Quick Overview
Woven With Malice is one of those quests that sneaks up on you if you don’t know where to poke around. It’s part detective work, part awkward socializing, and part fighting people who clearly failed charm school. This guide will walk you through where to start, what to grab, who to talk to, and how to avoid face-plants into story beats.
Where to Begin
Head to the Qinghe area and look just north of Buddha Fort. You’ll find a lone Scholar sitting near a big bell by a cliff and a small forest — the kind of place that screams “mystery.” Talk to them to kick off the quest. If they’re being dramatic and won’t spill the beans, wait one full in-game day (use the clock feature to fast-forward) and try again.
First Clues and the Seamstress
After the Scholar finally opens up, you’ll learn about the Celestial Silk Garment and be sent to a nearby house to find a Seamstress. Surprise: the real Seamstress is away, and her apprentice, Little Needle, is minding the shop. To get Little Needle to cooperate, you’ll need to collect three pigments — blue, red, and black — from the table and the brazier inside the house, then give them to her.
The Murder That Breaks Everything
Return to the Scholar after delivering the pigments, and brace yourself: things go sideways. Eavesdrop at the marked spot and witness an attack — the Scholar is killed. Loot a Mysterious Handkerchief from the ground, then follow the clues. Little Needle will stubbornly shadow you from here on, whether you like it or not.
Finding Monk Tranquillus
Monk Tranquillus is found a bit south of Buddha Fort, and he’s already talking to Little Needle when you arrive (she really gets around). Talk to him and expect to spar. You’ll fight him twice; winning both bouts gets you more info. You’ll discover the Silkworm Lady who made the Celestial Silk Garment is dead, and find a second embroidered handkerchief in the arena — more mystery, less comfort.
Following the Trail and Setting a Trap
Back in town, Little Needle suggests examining the cave behind brambles. Burn the brambles with a fire arrow to reveal the cave entrance, then set up a trap. Wait patiently at the ambush point until the mysterious attacker appears and follow them to uncover that some of this was staged — another twist in the plot.
How to Be a Proper Wuxia Sleuth
Later you’ll shadow a suspicious Pavilion Owner. Stay at a safe distance and snatch a letter with Celestial Seize when the time is right. Use Mighty Drop (Jump + Q) to smash a ruin and expose a basement full of explosives. Check the rock wall behind the Silkworm Lady’s tomb for traps, then eavesdrop near a bamboo grove to overhear two men plotting in ambush. These little snoop-steps add up to big revelations.
Ambush, Gas, and Drama
When you report back, things explode (literally and figuratively). Little Needle gets drugged with sleeping gas and you might take a nap too. On waking, expect to press Q or Space to shout a warning and trigger the next sequence — the Pavilion Owner’s plan collapses, and a fight breaks out. The attackers turn out to have been used as test subjects for the Celestial Silk Garment.
Finale and Wrap-Up
After the dust settles, the truth comes out: the Pavilion Owner experimented on servants of the Silkworm Lady to test the garment’s defensive properties. The blinded “fitting kids” get their reckoning, the villains leave the stage, and Little Needle gives you the lowdown on what happened. That’s the end of Woven With Malice — morally questionable experiments, a couple of dramatic fights, and a lot of handkerchiefs.
Requirements & Handy Tricks
Make sure Celestial Seize is on your Mystic Arts action bar before you need it, because you’ll use it to snatch letters and items during the tracking sections. Mighty Drop (Jump + Q) breaks buried ground to reveal hidden basements, and fire arrows are needed to burn brambles blocking cave entrances. Also, Little Needle will follow you for much of the quest — she’s clingy but useful, so don’t ditch her.
Quick Tips
If an NPC won’t talk, try fast-forwarding time. When eavesdropping, stick to walls and remain patient — the plot moves when it wants to. Keep an eye out for embroidered handkerchiefs; they’re the breadcrumb trail in this story. Finally, expect two attackers (a woman and a man) to be involved in the deeper mystery — the game will nudge you into fighting and investigating both.
Summary
Woven With Malice mixes light sleuthing, a couple of sparring matches, environmental puzzles, and a dramatic reveal about unethical experiments. Follow the Scholar’s lead, help Little Needle, use Celestial Seize and Mighty Drop wisely, and don’t forget your fire arrows. You’ll finish the quest with answers — and probably a slightly lower opinion of the Pavilion Owner.
