How to Reach Silksong’s Hardest Platforming Challenge | Passing of the Age Quest

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How to Reach Silksong’s Hardest Platforming Challenge

Have you been wondering where that ridiculously difficult platforming section in Hollow Knight: Silksong actually is? Well, you’re not alone.

For the longest time, I assumed this had to be part of the main story. I kept progressing through Act 3 thinking, “Surely I’ll get here eventually.” But it never happened.

It turns out this entire platforming challenge is completely optional. Unless you discover a very hidden quest called Passing of the Age and solve its riddles, there is actually no reason for the game to send you here.

So, if you’ve seen clips of this section online and wondered how players are reaching it, this guide will show you exactly how to start Passing of the Age, find all seven Mister Mushroom encounters, and finally reach the platforming challenge.

What You Need Before Starting Passing of the Age

Before you can start this quest, you’ll need to be in Act 3 and have unlocked Silk Soar.

This is important because the lore tablet that begins Passing of the Age is hidden high above the Putrified Ducts, and you simply can’t reach it without Silk Soar.

Head to the Putrified Ducts near Pale Lake and make your way towards the hidden chamber above the area.

Once you reach the stone tablet, interact with it to begin the Passing of the Age Wish.

The tablet gives you a series of cryptic riddles. Each one points towards another location where Mister Mushroom can be found.

And there’s one important thing to remember: don’t skip any of them.

You need to interact with Mister Mushroom at every location for the final encounter to become available.

Who Is Mister Mushroom in Silksong?

Mister Mushroom is one of the strangest characters in the series. He doesn’t really appear to fight Hornet or give you some massive reward. Instead, he appears at the end of an age simply to witness history.

And that makes the name Passing of the Age make a lot more sense.

The lore tablet describes Mister Mushroom as the “Master Herald,” suggesting that he’s less of a normal character and more of a recurring observer who appears when one era is coming to an end.

Now let’s solve his riddles one by one.

1. Mister Mushroom – Bone Bottom Chapel

The first riddle says:

“Under Chapel fallen to the Monarch’s might.”

This one is pointing towards the Chapel in Bone Bottom.

Head beside the Chapel and go to the right. You’ll find the Mister Mushroom encounter waiting for you.

Play your Needolin and speak with him to complete the first riddle.

2. Mister Mushroom – Bone Bottom Camp

The second riddle says:

“Over camp collapsed to the black thread plight.”

Fortunately, you don’t have to travel very far for this one.

It’s also in Bone Bottom, around the camp area above where you first meet Shakra.

Head up to the camp and you’ll find Mister Mushroom waiting there. Speak with him to continue the quest.

3. Mister Mushroom – Far Field

The third riddle says:

“Scorched field on edge, shells black and burned.”

This one points towards the far end of Far Field.

Make your way towards the end section of the area and you’ll find the third Mister Mushroom encounter.

Speak with him and you can move on to the next clue.

4. Mister Mushroom – Greymoor

The fourth riddle says:

“Up Towers spinning near the surgeon spurned.”

The important clue here is the word “surgeon.”

This refers to the surgeon in Greymoor, who you may have already encountered while dealing with Hornet’s parasite.

Head towards the towers in this area and look for Mister Mushroom.

Once you find him, speak with him to complete the fourth encounter.

5. Mister Mushroom – The Slab

The fifth riddle says:

“Cage of who raged against the silken lie.”

This one refers to the First Sinner.

Head back to the location where she was imprisoned inside The Slab.

Mister Mushroom will be waiting there. Speak with him to continue the Passing of the Age quest.

6. Mister Mushroom – Mount Fay

The sixth riddle says:

“Fell heart of frost, who soars on high.”

This clue points towards the top of Mount Fay.

You can head directly there from The Slab.

This time, you don’t need to play your Needolin. Simply talk to Mister Mushroom to complete the sixth encounter.

7. Mister Mushroom – The Cradle

Now we finally reach the last riddle:

“Past Cradle’s peak, last test of fitness.”

This is the clue that leads to the platforming section you’ve probably seen online.

Head past the peak of The Cradle, and you’ll finally reach the hidden area.

If you’ve been wondering how to reach Silksong’s hardest platforming challenge, this is where the entire Passing of the Age quest has been leading you.

How to Reach Silksong’s Hardest Platforming Challenge

If you’ve seen clips of this section online, you might have assumed it was part of the main story.

It’s not.

