Imperial China walkthrough & Disciple Training tips | Live a Live guide

A trip to Imperial China in the chapter of Live A Live nicknamed 'The Successor' will put you into the shoes of grand kung fu master The Earthen Heart Shifu, who is nearing the end of his life and so is searching for a student to succeed him - thus the episode's unofficial title. Which of Shifu's three students will you choose to succeed him?

Live A Live's Imperial China scenario itself is quite straightforward compared to some of the other story chapters - a medium-length story with quite standard RPG elements, and an ideal first chapter to play. Your time in this story is split between exploration and training segments - and during exploration, you can discover hidden items throughout the map that will greatly aid you in battle. Below is our Imperial China walkthrough guide, which will help you find every item and choose a successor. You can find guides for every other chapter on the contents hub.

An old Chinese master nearing the end of his life yearns to preserve his kung fu for future generations. With this purpose does he venture forth from his home atop Mount Aspiration in search of a worthy successor to his legacy. Once he gathered three disciples, he will subject them to relentless training to strengthen the body, enhance the reflexes, and unlock true potential. Of these three, who will rise to the occasion and become the next Shifu?

Your search for a worthy successor in Imperial China requires some player choice - but this walkthrough will help you to choose the best pupil.
Your search for a worthy successor in Imperial China requires some player choice - but this walkthrough will help you to choose the best pupil.

Live A Live Imperial China walkthrough: Beginnings at Shifu's Cottage and Mount Aspiration

You'll begin the Imperial China chapter and eventually gain control of Shifu inside his cottage. Here, you can find some hidden items that are placed in map. In the modern remake of Live A Live, you will see a yellow sparkle near item placements to hint that there's something to be grabbed there. Pick up the items in the current room. Then check the room behind for more items. 

Item locations in Shifu's Cottage in Live A Live.
Item locations in the first room of Shifu's Cottage.

First Room:

  • Weathered Boots
  • Qilin Boots.  
More items to find in the rear room of Shifu's Cottage in Live A Live's Imperial China.
More items to find in the rear room of Shifu's Cottage.
  • Weathered Garments x2
  • Red Bean Bun
  • Pork Bun x2

After acquiring the items, leave the cottage to head towards Mount Aspiration. On the way, examine the grass next to your house to find some White Clover. 

A screenshot revealing the location of White Clover in Live A Live.

Then move to the very west end of the trail to find the Birdeye Speedwell in the grass. Then head south, you will find the trails lead to three different paths, as shown:

Check the signs in Live A Live's Imperial China to avoid getting lost.

Each path will lead the Shifu to a prospect protégé - and you can visit them in any order you like. For this guide, we will start with the left/west path to the Bamboo Forest first.

Bamboo Forest

Like every area in this scenario, the Bamboo forest is full of treasure and various items that you can find if you explore thoroughly. Luckily for you, we've got a list:

Treasure List

  • Nature’s Providence (Grass near the entrance)
  • Nature’s Providence (To the west side, near the middle.)
  • White Clover (To the west side, near the middle.)
  • Nature’s Providence (West side, where the trail split to three ways)
  • Birdeye Speedwell (West side, where the trail split to three ways)
  • Nature’s Providence (Northeast side, where the trail split to three ways)
  • Nature’s Providence (North side, where the trail split to three ways)
  • Shepherd’s Purse (North side, where the trail split to three ways)

Move to the end of the forest, you will encounter a bandit. During the choice prompt, select the second option (I’m afraid I have nothing for you.) to engage in combat.

Boss: Lei Kugo

HP: 176
This battle should be really easy. Shifu has a large arrange of abilities that can cause all kinds of debuffs and probably easily end this fight in three actions only. Just attack and get it over with.

After defeating Lei, she will join your party. Now you can explore the rest of the forest to find some items. But if you want to move on with the story, just leave the forest and look for the other disciples; the choice is yours, but more items can make your life easier later on, and return further rewards.

Once you're ready, return to Mount Aspiration. You can take either of the two remaining paths, but in this guide we're taking the south-west path to Wong Village.

Wong Village

There isn’t any hidden items in the village, however helping the villagers you see here will return a gift for your kind-hearted actions. Helping out requires items, all of which can be found by exploring the other areas in this scenario. There is a story event by treating the elderly person in the middle.

