PDP Shard of Dreams Guide Part 23: Deep Road to Hell & The Ancient City

Part 22 can be found here.

So, from the first Inn of the game, head to the right and up. There's a rock to smash up here, so do that and head to the next area.

Up here, an old man will fight you with a level 32 KasenP. A woman up a bit more will fight you with two level 31 Hinas (A/D). The grass here contains Ruukoto, Ellen, Kogasa, Sekibanki, and Meira.

Please be aware that at this point wild Puppets can be level 30+ and as such can already be Style Changed when you capture them. It is generally best to capture Puppets with Normal Style, so you can select the Style you want for them, or capture the one with the Style you want. Or just do what I do and only catch one of each Puppet and then only actually using the good ones (this tends to give me rather eclectic teams though).

Anyway, head left. A purple-haired fairy will fight you with a level 32 DaiyouseiS. There's also a Jizou Statue next to the nearby steps to give an offering to. Head up the first set of steps and go right through the grass. At the end of this path is a Yin Yang Orb containing a Moriya Shinshu. Now head back to the steps and keep going up, then right.

A girl will fight you with a level 32 ParseeD. Head up and you'll see a cave entrance. Ignore it for the moment and head left. There's a rock that contains a Paste of the Fog. The Youkai right near the entrance will fight you with a level 32 ChiyuriS. Now enter the cave.

Head across the bridge, and go right. Don't go up the nearby stairs just yet, instead go right and interact with a suspicious rock to obtain a Gold Dust. Then go back over to the stairs and go up. A Beast Youkai up here will fight you with a level 32 RinS an da level 32 KagerouP. Continue to the left past her and across the bridge. Continue along the path (linear) until you get to a ladder. Head down the ladder to the next area.

Head left and down the steps. Fight the girl with a level 33 ParseeD. Head down and pick up a Yin Yang Orb containing a Chirei Bun. Continue to the right and down another set of steps to another ladder, which you should use.

Next, head up two sets of steps, and then right across two bridges. Fight a Vengeful Spirit with a level 33 TojikoD, then go down and across another bridge. Head down a set of steps and go right. Keep on going and then go down to pick up a Yin Yang Orb containing a Prismatic Candy. Head back over to the steps and go left. Then take the nearby ladder.

Head down the steps and fight the Youkai with a level 33 KoishiP. Then head up and left to another ladder. Take it. Here, continue straight ahead to a suspicious rock at the end and interact with it to pick up a Gold Coin, then head back to the ladder and take it again.

Head up two sets of steps and fight a male Oni with a level 31 SuikaP, level 31 KasenA, and a level 31 SuikaD, then continue left past him, down some steps, and take the nearby ladder.

Continue left and fight the Vengeful Spirit with a level 33 TokikoS. Go down past the spirit and when you get the chance to turn right, do so. Interact with yet another suspicious rock to get another Gold Dust. Head left and down. When you get the chance to turn right again, do it and pick up a Yin Yang Orb containing Skill Card 17. Then go left again and down. You'll see Kisume wandering around. She'll fight you with two level 34 Kisumes (A/D). Continue past him and take the next ladder.

Go right and then go up the bridge. Turn right when you can to pick up a Yin Yang Orb containing Skill Card 95, then head back to the left, and go up. Go up two sets of steps, then go down and to the right. Pick up a Yin Yang Orb containing a Chirei Bun, then go up. Go left, ignoring the stairs for the moment, and fight the Vengeful Spirit with a level 33 MimaD. Now go down the nearby steps, and enter the cave.

In this new cave, go right. The path here is very linear, so just keep going. Along the way, you will fight a female Oni with a level 32 YuugiP and a level 32 SuikaD. Past her is a woman with a level 31 ChenS, level 31 TokikoP, and level 31 MystiaD. And past her is a Vengeful Spirit with a level 33 SeijaD. Eventually, you'll come to a bridge.

In the middle of this bridge, you'll see Yamame. She'll fight you with a level 32 WriggleA, level 32 MedicineP, and a level 35 YamameA. Head down all the steps at the other end. There's a Yin Yang Orb to your right that contains Skill Card 73. Continue up and through the next cxave.

Here, you'll see a very different looking bridge, and in the center of this bridge is Parsee herself. She will fight you with a level 35 YamameP and a level 35 ParseeD.

Continue up past her and you will eventually reach the Ancient City. Finally.

Go up, ignore the first right, but take the second, and you'll see a red building, which is this area's Inn. Thank goodness.

Outside the Inn and to the right and down a bit is a barrel containing a Hakurei Shinshu. Now go all the way to the left and you'll see a building with discrete blue curtains. This is the shop. The merchant here, aside from selling Talismans, Magatamas, Contract Thread, and Oath Thread, also sells Skill Cards 1 through 7, which contain the Javelin skills.

Go up and to the left and you'll see a Ghost standing at a desk/table. Please make sure you are fully healed and prepared for fights (and a level spike), and then speak with Ghost and say Yes to the question.

This will enter you into a tournament.

The first opponent is a Vengeful Spirit with a level  35 TojikoS, level 35 ParseeD, and a level 35 LunasaA.
The second opponent is a girl with a level 35 HatateP, level 35 SanaeP, and a level 35 UdongeA.
The final opponent is Mima. She uses a level 43 (hello level spike!) MarisaP, level 43 ReimuD, and a level 45 MimaP.

Once you're done with the tournament, head back and heal and prepare for the next section.

Part 24 can be found here.