The entire platforming challenge is hidden behind the optional Passing of the Age quest. Unless you solve the Mister Mushroom riddles or somehow stumble into this area by accident, you could easily finish Silksong without ever seeing it.

That’s what makes this section so easy to miss.

And honestly, even if you’ve already finished the game, I think it’s absolutely worth coming back for.

This is also where you’ll obtain Pale Nails, one of the final Silk Skills. So, if you’ve ever wondered how players unlock those flying sword-like attacks, this is where you get them.

Tips for Silksong’s Hardest Platforming Challenge

Before you start the main climb, there are a couple of things I’d recommend doing.

First, equip Ascendant’s Grip if you have it. It can make some of the movement sections considerably easier and give you a little more room for error.

Also, don’t rush into the challenge if you’re low on health.

There is an area near the Rest Bench where you can recharge your health before beginning the main section. Simply hang onto the wall and use your charged attacks against the creatures that keep spawning.

You can repeat this as much as you need, so take advantage of it before starting the climb.

Trust me, you don’t want to make it halfway through the challenge only to lose because you started with low health.

Why Is This Platforming Section So Difficult?

This challenge feels like Team Cherry’s spiritual successor to Path of Pain from the original Hollow Knight.

However, the challenge here isn’t really about combat.

Instead, it’s testing whether you’ve actually mastered the movement abilities Silksong has given you throughout your journey.

Every jump tests your timing, Silk management, and confidence. As you get further into the section, even a small mistake can send you back down.

So, if you die repeatedly, don’t feel too bad. The entire point of this section is to push your movement skills as far as they can go.

How to Complete Passing of the Age

Once you’ve finally reached the top, there’s one final thing you need to do.

Play your Needolin one last time to summon Mister Mushroom.

This completes the Passing of the Age quest and unlocks its achievement and epilogue.

But before you leave, there’s still one more secret worth checking out.

Use Silk Soar again to reach the surface area known as Nameless Town.

You can defeat the Bugs here if you’re working towards completing your Journal entries. Then head to the right and play your Needolin to collect the Surface Memento.

Passing of the Age Rewards

Completing this hidden quest gives you several things to look out for:

• Pale Nails Silk Skill
• Passing of the Age achievement and epilogue
• Surface Memento
• Additional Journal entries from the Bugs in Nameless Town

However, for me, the biggest reward is simply the platforming challenge itself.

It’s one of those sections that feels completely optional but gives you something genuinely memorable to work towards.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you reach Silksong’s hardest platforming challenge?

You need to start the Passing of the Age Wish in the Putrified Ducts during Act 3, then find Mister Mushroom at all seven locations. The final riddle leads you past the peak of The Cradle to the hidden platforming challenge.

When can you start Passing of the Age?

You need to be in Act 3 and have unlocked Silk Soar before the lore tablet that starts the quest becomes accessible.

How many Mister Mushroom locations are there?

There are seven Mister Mushroom encounters required for Passing of the Age. You need to interact with him at each location to unlock the final encounter.

How do you get Pale Nails in Silksong?

Pale Nails is obtained by reaching the hidden platforming challenge connected to the Passing of the Age quest.

Is Silksong’s hardest platforming challenge part of the main story?

No. The section is completely optional and is hidden behind the Passing of the Age quest.

What is Passing of the Age in Silksong?

Passing of the Age is an optional Act 3 Wish involving seven Mister Mushroom encounters. Completing the riddles eventually leads Hornet to a hidden platforming challenge and additional rewards.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been wondering where that ridiculously difficult platforming section in Silksong actually is, now you know.

It’s not part of the main story, and you won’t naturally reach it just by progressing through Act 3. Instead, the entire challenge is hidden behind the Passing of the Age Wish and its seven Mister Mushroom riddles.

Personally, I think this is one of the best optional challenges in the game. It’s difficult, but unlike a normal boss fight, the challenge comes almost entirely from mastering Hornet’s movement.

And if you’ve already finished the game, this is definitely worth going back for. You get Pale Nails, the Passing of the Age achievement and epilogue, the Surface Memento, and one of Silksong’s most memorable platforming sections.

If this guide helped you finally find the area, I hope it makes the climb a little easier.

Good luck with the platforming, and I’ll see you in the next one.

Watch the Full Video

If you’d rather follow the entire route visually, watch my full Passing of the Age guide below. I show you all seven Mister Mushroom locations, how to reach the hidden platforming section, and how to collect the rewards at the end.