How to beat the Aberrant Three-Faced Puppet in Phantom Blade Zero

The Aberrant Three-Faced Puppet is the first optional boss in Phantom Blade Zero, but with no Phantom Edges and an un-upgraded starting weapon you won't deal enough damage to beat her on first encounter, so return later. Upgrade your weapon and polish accessories like the Ancient Armor Fragment, Jewel's Knot and Resonance Talisman, use the Livingwood Talisman to inflict bleed at 70% effectiveness, and dodge her smoky black attacks instead of blocking. Defeating her yields the Three-Headed Doll story item, and the next stage of the Triple Threat quest won't appear until much later in one of the final areas of Pangzhen.