Recap / Genshin Impact: Character Stories—Liyue

Genshin Impact Main Recap Index
Archon Quests: Prologue | Chapter I | Chapter II | Chapter III | Chapter IV | Interludes
Character Stories: Mondstadt | Liyue | Inazuma | Sumeru | Snezhnaya
World Stories: Mondstadt | Liyue | Inazuma | Sumeru | Miscellaneous

Liyue is a mountainous land governed by Morax, the Geo Archon and god of earth and contracts better known to his people as "Rex Lapis." During their investigation into the truth about his apparent death, as well as foiling a Fatui plot to destabilize Liyue by unleashing an ancient god, the Traveler gets in touch with the Qixing, an assembly of seven prominent businessmen, most notably Ningguang, a self-made businesswoman and arguably the wealthiest woman in all of Liyue, and Keqing, a rebellious young lady and a skeptic of Rex Lapis' teachings, in addition to Ganyu, their soft-spoken half-adeptus secretary and old friend of Rex Lapis struggling with her dual heritages. In addition, they get to know Tartaglia, the eleventh-ranking and youngest of the Harbingers whose friendly façade belies his bloodlust and with whom they strike an unusual friendship and rivalry; Xiao, a reclusive adeptus and last living Yaksha, a specialized corps of adepti assembled to fight demons, once feared for his ruthlessness; and Zhongli, a businessman from the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor who is revealed as the vessel of Morax, who orchestrated the crisis as his way of testing Liyue's readiness to move on from his shadow.

Other Liyuan friends the Traveler made along the way include Mao Xiangling, a culinary prodigy traveling Teyvat with her pet red panda Guoba and the Traveler's first Liyuan friend; Xingqiu, son of a prominent businessman, bookworm, and aspiring swordsman; Chongyun, scion to a prominent clan of exorcists who struggles to keep his yang energies in check; Qiqi, a young jiangshi, or zombie, working as pharmacist at the world-famous Bubu Pharmacy; Beidou, a privateer, friend and rival of Ningguang, and captain of the world-renowned Crux Fleet; Xinyan, a rebellious musician and Liyue's sole rock-'n'-roll guitarist; Yanfei, a half-adeptus lawyer and one of the few adepti not bound to a contract with Rex Lapis; Hu Tao, the quirky young proprietress of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor with a unique understanding of death and the afterlife; Shenhe, distant aunt of Chongyun and disciple of the adeptus Cloud Retainer, who has helped her rein in a childhood curse that draws out her aggressive side; Yun Jin, star performer of the Yun-Han Opera Troupe and one of the most famous artists in Liyue; Yelan, the beautiful yet enigmatic proprietress of the luxurious Yanshang Teahouse and self-proclaimed agent of the Qixing; Yaoyao, another disciple of Cloud Retainer famed for her maturity despite still being a child; and Baizhu, the proprietor of Bubu Pharmacy whose medical arts come at great cost to his wellbeing.

Story Quests

Trulla (Xiangling)

Act I: Mondstadt Gastronomy Trip

Released: v1.0 "Welcome to Teyvat" (September 28,2020)
Minimum Adventure Rank: 13
Prerequisite Quest: "The Outlander Who Caught the Wind" (Archon Quest Prologue, Act I)

Little Chef on a Hunt'''

While exploring the woods around Springvale, the Traveler and Paimon come across a girl from Liyue, the mountainous realm of Rex Lapis, the Geo Archon and God of Contracts, who asks them to help hunt a boar for her. The girl, Mao Xiangling, treats the duo to a snack for their efforts, only to be halted by Allan, a member of Springvale's hunting bands, for unintentional illegal hunting on the woods, and tells her to apologize to the chief, Draff Kätzlein, back at the village.

Cooking Appointment

Contrary to their expectations, Draff welcomes Xiangling due to her reputation as a talented chef, and hopes that she could promote Springvale's meat products there. A culture clash occurs, however, due to Xiangling's hesitance to limit the range of her ingredients and Draff's negative reaction to her suggestion of using slime-based ingredients, as well as that of Brook, the village's local chef, to her suggestion of using pungent Qingxin flowers, the latter leading to a cook-off to settle their dispute, on the condition that the winning dish must be promoted on the losing chef's hometown.

Secret Ingredient

The Traveler and Paimon catch up to Xiangling at Stone Gate in Liyue, across the lake from the Dawn Winery, and helps her collect Lotus Heads and Jueyun Chili, before the latter realizes that she is still missing a key ingredient.

Lucky Find

Heading for a nearby icy cave, the Traveler and Xiangling find a shivering man. After feeding him a radish soup, he claims that he was hunting a boar when he was frozen by a Cryo Regisvine, a flower-like monster. Xiangling had a flash of inspiration and rushes into the cave, while the man tells the Traveler to save her from the danger therein.

Present From the Past

Inside the ruins, the Traveler helps Xiangling defeat the Regisvine. Upon returning outside, she discovers a boar with special markings, indicating it to be of a seldom-seen species hunted down for its prized meat, with the Traveler suggesting that it must have been frozen inside the cave for at least three hundred years. When the four return to Springvale, Draff recognizes the man as his distant ancestor Olaf, who the Traveler intuits must have been frozen with his prospective prey.

Cooking Showdown

The cook-off then proceeds, with the Traveler working as Xiangling's assistant, washing wild radishes and getting rid of nearby slimes threatening to attack the venue. Draff declares Xiangling the winner, leading Brook to muse that her advantage must have been the boar meat, while Xiangling defends her choices by stating that she is less interested in money than simply satisfying her customers.

During the afterparty, Xiangling reassures Olaf that she can replicate food from his time with modern ingredients to remind him of his era. Afterwards, Xiangling thanks the Traveler for their help and decides to return to Liyue, promising them a meal and lessons on some of her techniques should they visit her back home.

Fabulae Textile (Xingqiu)

Act I: Bookworm Swordsman

Released: v1.0 "Welcome to Teyvat" (September 28,2020)
Minimum Adventure Rank: 26
Prerequisite Quest: "Troublesome Work" (Tempus Fugit [Lisa] Story Quest, Act I)

Justice, for Books' Sake

Riveted by the Mondstadt volume of the Teyvat Travel Guide, the Traveler and Paimon go to Wanwen Bookhouse in Liyue Harbor in hopes of purchasing the Liyue volume. Unfortunately, according to its proprietress Jifang, low sales have put it out of circulation; instead, she refers them to Chang the Ninth, a book collector from Qingce Village far to the north, who may have a copy. Their conversation is overheard by Xingqiu, a teenaged bibliophile who has spent three years searching for the sixth and final volume of the Legend of the Shattered Halberd series. Concluding that Chang may have also a copy thereof, he proposes to join the Traveler.

