I'm in the second, and I chose to free Tao but I can't get past the labyrinth where the elemental plates have to be
if you're going for Tao's home the plates puzzle doesn't need to be completed that's only some gear and later content not yet in game, you just need to clear the tunnel at the entrance to the ratkin's territory and go forward and do a small interaction with the rat's stuck there and then after it check the area again and it should give two options of either leaving or staying but the leaving makes it say "hey you need Tao for this bit" which you then go to Tao in the day and he should have an option to take you to his home.