Move the Statue to Reveal the Chest
To move the University statue in Valor Mortis, shoot the weak point behind the stairs to the statue's right, then pull the switch it reveals. The statue moves aside, exposing a chest containing an Empty Ferrofluid Flask.
Reach the University and Main Hall
The Shrike gives you the Laboratory Key in the City of Orphans sewers, allowing you to enter the University. Once you reach University > Main Hall, follow the available route to the room with staircases and a statue in the middle. This is the statue with the hidden switch behind the stairs.
The University has winding paths that loop back toward its entrance, so use the room landmarks to keep your bearings. The staircase statue, the chandelier crossing and the underground room filled with square cages mark different parts of the route. Keep those locations separate when deciding which interaction you need next.
Reveal and Pull the Staircase Switch
- Follow the available path from the Main Hall Lantern until you enter the room with the statue between the staircases.
- Climb the stairs to reach the back of the staircase on the statue's right, where the weak point is hidden.
- Shoot the weak point behind the stairs to uncover the switch.
- Pull the exposed switch to move the statue and reveal the chest behind it.
- Open the chest behind the moved statue to collect the Empty Ferrofluid Flask, a flask quantity upgrade.
Find the Library Key and Shield Transmutation
After collecting the statue chest, continue exploring from Main Hall toward the elevator. The Library Key lies along the hallway route beside that elevator, in an area with walls you can open and close. Shield comes later in the library route and lets you cross poison areas as well as block enemy damage.
- Take the hallway to the left of the elevator instead of riding it to reach the route toward the movable walls.
- Turn right into the area with walls you can open and close, continuing toward the Library Key.
- Keep to the left through this area to find the small space blocked off by a wall.
- Pick up the Library Key from the ground in that space; it opens some of the doors in this area.
- Jump across the chandelier while progressing through the library route to reach the big open room beyond.
- Collect Shield Transmutation at the top of the stairs in the open room to gain the ability to cross poison areas.
Open the Elevator Shortcut
- Return to the earlier elevator area after obtaining Shield to find the route through the poison hallway.
- Follow the poison hallway to the other elevator, which connects to a shortcut back to the Lantern.
- Ride the elevator down to open the shortcut back to the Lantern.
- Ride the elevator back up to reach the new area with a balcony.
- Open the chest on the balcony to collect Quintessential Transmutation Material.
Clear the Vines at the Lower Library Statue
The lower library has another statue encounter with a different interaction and reward. Here, picking up the item in front of the statue removes the vines and makes the chest behind it accessible. That chest contains a Ferrofluid Flask Power Upgrade, so use the surrounding library and poison hallway to distinguish it from the staircase statue.
- Return to the area where you crossed the chandelier to begin the route toward the lower library.
- Take the opposite direction through the poison hallway to reach the next elevator.
- Ride that elevator down to enter the lower level library.
- Turn right in the lower library to reach the large room with the statue.
- Pick up the item in front of the statue to remove the vines.
- Open the chest behind the statue to collect the Ferrofluid Flask Power Upgrade.
For another upgrade material along the library route, continue out the back into the lecture hall with hanging bodies. Look beneath the balcony at the back of that room for a chest containing Masterwork Firearm Parts. The hanging bodies and balcony are the landmarks for this chest, rather than either statue.
Get the Lift Shaft Key and Open the Gate
In the underground section, the Lift Shaft Key opens the gate to the lift in the previous room. Look for the room filled with square cages to find the key. The dog miniboss and the key pickup are in that same room.
- Continue through the underground area until you reach the room full of square cages, where the dog miniboss is waiting.
- Defeat the dog miniboss in the cage room to receive Warrior's Fury Amber.
- Pick up the Lift Shaft Key from the ground at the back of the room, beside a cage.
- Return to the previous room and use the Lift Shaft Key on the gate to the lift, opening the progression route.
Follow the Platforms Toward the Next Lantern
Farther along the Lift Shaft route, a long hallway has poison on its lower level and platforms leading toward the next Lantern. Follow the platforms to keep moving through this stretch. At the far end, the lower area contains two explosive chests: the left holds Lunatic's Grasp Amber, while the right holds a Ferrofluid Flask Power Upgrade.