  • Elderly Woman to the left – Requires:  Nature’s Providence  Receive: Iron Wok
  • Old Man to the right – Requires:  Nature’s Providence  Receive: Red Bean Bun
  • Elderly Woman to the bottom left – Requires:  Nature’s Providence  Receive: Catfish Whisker
  • Old Man to the bottom right – Requires:  Nature’s Providence  Receive: Red Bean Bun
  • Elderly Woman to the very bottom Requires:  Red Bean Bun Receive: Nothing

 When you’re ready to engage in combat, give a Nature's Providence to  the old woman in orange on the left center to see a scene with a pickpocket. Then, run to the south exit and pick the second choice “Pardon me”.

Boss: Sun Tzu Wang, Hot-Headed Lackey x2

HP: 124 / HP: 56
This is an easy encounter. Literally any techniques can easily 1 shot each enemy. The main enemy might require an extra hit to kill. In fact, what matters more is what you say after the battle is over:

After the conclusion, take the second choice “I am afraid I must decline…” Then the first choice “Well, if you insist” to recruit the young man as your disciple. 

With this done, head to the last destination by returning to Mount Aspiration. If you've been following this guide, there's only one location left -  so head east to find Yunfa Market.

Yunfa Market

As with the Wong Village, there aren't any hidden items around the village, and initially there's no way to get anything from the townsfolk, either. Instead, head north for an event scene.

Once you're able to, talk to the dash and dine escapee.  You are given two options. By not fighting the boy, you will have to pay for his theft. You can also fight him. Regardless of what happens, he'll join you - so the choice is yours. If you engage in combat...

Boss: Hong Hakka

HP: 240
Hong might be the strongest opponent you will fight so far. But the battle won't be that difficult. Just wear him down with powerful attacks. You should able to outlast Hong in combat. In the worst case scenario, you can pop a healing item. 

Instead of returning to the cottage immediately after this event and/or fight, take some time out to talk to the townsfolk. They're grateful to you for helping out, and as a result some of them will give you items:

  • Red Bean Bun (Old Man near the entrance)
  • Porcelain Bowl (Old Man to the northeast)
  • Pork Bun (Elderly Woman to the northwest)

With this area completely cleaned out, head on back to the Cottage - it's time to train.

Training Session & Which Disciple to Focus On

The act of training your disciples is one of the key mechanics of this chapter; and as always, Live A Live is forcing you to make some choices.
The act of training your disciples is one of the key mechanics of this chapter; and as always, Live A Live is forcing you to make some choices.

The next piece of the Imperial China chapter of Live A Live is the training session. During this segment, you will get to focus on building the stats of the three disciples you have recruited. The catch is that only the strongest disciple will remain further in the story. For that reason, you should only focus on just one of the disciples instead of training them evenly.

Which disciple should you choose to focus on? The three disciples all have pros and cons - here they are:

  • Lei Kugo is the fastest disciple of the three. If you prefer to focus on using quick attacks that will let you escape and attack from afar, she's best for you. Having higher mobility stat should lead to higher evasion rates. Lei also gets the strongest AOE skill at level 16. She's also the only female main protagonist character in all of Live A Live, for what it's worth.
  • Yun has the lowest stats of the three, however he is likely to be the strongest due to his higher-than-average growth rates. Yun also get the strongest single target attack skill at Level 16. Yun mainly meant to be an all-rounder, a jack-of-all-trades but master of none.
  • Hong is the one of the disciples with the highest HP pool, making him the tank unit out of the three. Not exactly the strongest, but he can be useful up close and far.

As mentioned above, for what it's worth Lei Kugo is your one shot at a female lead character - every other main character in Live A Live is male (yes, even the robot) - if that matters to you, the decision is much plainer.

After the initial bout with each of the pupils an event scene will occur. During this segment you will get to engage in 4 battles each day with your disciples. Each segment will raise their stats.  An important thing to note is that your pupils will only learn Shifu's abilities if they are performed on them - meaning the pupils learn these moves similar to Masaru in the Present Day chapter. Once it's been performed on them, the ability is learned after leveling up.

