Locked out of Shennong?

[Ventus]

I started a second playthrough to get the achievements that I didn't get in my first. This time though, Shennong never appeared in the farmland area where I encountered him in my first playthrough. I returned, but he's just gone. Did he die? Is that a thing? Or is this a bug?

[Seisachtheia]

Do you mean he never appeared in Peach Blossom Village? Pretty sure that's a bug as he's been there all of my playthroughs. I think the thing that matters most is whether or not he appears in the canal area under the lake, if he's still there your run should be fine.

[CrimNinja]

If you beat the boss and head to the next area, then he would be in the pavilion instead of the bottom of the lake area.