and won the duel against Gao the Lesser in the Two Rivers School, Master Li will send you into the Spirit Cave in search of answers about your heritage and the corruption in the spirit realm.


2 – Sealed Gate

This gate bears a clay seal and a message carved by Master Li. Once you’ve read the message, the seal will shatter and the gate will swing open.


3 – Dragon Amulet

When you approach the pillar in the center of this chamber, it will shatter and your character will obtain the Dragon Amulet from within it. As a Spirit Monk, you are able to tap into the true potential that essence gems possess by using this artifact.

After equipping the Flawed Warrior Gem that comes with the Dragon Amulet, you will be attacked by three restless spirits. Make short work of them, then explore the rest of the chamber for loot.


4 – Vase

Smash this vase for a small stash of silver coins.


5 – Vase

Smash this vase for a small stash of silver coins.


6 – Sealed Gate

This gate bears another clay seal, though the message cannot be read at first. If you hold the Dragon Amulet up to it, the inscription becomes readable and you’ll be offered some more advice from Master Li about your importance in the world.


7 – Sealed Gate

This gate bears yet another clay seal and this time Master Li’s message is clearly visible. Read what he has to say and the seal will shatter allowing the gate to swing open.


8 – Old Master

The spirit of Two Rivers’ former master will approach you when you enter this chamber. He explains that he is unable to reach the underworld as there is no “shepherd” to guide him, after which he decides to take out his frustration on you with the help of two restless spirits. The Old Master has access to the Ice Shard style, so you’ll most likely have to deal with the style’s slowing and freezing abilities during the battle. Focus your attention on the master first as the two restless spirits will prove quite easy by themselves.

When the fight is over, your character will begin meditating and you’ll be teleported to area #9 for an audience with a female spirit you eventually learn is that of the Water Dragon. When you return, a portal will open that can bring you back to the Two Rivers School. Don’t go in just yet, though. Have a look around the chamber first, as there are a few containers of note.


9 – Water Dragon Spirit

Though you don’t know it quite yet, the female spirit you speak with in this chamber is that of the Water Dragon (the Jade Empire god responsible for moisture and the shepherding of the dead to the underworld). She tells you that she is cut open and therefore the way to the underworld is shut. You alone are the only one capable of restoring the balance of things and the spirit offers to aid you by teaching you either the Ice Shard or Dire Flame style. Choose carefully, as the alternate style will not become available again until late in the game.

When your audience with the Water Dragon has finished, you will arrive back at area #8 where a portal to the Two Rivers School now awaits you.


10 – Spirit Font

Meditating at a Spirit Font will restore all of your character’s Health and Chi.


11 – Scrollstand

The text on this scrollstand is entitled The Nature of the Spirit, Volume 1.


12 – Chest

If you have the PC version of Jade Empire installed, then you’ll discover a chest here that contains the Iron Palm – The Anvil plot item. This is the first of three doctrines you’ll need to find in order to unlock the powerful Iron Palm combat style.


13 – Bones

100 silver pieces can be looted from this pile of bones.


14 – Scrollstand

The text on this scrollstand is entitled Jade Empire Bestiary, Volume 3.


15 – Chest

Search this chest for a small amount of silver, a random essence gem (such as a Monk’s Gem of Forethought), and the Structured Body technique.