This stuff gets fiddly, so it is highly suggested that you keep a save file for this part incase you want to redo the training segment

After training 12 different bouts, an event scene will occur. You will need to return to Yunfa Market. Head north and defeat Sun Tzu Wang again. After defeating them, talk the girls that were held hostage earlier. Along with all the villagers, They will shower you with gifts.  

  • Peach Bun
  • Panda Charm
  • Chow Chow Charm
  • Soup Dumpling
  • Pork Bun x2
  • Scroll of Martial Arts
  • Pot Lid
  • Beijing Pot
  • Bottle of Tieguanyin
  • Red Bean Bun
  • Tiger Glove
  • Tiger Attire

Return to the cottage you will find your strongest disciple near the cottage or inside the house. Return to cottage and check on the remaining disciple.

After this event, leave and head north to Mount Aspiration. Examine the two graves. Afterwards, head west to the Bamboo Forest. Reach the checkpoint to meet up with the remaining disciple. Then head to the north exit to the Indomitable Fist dojo.

Indomitable Fist Fortress

As you head to the Indomitable Fist Fortress, it's time for the Imperial China chapter to take a turn into some real fighting. Plus, there's lots more loot to be found - of course.

Start the dojo by defeating the goons on the entrance. From here on, you can encounter enemies on the field map. The dungeon is straightforward, just head follow the path until it reaches the end. There are also some treasures along the way that you can find, which we're going to picture and list here, room-by-room...

There's three items off to the left of this room in the Indomitable Fist Fortress.
There's three items off to the left of this room in the Indomitable Fist Fortress.
  • Red Bean Bun
  • Fuxi Feather
  • Weathered Boots
Don't miss these two items in this corridor.
Don't miss these two items in this corridor.
  • Peach Bun Jar
  • Qilin Boots
Another two items await in this next room, once the enemies are cleared.
Another two items await in this next room, once the enemies are cleared.
  • Peach Bun
  • Peach Bun
  • Soup Dumplings
Finally, be sure to grab the items from the top-left of this last room.
Finally, be sure to grab the items from the top-left of this last room.
  • Bottle Gourd
  • Pork Bun

When you reach the last room, you must defeat a bunch of opponents in sequence to face the true mastermind. It's boss rush time - but we've got the strategies to get you through!

Boss Fight 1:San Xi, Su Xi

HP: 120
The first two mobs is a complete pushover. There isn't anything to worry about for this fight.

Boss Fight 2: Yi Xi, Er Xi

HP: 160
The second fight is slightly stronger than the previous mobs. The guy to the right is weak against fist attacks, while the one to the left is weak against kick attacks. 

Boss Fight 3: Tong Cha, Sha Cha

HP: 208
This type of enemy is probably the strongest for this scenario. These guys have a much larger HP pool and will hit kind of hard. Just focus on defeating one of them at a time. 

Boss Fight 4: Pei Cha, Nan Cha

HP: 208/240
A repeat of the previous mobs only they're much stronger and have different weakness.

As mentioned before, these guys hit pretty hard, so you should get rid of one of them soon as possible. If your HP falls low, you can use the red bean bun to restore your health. 

Boss Fight 5: Lin, Xian, Chan

HP: 128/176/176
The three sisters are actually much easier than the previous mobs. Simply go near them and spam your AOE attack. They have rather low HP, allowing your AOE to finish them in 2 to 3 hits. 

Boss Fight 6: Yi Pei Kou

HP: 480
This boss is resistant to most everything, luckily this guy is actually a complete pushover. Just simply attack him and eventually he will go down. 

Boss Fight 7: Ou Di Wan Lee

HP: 688
The last boss has highly inflated HP compared to the previous bosses. This guy isn't all that tough though. You can use your consumable items to buff and heal if necessary. You can also unleash your ultimate attack, however this skill will only deal about 40% of his HP. You might want to save it after you have lowered his HP somewhat.

The boss isn't immune to debuffs, so any attack that might ail the boss will work here. The boss here also can cause poison - but his bark is honestly worse than his bite on the whole. 

After defeating the last boss, the ending of this scenario will play. The disciple you trained will be the playable character for the final scenario. If you are displeased with the final results, you can replay this segment and redo the training session, or load up the save we told you to make before the training session began, to have a different pupil be your playable character for the final scenario. 

Live A Live Walkthrough Hub / Chapter Walkthroughs: