HoYoverse has exciting stories that encourage players to reach the end and discover the truth. Sometimes, players will encounter painful chapters full of drama in which they must decide between difficult choices. One such occasion is when the Trailblazer meets Dan Shu. Initially, Dan Shu was the Chief Alchemist of the Alchemy Commission due to her incredible talent. She seems to be a kind person with a complicated life due to her blindness. But during her long life, Dan Shu harbored so much resentment that her path in Honkai Star Rail led her to battle the Trailblazer and friends.
Honkai Star Rail: Is It Better to Battle or Let Dan Shu Go?
[Updated on 14 March and added additional detail]
During the story of the Xianzhou Luofu, the Astral Express Crew helps the Alliance to control the Mara and the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus, who revived the Ambrosial Arbor. Dan Shu appears as a simple NPC who helps the Trailblazer with information and medicine at this stage. However, in the final part, the story reveals that Dan Shu is not only a spy but also the leader of the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus. When you meet her, you can only choose between two options to progress the questline:
- Let Dan Shu Go
Dan Shu is quite fond of the Trailblazer, even proposing they join the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus and the Aeon of Abundance. When the Trailblazer refuses her proposal, she gets upset, but if you decide to let her go, Dan Shu will leave with her disciples, and you won’t be able to follow her. - Battle With Dan Shu
On the other hand, if you decide to fight Dan Shu, she will make her disciples stand in your way, and you will have to fight them. She disappears from the place to continue her plans to “improve” people with Mara, to make them immortal.
Whatever your choice, you will not be able to stop Dan Shu in both scenarios, but you can avoid this fight. This is because as you progress through the Ambrosial Arbor missions, you will fight Dan Shu’s boss form, which she obtained using the Mara. Dan Shu will try to prevent you from stopping her disciples and advancing to the Ambrosial Arbor so that Phantylia can absorb the tree’s power. Ultimately, when you defeat Dan Shu, Phantylia will get rid of her and leave Tingyun’s body to become Phantylia the Undying.
Ultimately, it’ll be a sad ending nonetheless. Still, finding these stories in the game is normal, so choose whichever option goes better with your play style. Here, we recommend skipping the fight, as engaging in it has no relevant rewards.