Unfortunately for the trio, they learn that Chang has been pawning off most of his book collection, including the Liyue volume of the Teyvat Travel Guide, though he still has Xingqiu's requested book, after his mining business collapsed. Worse still, Gentry Maocai, a powerful merchant, offered to purchase Chang's stockpile of Cor Lapis for only thirty percent of the market price, and has sent one of his thugs, Changhu, to coerce Chang into so unfair a deal. Outraged, Xingqiu threatens Changhu by claiming to be a disciple of the Guhua Clan of martial artists, which Changhu laughs off before leaving with a final warning. Out of gratitude, Chang lends Xingqiu his requested book.

As Xingqiu began reading the volume, Changhu returns with reinforcements. Proving that that his martial arts are no bluff, he beats the thugs into a hasty retreat. Given that one of them is an Electro Cicin Mage, however, Xingqiu suspects the involvement of the Fatui, and asks the Traveler and Paimon to investigate, starting with Maocai's house at Liyue Harbor, while he continues reading the book, promising to meet them at Yujing Terrace.

Know Thyself, Know Thy Enemy

Posing as an important Mondstadter client, the Traveler intimidates the guard at Maocai's house into revealing that his boss is meeting with a "special client" at the Xinyue Kiosk restaurant. Hiding behind a room divider, they overhear Maocai discussing business with Javert, a Fatuus and the primary buyer, who lends his aid to Maocai in exchange for completing his order at the earliest. Afterwards, the Traveler and Paimon report back to Xingqiu, who hands them a letter to be sent to the Feiyun Commerce Guild, containing a report on Maocai's deal with the Fatui and seemingly written using a secret cipher.

Calm Before the Storm

Xu, an officer of the Guild, reads Xingqiu's letter and agrees to help by having the Guild buy off all stocks of Cor Lapis. After a brief discussion in Liuli Pavilion, the Traveler is given enough money to buy the ores from the shops at Liyue Harbor, as well from the miners near The Chasm, a large mine to the west, before reaching Chang, who is relieved that his ores are being bought at market prices, in addition to being reassured that Maocai's goons will no longer harass him.

Justice Is Its Own Reward

At the Guild's warehouse, the Traveler and Paimon reunite with Xingqiu, who explains that the buyout is as much as a way to lure out Maocai as it is to help the Guild build a monopoly on the ore's trade. After some time, Maocai arrives with Javert to attempt to retake the ores by force, only for his goons and the Fatui to get beaten so badly by Xingqiu and the Traveler that Javert chose to cut his losses and leave Maocai at the mercy of the Guild.

Xu arrives at the scene and reveals that Xingqiu is a son of one of the Guild's leaders, to the surprise of the Traveler and Maocai. As punishment for intimidating Chang, Xingqiu orders a threefold hike on the price of Cor Lapis, with Maocai unable to do anything but comply. The matter resolved, Xingqiu has the Traveler return the borrowed book to Chang.

Back at Qingce, Chang reveals to the Traveler that the pawnbroker returned his book collection and thanks them for saving him from financial ruin; in exchange for the volume Xingqiu borrowed, he lends them the Liyue volume of the Teyvat Travel Guide, even as he notices what seemed like Xingqiu's bookmark falling off from the returned book.

Historia Antiqua (Zhongli/Morax)

Act I: Sal Flore

Released: v1.1 "A New Star Approaches" (November 11, 2020)
Minimum Adventure Rank: 40
Prerequisite Quest: "A New Star Approaches" (Archon Quest Chapter I, Act III)

Shadow of Yore

Onboard the luxury restaurant ship Pearl Galley, the Traveler and Paimon run into Zhongli discussing the origins of the first Mora coin with some archaeologists. The discussion catches the ear of Kliment, a Fatui researcher, and despite his mutual distrust with the Traveler, Zhongli convinces him to join his expedition with the Traveler, Paimon, and Wanyan, one of the archaeologists, with the promise of treasure.

Vortex's Wake

The group first headed for Guyun Stone Forest, where Zhongli begins his account of the gods, telling of its origins as the remnants of the rocky spears Rex Lapis—referring to himself under his old name, unbeknownst to either Kliment or Wanyan—used to seal away rival gods beneath the ocean during the Archon War, in particular Osial. While Kliment and Wanyan wander off, the Traveler and Paimon find seemingly unremarkable treasures which, according to Zhongli, bear traces of divine power. The trio return to find Kliment and Wanyan arguing over Ningguang's teacup he found among the wreckage of the Jade Chamber after she brought it down on Osial not so long ago; Zhongli warns the former not to sell it lest he incur the wrath of the Qixing, which already holds the Fatui in suspicion in the wake of the Osial crisis.

A Ruin Under Lock and Key

The group then heads north to to the half-submerged Sal Terrae, where Kliment is dismayed to learn that its treasures were likely already pilfered by Treasure Hoarders, while Wanyan recalls a sealed cavern during her last visit, which Zhongli has the Traveler unlock. Before heading down, Zhongli has Kliment and Wanyan bind themselves to a contract wherein one of them can only claim the first artifact they find, with the second going to the other by default, on pain of being left behind empty-handed. Kliment reluctantly agrees, while Wanyan becomes suspiciously agitated about uncovering the history of Havria, the goddess of salt who made her abode where Sal Terrae now lay, even if that means sullying the image of Rex Lapis.

Farewell, Sweet Salt

Inside the cave, the group finds a temple full of salinized people. They later find a chalice which, according to Zhongli, never runs out of salt, which Kliment claims for himself, then a ruler that can make an endless bumper harvest of salt, which now belongs to Wanyan by default. Kliment, however, gives in to his greed and tries to claim the ruler for himself, inviting the wrath of Zhongli for so blatant a breach of contract. After beating Kliment up, confiscating the chalice, and expelling him from the expedition, Zhongli then turns to Wanyan and suspects that she is not as invested in archaeology as much as Havria, forcing her to come clean and reveal herself as a devotee of the goddess of salt, who she believes Morax killed during the Archon War.

Going deeper, the quartet comes across a broken sword, of which Zhongli states she can only claim one half, to her disbelief, thinking the contract was nullified when Kliment broke it. Too invested in the matter of Havria to care, she chooses to break her side of the contract and take the other half. Instead of hurting her like he did to Kliment, however, Zhongli had a worse punishment in store for her, namely by revealing that for all her benevolence, Havria, far from the mighty deity Wanyan imagined her to be, was so weak she was hardly a favorite for a seat among The Seven, choosing to retreat and surrender most of her land at the start of the Archon War until it was reduced to what is now Sal Terrae, and that the sword they found was used to slay her.

Baffled and enraged, Wanyan runs deeper into the temple, the other three in pursuit, until they come across a chamber full of salinized people, one of which was frozen in a stabbing pose, all centered around an explosion of salt. This, Zhongli reveals, was where Havria was slain by her own followers, who chose to spare her the agony of defeat, with her death triggering an explosive salinization; afterwards, her surviving followers, who have since fled to Liyue and hence under the aegis of Morax, risked their lives to return to Sal Terrae, break the sword, and place it on a shrine in the hopes of appeasing her wrath, though Zhongli notes she was too benevolent to begrudge their betrayal. A deeply shellshocked Wanyan flees in despair, while Zhongli confiscates the ruler she was meant to claim, before inviting the Traveler and Paimon to meet him again at Guyun Stone Forest.

A Record of All Things

There, Zhongli explains to the Traveler that, as Morax, he used to write history with his own hands, but the revisionism he witnessed with Wanyan and Havria made him contemplate on another way to record history. Knowing that the Traveler is a dimension-hopper, he hopes they would recall the history of Teyvat should it crumble to dust one day. Zhongli then commits Havria's chalice and ruler to the depths of the ocean and into the reach of Osial, for whom Zhongli, despite their rivalry, now feels nothing but bittersweet nostalgia.

Before they part, the Traveler expresses some sympathy for Havria, a sentiment Zhongli shares; as for whether the artifacts will only serve to empower Osial, he notes that the artifacts are only as strong as Havria was, and even should his old nemesis return, he has faith in the power of his people; and as for Zhongli himself, he chooses to return to work at Wangsheng, though he also invites the Traveler to help him preserve more relics of Liyue's history in the future.

Act II: No Mere Stone

Released: v1.5 "Beneath the Light of Jadeite" (April 28, 2021)
Minimum Adventure Rank: 40
Prerequisite Quest: "We Will Be Reunited" (Archon Quest Chapter I, Act IV)
World Effect: Unlocks the "Beneath the Dragon-Queller" Trounce Domain (Azhdaha as a weekly boss)

Strange Sight, Stolen Souls

In the Liyue Adventurers' Guild, Katheryne flags the Traveler and Paimon for a commission from Uncle Dai, a mining foreman, to help him find some missing miners, and who has also hired an expert in mineralogy. Paimon, taking umbrage at the perceived challenge to Zhongli's authority thereof, fetches him at the Third-Round Knockout. Upon meeting Dai, he introduces his aforementioned expert, a young man named Kun Jun, who explains that Dai found him unconscious on a road holding a precious stone and took him in for his immense knowledge of minerals for his age. Contrary to Paimon's assumptions, both men bond over their mutual interests, with Zhongli identifying the stone found with Kun Jun as an extremely rare one containing some water, and at Kun Jun's recommendation Dai lets Zhongli join the expedition to The Chasm, a large mine that had long been closed by the time of the Traveler's adventures in Liyue.

Truth in the Stones

En route, Dai explains that six days ago, four miners from his ten-man team disappeared while he and four others were away on other matters. When Zhongli asked if they just moved elsewhere, Dai dismisses the notion, given that there are no other lodgings or mines elsewhere. While investigating the mine, Zhongli discovers that the miners left with little else but their pickaxes, implying that they may have been kidnapped; Kun Jun then claims to have seen a vision of the miners following a little girl after touching a Cor Lapis, while Bravo, the only other miner who stayed behind, was asleep when the miners disappeared.

Upon reuniting with Dai, the group pieces together the clues, before Zhongli dissuades the latter from chasing after them, given the distance the missing miners may have already covered, instead requesting that he ask around the settlements. After Dai left, the Traveler, Paimon, and Zhongli find Kun Jun searching for a rare mineral known as "Dragonfall" which he claims may help with his memories. Zhongli agrees to help, before intuiting that the missing miners may have headed north to Lingju Pass.

Shifting Earth and Lost Threads Come to Light

Upon reaching Lingju Pass, the group seems to have hit a dead end as the footprints have disappeared. Through conversing with locals, they confirm Kun Jun's visions of the miners being led by a little girl. After saving the scholar Wanyu from slimes, she tells the group that she saw the miners head further north to the wetlands of Nantianmen, which Kun Jun also confirms after touching a Cor Lapis and observing memories engraved therein. Before leaving, Zhongli places markers on the Cor Lapis in case Dai follows them.

At Nantianmen, they find a man collapsed from exhaustion muttering that he can still dig. Bringing him to a nearby shed, Kun Jun takes a stone from his pocket and confirms that he is one of the missing miners. After regaining some of his memories by touching the stone, Kun Jun proposes to give the Traveler and Zhongli some rare stones, to the latter's surprise. Once he goes ahead, the Traveler, Paimon, and Zhongli grow suspicious of Kun Jun, given his intimate knowledge of such rare ores as Dragonfall, which the latter claims to have been created through elemental reactions instead of high-temperature processes like other ores.

Amidst Chaos, the Rock is Unmoved

After resting, the Traveler, Paimon, and Zhongli catch up to Kun Jun, who directs them to a giant tree to the west with a some crystallized branches. While Zhongli inspects one corner of the tree, the Traveler, Paimon, and Kun Jun read a stone tablet in another, which disorients the latter when he touched it. Before the Traveler tries to climb up the tree for clues, Zhongli returns and informs them of a new excavation underneath.

Inside, the Traveler, Paimon, Zhongli, and Kun Jun find the three other miners emitting a malevolent aura excavating a sealed gate. Sensing the quartet, the miners attack them, which Zhongli repels with his shields, only for the malevolent aura to merge into the form of the girl, who tries to attack Zhongli but is repelled at the last moment by Kun Jun. The seal to the gate comes undone, however, and the group is sucked into a realm beyond the gate.

There, they come face to face with Azhdaha, who recognized Morax through his Zhongli guise and swears vengeance for his supposed betrayal. After a difficult fight, the Traveler and Zhongli subdue and re-seal Azhdaha, reducing him anew to the form of the girl named Jiu, who the Traveler saw earlier prophesying of Azhdaha's return at the foot of the tree. Kun Jun, engulfed in light, appears and reveals himself to be a fragment of the benevolent half of Azhdaha, who explains that he manifested when some of the great dragon's power began seeping through the loosening seal and possessed Kun Jun's body to help Morax stop his malevolent half.

The benevolent half of Azhdaha, speaking through Kun Jun, reveals that he was an old friend and ally of Morax, before the erosion of the soil that formed his being took its toll on his psyche and made him grow aggressive. When Jiu—the malevolent half of Azhdaha—claims that the erosion was a result of heightened human activity in The Chasm, Kun Jun admits as much, with the erosion becoming severe enough to split Azhdaha into two: his physical body, driven mad with pain; and his consciousness, which still remembers his coexistence with Liyue, and who eventually sided with Morax and the adepti when the Geo Archon was forced to seal away Azhdaha after failing to reverse his erosion. After his malevolent half has been sealed anew, Azhdaha's benevolent half thanks Morax, who he also recognized behind his Zhongli guise, for giving him eyesight, before suggesting to Zhongli to secure the three miners. Outside the excavation, the group are met by Dai, who is told that the other miners are safe.

Sensing that he, too, is not long for the mortal realm, the benevolent half of Azhdaha reveals to the Traveler and Paimon that he chose Kun Jun as his host for his innate talents in blacksmithing, which Zhongli notes was a subject of interest for Azhdaha, before being assured by the former Geo Archon that, despite having stepped down from his role, he has faith in the people of Liyue being ready to stand up to Azhdaha's corrupted body should he rise anew. Satisfied that Liyue is in safe hands, the benevolent half of Azhdaha bids farewell to his old friend, declares their contract consummated, and leaves Kun Jun's body.

While Dai takes the unconscious Kun Jun back to Liyue Harbor, Zhongli recalls a story by Iron Tongue Tian about the time when he, as Morax, first met Azhdaha, a blind Geo lifeform who always wanted to see the outside world; out of pity, he gave Azhdaha eyesight and a physical form, on the condition of sealing him back should he disturb the peace. Afterwards, he tells the Traveler of his battle with Azhdaha a thousand years ago, where he realized that, despite being addled with rage, a part of him held back, allowing Morax to seal his old friend before he wrought more havoc, in addition to Dragonfall being created from their clash. His battle with Azhdaha has made him realize that everything will erode, one way or another, which the Traveler believes may have factored into his decision to abdicate his position as Geo Archon. Should the Traveler choose to inspect the stone tablet, Zhongli reveals it was written by Mountain Shaper, even as he is a little disappointed at the wholesale description of Azhdaha as evil.

Before they part ways, the Traveler, still haunted by Dainsleif's words not so long ago, asks if he knows anything about the gods' punishment of Khaenri'ah. To Paimon's disappointment, Zhongli declines to say a thing, admitting to have made a contract of silence before the war even began. The Traveler agrees to not press him any further, while the latter encourages them to find out the truth along their journey.

Sinae Unicornis (Ganyu)

Act I: Sea of Clouds, Sea of People

Released: v1.2 "The Chalk Prince and the Dragon" (December 23, 2020)
Minimum Adventure Rank: 40
Prerequisite Quest: "A New Star Approaches" (Archon Quest Chapter I, Act III)

The Illuminated Beast of the Sea of Clouds

In Yujing Terrace, the Traveler and Paimon are asked by Baixiao, Baishi, and Baiwen, secretaries to Ningguang, if they found Ganyu, who has not reported back for several days after being sent to Jueyun Karst to report to the adepti about the aftermath of the Osial crisis, leaving them to deal with an absurd amount of workload. They ask the Traveler to find her on their behalf, who they last heard of visiting Cloud Retainer atop Mount Aocang.

There, the duo find her worrying that her adeptus blood—specifically, of the Qilin, the most docile of them all—has made her feel unwelcome in Liyue, more so after the adepti ceded control to the Qixing. Believing that her mission was a pretext for dismissing her from duty, she contemplates staying in Jueyun, which she has not visited in a thousand years. Their conversation is interrupted by Cloud Retainer, who tries to break the ice with embarrassing tales of Ganyu's childhood. After the latter fled, Cloud Retainer tells the Traveler that she has sensed Ganyu's existential angst over her dual heritage, and thus proposed a test for her to help her reclaim her adeptus heritage.

After witnessing Ganyu complete her first trial at the foot of Mount Aocang, the trio head south to Nantianmen, where Xiao will oversee her second trial. In contrast to Cloud Retainer, the Conqueror of Demons is stricter, and after berating her for tardiness, he immediately puts Ganyu's reflexes to the test by having her defend a Ley Line Monolith from hostile wildlife.

To Xiao's further annoyance, they are approached by a pilgrim who asks for their blessings, mistaking the Traveler and Paimon for adepti, while Xiao leaves prematurely. Ganyu declines, stating that he needed to put in the effort himself, causing him to storm off sour-graping, further deepening her identity crisis. The Traveler invites her to return to Liyue Harbor to help her connect to her human side.

A Secretary in a Sea of Humanity

Taking a stroll at Chihu Rock, the trio meet Uncle Tian, an elderly man who, to the Traveler and Paimon's surprise, is the long-serving Tianshu of the Qixing, who informs them that his daughter Huixin, who works under Ganyu, needed some help back at the Yuehai Pavilion. While auditing tax reports, Huixin discovered irregularities in those of Second Life and Wanyou Boutique, a pair of rival produce shops, even as their respective shopkeepers impeded her investigation. Believing both shops are driven by greed, Ganyu and Huixin concoct a plan to expose both sides.

First, the quartet head for Second Life, located near the western entrance to Liyue Harbor. To the disappointment of shopkeeper Bolai, Ganyu claims she is not placing a large order on behalf of the Pavilion because its credit is not high enough, and that she is better off heading for Wanyou Boutique. Bolai takes umbrage and demands to see the latter store's tax report, and notes that its owner Dongsheng had a recent, unaccounted purchase of a piece of furniture from Fanmu Carpenters in Qingce Village.

While Huixin returns to the Pavilion, the trio meets Master Lu, proprietor of the carpentry shop, who confirms Dongsheng's purchase, though the invoices are in a warehouse currently occupied by some troublemakers. Along the way they mistake a Fatui Skirmisher for their suspect, who defends himself that he was just foraging for berries and that Qingce holds little importance to the Fatui. Ganyu apologizes and allows him to file a complaint to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, though he lets them slide, knowing it will only fall on deaf ears given the Fatui's ill repute in the wake of the Osial crisis.

Arriving at the warehouse, they discover that hilichurls have taken it over. After defeating them and retrieving the invoice, the trio report back to Huixin, with whom they head to Wanyou Boutique, located down the wharf at Feiyun Slope, and confront Dongsheng over the tax evasion. Realizing that Bolai tipped them off, he confesses to the crime, before ratting Bolai off in retaliation. The matter settled, Huixin thanks Ganyu for her help, even as she admits she has yet much to learn from her father and his business acumen, before inviting the trio for a treat at Xinyue Kiosk.

A Pact That Crosses Time

Inside, Huixin admits to being an admirer of Ganyu, as does her daughter, causing Ganyu to realize that there are still people who care for her, renewing her resolve to continue working with the Qixing. Returning to Yuehai Pavilion, she takes over the workload of Ningguang's secretaries and thanks them for their work, before thanking the Traveler for helping solve her dilemma, and expresses her desire to travel anew with them some time in the future whenever she is free.

Alatus (Xiao)

Act I: Butterfly's Dream

Released: v1.3 "All That Glitters" (February 3, 2021)
Minimum Adventure Rank: 40
Prerequisite Quest: "Of the Land Amidst Monoliths" (Archon Chapter I, Act I)

The Master of Stars' Deception

While fighting hilichurls emitting a malevolent aura outside Wangshu Inn, the Traveler and Paimon see a masked man with adeptus-like powers scaring them off. Introducing himself as "Starsnatcher," he invites the Traveler to make a wish which he can fulfill on the condition of exhibiting their faith. Deducing from his followers' statements that he wanted some kind of payment, the Traveler and Paimon opt to cook him food, so they head to Wanwen Bookhouse in Liyue Harbor to find new recipes.

Glimmers of the Vigilant Yaksha

Upon arrival, however, the duo catch Starsnatcher purchasing the book Yaksha: The Guardian Adepti. Suspicious as to why he would buy a book about adepti like himself, they ask Jifang to let them see a copy, which details the history of the yakshas, adepti chosen by Morax to purge Liyue of demons and remnants of the old gods, and how all of them began to suffer, in body and mind alike, from the brutality of their crusade, until only one remained to this day: the Conqueror of Demons, known to them as Xiao.

Suspecting that Starsnatcher might be a fraud, the duo find him again on the outskirts of Wangshu, this time struggling to fight the frienzied hilichurls, wondering why his Sigil of Permission is not working. After saving him, he feigns being tired to his followers, but his deceit no longer works for Paimon. Sensing more hilchurls, she points the Traveler to their direction.

The Purging of Evil

There they find that Xiao has already made short work of the hilichurls, and that he is uncharacteristically less morose than usual, even apologizing to them for getting them caught up in the effects of his karmic debt from his centuries-long battle against demons. He dismisses the book the Traveler and Paimon just read as fan fiction, and sees Paimon's sympathy as an insult to the sacrifices of his old comrades-in-arms. As an apology, the Traveler proposes to help him purge some manifestations of his karmic debt, which Xiao reluctantly accepts.

The trio come across a cavern laden with negative energy. While clearing it out, Paimon informs Xiao about Starsnatcher and his modus operandi, to which he reacts with disgust over such blatant fraud, then concern when he learns that Starsnatcher has a Sigil of Permission, which he believes may be the source of the evil energy. Xiao then thinks of a plan to confiscate the Sigil without harming Starsnatcher by using the "Dream Trawler," an adeptal art that can separate the soul from the body, as well as summon spirits, then asks the Traveler to obtain a censer, lamps, and some cooling items; for the latter, Paimon suggests Mist Flowers, while for the former two, Xiao guides them to a rundown shrine at the southern face of Mount Tianheng.

Insights of Drifting Dreams

At the shrine, the duo meet its protector Pervases, to whom they ask to borrow the censer and seven lamps. After collecting the items, the duo find that Pervases has disappeared, his soul now occupying a bird statue. He reveals himself to be a yaksha who died long ago, and whose existence was tied to the items they just recovered through the adeptal art "Mortal Lingering" so he can visit the mortal realm every anniversary of his death. Sensing that they were sent on a mission by Xiao, he sends his regards to his former comrade-in-arms before disappearing for good, even as he rues being unable to taste Grilled Tiger Fish one last time.

With all the items present, Xiao summons the soul of Starsnatcher, who he berates for his falsehoods. Starsnatcher, realizing who he is, tries to appease his wrath by explaining that he grew up on embellished tales of Xiao's exploits from his folklorist grandfather, and when he found a Sigil of Permission from his grandfather's belongings he began acting as an adeptus for fun, only to be consumed by greed. Now that he has come face-to-face with an actual adeptus, he apologizes and swears never to put on false guises again, which satisfies Xiao, though Paimon worries that he forgot about the Sigil, and suggests that they return to Wangshu the next day.

At the Inn, the Traveler learns from Verr that Starsnatcher, né Wang Ping'an, has left them a letter after checking out. To their surprise, his apology is sincere, having gone on a journey of self-reflection, returned the money he fleeced from his followers, and has also left them the Sigil. The duo then descend to meet Xiao, who thanks them for their assistance, then surprises them again by ordering Grilled Tiger Fish, instead of his usual Almond Tofu, in honor of his late comrade-in-arms, prompting them to leave him to eat in peace.

Papilio Charontis (Hu Tao)

Act I: Yet the Butterfly Flutters Away

Released: v1.3 "All That Glitters" (February 3, 2021)
Minimum Adventure Rank: 40
Prerequisite Quest: "Farewell, Archaic Lord" (Archon Chapter I, Act II)

The Mysterious Wangsheng Parlor

While trekking Wuwang Hill, the Traveler and Paimon run into a man named who mistakes them for ghosts and runs away. The duo find him seeking refuge with a girl who assures him that they are just future clients, then explains to them that the man, Meng, is a novice undertaker at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.

Realizing that the Traveler and Paimon are already acquaintances with Zhongli, the girl introduces herself as Hu Tao, seventy-seventh and current director of the Parlor, who weirds out the duo with her quirky personality. Meng explains that he and his boss are conducting a funeral ceremony to soothe some ghosts, while Hu Tao, curious at the duo for adventuring in so forlorn a place as Wuwang, ropes them in as intermediaries in her negotiations for a business deal with the Liyue Adventurers' Guild, in exchange for helping the Traveler find someone upon learning of the purpose of their travels from Paimon.

After her negotiations with the Guild fail, Lan being put off by her overly optimistic pitch of the Parlor becoming the Guild's exclusive funeral service, a dismayed Hu Tao returns to the Parlor where she ropes in Meng, the Traveler, and Paimon into brainstorming more advertising ideas, as her earlier methods were ignored at best, and got the Millelith called in on her at worst. She also explains to the Traveler that she takes her job with enthusiasm and is baffled at people making death scarier that it really is, what with the existence of an afterlife. Before leaving to resume promoting the Parlor, Meng tells Hu Tao to do someting about a certain "Big G."

With the Traveler and Paimon tagging along, Hu Tao tries to promote the Parlor to three "clients"—Little Wu, Mumu, and Congzi—again to no avail.

In Pursuit of a Phantom

Returning to the Parlor, Hu Tao explains to the Traveler that she is helping Meng search for "Big G," a ghost roaming the mortal realm, and that she suspected the three people she just talked to of having been visited by it, relenting when she saw nothing out of the ordinary. Meng explains that Big G was a childhood friend who died in an unfortunate accident years ago, that Little Wu, Mumu, and Congzi were their other living friends, and that he fears Big G has become a vengeful spirit, despite Hu Tao insisting that they are a rarity. A man named Luocheng then comes to ask for help, believing he was cursed by an evil spirit after a trek through Wuwang Hill. Hu Tao suggests that they conduct an exorcism at the foot of the northern face of Mount Tianheng.

There, Hu Tao explains to the Traveler and Paimon that there is no curse, and that both Luocheng and Meng were being paranoid; however, because not everyone can fully grasp the nature of death and the afterlife the way she does, she has to create illusions to ease her clients' minds. In addition, she explains that the belief in curses and evil spirits originated from the lingering hatred of the old gods defeated during the Archon War, made manifest as a plague centuries ago that killed many and continued to linger with the corpses; furthermore, Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was founded by people who discovered that purifying the air and cremating infected corpses were the most effective methods of containing the plague, ever since appointing themselves as guardians of the balance between life and death.

Once Meng and Luocheng arrive, Hu Tao begins the fake ritual, which involves activating a Ley Line Monolith and defeating hilichurls attracted to it. Afterwards, when Luocheng felt relieved, Hu Tao discloses her own ruse, explaining that he either suffered from a common illness or was scared sick from his trek at Wuwang, before sending him off with a warning against falling for silly superstitions. After Luocheng left, Meng expresses relief that the man's illness is not the doing of Big G, and urges Hu Tao to resume their search; Hu Tao, however, reveals that Big G has already found them.

Friendships, Wishes, and Regrets

Back in the Parlor, the spirit of Big G, who still looked like a child, explains that he wanted to check in on his living friends, and that he followed Luocheng after he and his friends trekked Wuwang Hill on a dare, only to get lost around the Harbor because of his poor sense of direction, and neither can he just fly on account of his fear of heights, both points corroborated by Meng, only finding his way due to being attracted to the Ley Line Monolith. Hu Tao suggests preparing a farewell ceremony for Big G with keepsakes from his living friends.

While Hu Tao and Meng prepare the site, the Traveler is tasked with convincing Little Wu, Mumu, and Congzi to give some keepsakes, on the condition that they cannot reveal the purpose lest they create a panic. Little Wu, a chef at Third-Round Knockout, cooks an extra-spicy Jueyun Chili Chicken; Mumu, a businessman at Feiyun Slope, gives a luxurious toy box; and when the duo find Congzi, an artisan, at an overpass above the great stairway between the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the wharf, Wu and Mumu have already joined her in reminiscing about their childhood. There they reveal to the Traveler that their hometown in Wuwang Hill has been destroyed years ago in a disaster, and deduce that Meng joined the Parlor because he is still mourning Big G. Congzi then has the Traveler fetch plaustrite ore from the pier at Chihu Rock, so she can make a Xiao Lantern with the names of the five friends inscribed, telling the Traveler to inform the spirit of their late friend that they are doing well.

Perfect Send-Off

Once the duo reach Wuwang Hill with the keepsakes, Hu Tao leads them, Big G, and Meng into the threshold between the realms of the living and the dead. After clearing its obstacles, the group reach a serene landscape which Hu Tao claims is the site of the farewell ceremony, tended to by some spirits. After witnessing a memory of the five friends discussing their dreams on their last Lantern Rite together before Big G's death, the Traveler presents the spirit of Big G with the keepsakes as proof that they fulfilled theirs. While they leave Meng and Big G to have a moment with each other, Hu Tao repeats to the Traveler and Paimon the history of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and the sacrifices its pioneers made to maintain the balance of life and death in Liyue, especially whenever the lingering rage of the old gods seep back.

Once they return to the outside world, Big G is dismayed that he and Meng have failed to fulfill their dreams, though the latter reassures him that no life is without regrets, easing his late friend's mind and finally allowing him to move on. Afterwards, a forlorn Meng reveals to the Traveler and Paimon that he and Big G dreamt of building successful careers, having families of their own, and spending time together at Lantern Rites. Out of sympathy, Hu Tao grants his request for an unpaid leave while he processes his feelings.

When Paimon remembers their deal with Hu Tao, the latter remarks that, judging from the Traveler's reaction during their trip to the ceremony site, they did not find what they were looking for, even after she recruited the help of her ghost friends, though she promises to keep looking on their behalf. Before the Traveler and Paimon part ways with her, Hu Tao remarks that the spirits they saw in the ceremony site were those who were either still yearning for the realm of the living or are unable to move on; because she did not see those of the previous directors of the Parlor, she assumes that all of them died without regrets and peacefully moved on.

Umbrabilis Orchis (Yelan)

Act I: Calculated Gambit

Released: v2.7 "Hidden Dreams in the Depths" (May 31, 2022)
Minimum Adventure Rank: 40
Prerequisite Quests: "Perilous Trail" (Archon Quest Interlude Chapter, Act II); "Sea of Clouds, Sea of People" (Sinae Unicornis [Ganyu] Story Quest, Act I)

Seven-Star Selection

In Liyue Harbor, the Traveler and Paimon meet Huixin again, who is melancholy over the news that her father, Uncle Tian, is considering retiring as Tianshu of the Qixing. She leads them to meet Tian at high-end Yanshang Teahouse, where he confesses that he has been feeling his age as of late, spurring him to immediately find a successor before his mental faculties also fail. As the Tianshu is a secretive position, he is supposed to personally assess the candidates, from which his peers, such as Keqing and Ningguang, will select his successor; as he is unable to perform such duties at present, he has hired Yelan in his place, who insinuates to Tian that, given that she also deals in secret operations, he should also consider making her a candidate, to which he replies that he is considering her as a backup in case none of the existing candidates are deemed worthy.

At Yuehai Pavilion, Yelan introduces to the Traveler the three candidates: Qianwei, a wealthy entrepreneur; Mingbo, an employee at the Ministry of Civil Affairs; and Zhiyi, a traveling scholar. After Yelan allows the Traveler to read their manifestos for Liyue's development, submitted as the first phase of the selection process, Yelan meets the candidates for the second phase, assessing Qianwei as intelligent yet arrogant, and Mingbo meticulous yet timid, with only Zhiyi bearing the erudition, intellect, and humility to make him the only viable candidate, in addition to sharing the same mindset as Uncle Tian.

Afterwards, the trio report back to Uncle Tian, who admits that all three candidates used to be his protégés: Qianwei was referred to him by an old friend, Mingbo came to his attention in the course of his work, and he met Zhiyi while fishing, an orphan whose intellect caught his attention, and who stayed under his tutelage long after the other two went their ways, going so far as to frequently cook him his favorite fish soup, which he notes improved in taste recently with new ingredients.

Outside the Teahouse, Yelan warns Paimon against jumping to conclusions, suggesting that she also needs to investigate the candidates' personal lives. She then summons Shanghua and Wenyuan, two of her assistants, to monitor, respectively, Qianwei and Mingbo, while she and the Traveler monitor Zhiyi, starting with an interview with Bolai at Wanyou Boutique.

Candidature Analysis

There, Bolai describes Zhiyi as a man so magnanimous he even helped the family of a former neighbor who fell to bankruptcy despite the latter having treated him cruelly. After he sights Zhiyi walking by, the trio tail him having a friendly chat with Linlang as he buys a wineware set from her Xigu Antiques shop. Next, the trio stalk at the pier at Chihu Rock, where Yelan passes herself, the Traveler, and Paimon as members of various fishing associations before a pair of fish vendors: from Uncle Sun, they learn that, despite his many skills, Zhiyi is a mediocre fisherman; and from Uncle Gao, that he is often cash-strapped and has to haggle. Finally, the trio visit Dugu Shuo, who, after being flattered by Yelan by playing along with his power fantasies, reveals that people have looked down on Zhiyu until just three months ago, when they suddenly began to sing his praises.

With enough evidence gathered, Yelan, the Traveler, and Paimon begin to find Zhiyi's feel-good story too good to be true; remembering Gao's remarks about his poverty, they also suspect that a well-moneyed faction may have been bankrolling his rise to power so that, through him, they can influence the Qixing. Suspecting that his benefactors may have also helped write his manifesto, the trio return to Yanshang Teahouse to review it.

In the middle of the review, Shanghua and Wenyuan return to confirm that, problematic though their personalities are, Qianwei and Mingbo genuinely care for the people, in particular noting the former's honesty such that he allows people access to records of his business dealings, and the latter's work ethic and integrity such that he severely reprimanded a corrupt official. After the trio finish reading, Yelan becomes intrigued at a particular detail in Zhiyi's manifesto, namely the proposal to redevelop Qingxu Pool to the west, said in legends to contain great treasure placed by Rex Lapis, while the Traveler also took note of another detail where Blackcliff Forge, a famed steelworks company southwest of the Golden House, has the first right of refusal in the matter of future excavations.

Upon reaching the Forge to search for clues, the trio read a ledger noting the arrival of a new batch of workers, one of whom has rapidly risen the ranks, leading Yelan to suspect that Zhiyi's collaborators must have planned ahead to be able to pilfer the rumored treasure under the Qixing's noses. The trio ask Iron Shoulder, a veteran worker, who notes that while the newcomers are fast learners, they have a strange habit of drinking nearby at night while refusing to let their senior colleagues join them. As it has rained earlier, Yelan follows their footprints, finding that they stray east instead of continuing northeast to Liyue Harbor, ending at an burnt-out camp.

Yelan rues having come too late, thinking the newcomers might have burnt documents to conceal their paper trail, before she and the Traveler notice the faint scent of floral fragrance, from which they suspect that Zhiyi's backers must be the Fatui, given anecdotes about wealthy Snezhnayans adding them in their ink. The trio are then approached by Wupei, another of Yelan's agents tasked with an earlier background check on Zhiyi; after apologizing for his tardiness following a string of bad luck, he explains that he has been asking around the fishermen earlier, and expresses surprise when Yelan mentions Zhiyi claiming to have bought a recipe for Tian's fish soup from the local vendors, having not heard of such a dish from them. This gives Yelan an idea to lower Zhiyi's guard.

Foregone Conclusion

The following morning, Yelan declares Zhiyi winner of the selection, who then heads off to prepare a celebratory feast and invites Yelan, the Traveler, Paimon, and even Qianwei and Mingbo. After persuading the apparent losers to cease demanding an explanation, the Traveler and Paimon reconvene with Yelan to continue stalking Zhiyi.

Outside Xinyue Kiosk, Shanghua apologizes to Yelan for letting Zhiyi slip away under a different guise, his position having been compromised such that he could not act without blowing his cover, which Yelan takes in stride given that his instinct for evasion was cultivated under Uncle Tian's tutelage; inside, where Wupei is arguing with Heli the waiter, Yelan learns from the latter that Zhiyi ordered a strong, fiery bottle of liquor. The trio then head for Xigu Antiques, where Yelan learns from Linlang that, apart from the imitation antique wineware set, Zhiyi also bought a couple wine glasses.

In a quiet corner of Liyue Harbor, the Traveler, Paimon, Yelan, Shanghua, Wupei, and Wenyuan cross-reference everything they know so far. Yelan finds it odd that Zhiyi would celebrate with wine, given his aversion to alcoholic drinks because it reminded him of his late father, an abusive drunkard who left him with crippling debt, leading her to suspect that the wine was meant for his Fatui sponsor. Yelan decides to change the spies' targets from Zhiyi himself to his places of interest as well as Fatui-adjacent establishments such as the Snezhnayan embassy and the Northland Bank, despite the risk of further deteriorating already-testy diplomatic relations between Liyue and Snezhnaya in the wake of the Osial crisis.

The following night at Yanshang Teahouse, Yelan informs the Traveler and Paimon that Wenyuan spotted Yusupov, the Snezhnayan ambassador to Liyue, heading to Qingxu Pool, where he and Zhiyi are likely to meet, as the sheer number of monsters in the area put it beneath notice. The trio enter an emergency shaft once used by an earlier expedition team, defeating monsters along the way.

In the depths of the ruins, the trio eavesdrop on Zhiyi and Yusupov toasting to the latter's apparent triumph and take pictures. The ambassador teases the traitorous protégé on his intolerance for strong drinks, contrasting his apparent calm while poisoning Uncle Tian's soup, which the latter downplays by claiming he often hid away for fear of capture. Yusupov then tells Zhiyi that the latter will continue to enjoy the Fatui's protection so long as he continues to do as instructed, reminding him that they are helping him climb up the ranks of Liyuan society, confirming Yelan's suspicions that the Fatui are preying on Zhiyi's low self-esteem.

As Yusupov takes another glass, however, he collapses in pain and realizes that he was also poisoned by Zhiyi, who reveals that he also planned on cutting ties with the Fatui once he comes to power. He then reveals his plan to cover his tracks by capturing the three undercover agents sent to Blackcliff Forge and making it look like Yusupov recruited workers at the Forge in an attempt to blast their way to the treasure, with fatal results; their deaths would then be blamed on Yusupov going on a rogue operation, allowing his second-in-command Theofan, who had always coveted his post and thus provided Zhiyi with the poison, to rise to power.

Before Zhiyi could light up the explosives, Yelan intervenes, revealing that she sent the Millelith to block his escape routes. Zhiyi tries to excuse himself by feigning an investigation into the Fatui; seeing that Yelan is unmoved, and realizing that he failed to take into account the possibility that she would stalk his associates, he tries to bargain for his freedom with the promise of working for the greater good. Far from being swayed, Yelan scolds him that he repaid Uncle Tian's trust with betrayal. Unable to conceal his guilt, and reminiscing on his happier times with Tian, Zhiyi chooses to surrender to Yelan, who nevertheless offers him protection from the Fatui in exchange for doing her a favor. After Zhiyi and Yusupov were taken away, Yelan asks the Traveler to meet her the following morning at Yanshang Teahouse while she stays to lead a bomb removal team.

The following morning, the Traveler, Paimon, and Yelan find Baizhu giving Uncle Tian his prescription to help with his recovery, which he predicts may take up to three years at most. After the doctor left, the trio report back to Tian, who, though having already had his doubts about Zhiyi, hence his hiring of Yelan to conduct the screening, still felt saddened by his betrayal, noting their similarities in having relied on their intellect and a bit of luck to rise from humble backgrounds, he in particular being fortunate to have worked under Ganyu. Yelan agrees with Tian's assessment of Zhiyi, having learned that the liquor he bought for Yusupov was strong enough to disguise the poison, which was blended using a hidden mechanism in the pot used to serve it, as well as prepared an antidote for himself should Yusupov grow suspicious and demand that he, too, partake of the wine. She also reveals that Zhiyi had been cooperative in ratting out his other conspirators in exchange for additional security, knowing the Fatui are deeply invested in interfering with the Tianshu selection process and would obviously not take well to the setback. Still, she laments that Theofan slipped away after Pantalone/Regrator, the ninth-ranking Harbinger of the Fatui, got involved, though she comforts herself with the thought of a new Harbinger to stalk. Impressed at her work, Tian offers her to succeed him as Tianshu once he retires, which she declines, claiming her earlier insinuation was a joke and that she prefers the thrill of putting her life on the line over a desk job. Before leaving, she advises the Traveler to always keep their wits about them, even as she assures them that one day they may cross paths again.

The Traveler turns to Uncle Tian, who entertains their questions about the whole affair. Regarding Zhiyi, he warns them against being wrapped up in scheming, noting how, in the eyes of Yelan and Pantalone, Zhiyi and Yusupov were but pawns in a much bigger game; as for Yelan, he believes she is more trustworthy than her tough, secretive nature suggests; with regards to Pantalone, he reveals that he is the wealthiest of the Harbingers, whose designs for Teyvat's financial status quo could spell a massive shakeup; and regarding the Tianshu selection process, with him making a slow recovery, he decides to hold it off for the time being. Downstairs, the Traveler can also encounter Qianwei and Mingbo, who, stunned at the news of Zhiyi's betrayal, agree to work together in the future.

Lagenaria (Baizhu)

Act I: The Heart of Healing

Released: v3.6 "A Parade of Providence" (April 12, 2023)
Minimum Adventure Rank: 40
Prerequisite Quests: "A New Star Approaches" (Archon Quest Chapter I, Act III); "Yet the Butterfly Flutters Away" (Papilio Charontis [Hu Tao] Story Quest, Act I); "Butterfly's Dream" (Alatus [Xiao] Story Quest, Act I)

The Search for a Physician

At Bubu Pharmacy, the Traveler and Paimon find Qiqi and Gui talking to a young boy named Ayu, who asks them for help with finding his father, who suffers from chronic memory loss; while his mother has yet to return from gathering medicinal herbs, he brought him to Liyue Harbor to consult Baizhu, who frequents his native Qingce every Lantern Rite, only to lose him asking for directions from the Millelith.

Immediately after, Baizhu and Changsheng arrive. Though Ayu's family rarely visits Qingce even during Lantern Rite, Baizhu reveals that he is acquaintances with his mother, Jiangli, as well as his father, so he agrees to help, with the Traveler and Paimon volunteering to assist him while Qiqi and Gui prepare to close shop to join him later. At Liyue Harbor's northern entrance, the Millelith apologize to Ayu for being of little help, what with their manpower stretched thin, though they speculate that his father might be at Luhua Pool.

There, they find a man who nearly walks off a cliff before being stopped by Hu Tao, who is pleased to meet the Traveler and Paimon anew, but not so much Baizhu. Ayu tries to remind his father, Jialiang, of his purpose for visiting the Harbor, to no avail; Paimon suggests taking him back to the Pharmacy, but Hu Tao objects, thinking Baizhu may have his own designs. The doctor reveals that Jialiang is infected with remnants of old gods, which Hu Tao thinks is on the verge of a fatal outburst, though he assures her that he will find a way to keep it at bay, both as his duty as doctor and, in his particular case, to honor the dying wish of his late master, and as proof of his sincerity, he allows Hu Tao to monitor his activities, which she reluctantly accepts after the Traveler and Paimon vouch for him.

Back at the Pharmacy, after performing a diagnosis, Baizhu and Changsheng dismiss the group for the day while they give Jialiang special treatment. Outside, the Traveler and Paimon meet Hu Tao at the garden; knowing they have questions about her relationship with Baizhu, she reveals that their mentors are brothers—specifically, hers, the older, is her grandfather and seventy-fifth director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, while Baizhu's, the younger, was the deputy director; however, during a visit to Chenyu Vale, a pharmacist seemed to have cast a spell on the latter, which drove him to change careers, and after a fierce argument, the brothers parted ways; furthermore, according to her grandfather, the medical art taught to his brother went against the rules of nature, with her suspecting that it has something to do with Baizhu's quest for immortality.

The following morning, Jialiang seems to be in better shape, with Ayu informing him that he commissioned the Liyue Adventurers' Guild to organize a search party for Jiangli, Baizhu apologizing to him for failing to visit him sooner, and Changsheng advising him to convalesce in Liyue Harbor. Asked by Hu Tao what technique he used on Jialiang, Baizhu claims it is a trade secret before Changsheng tells them that he needed fresh air, even as the Traveler senses that he feels unwell.

Outside, the Traveler and Paimon catch Baizhu coughing while Changsheng chides him for putting on such a brave face. Changsheng reveals that, rather than cure Jialiang, Baizhu instead transferred some of his life-force onto him to temporarily subdue the poison in his system; in turn, Baizhu confesses that he and his predecessors forged a contract with Changsheng, an ancient being respected even by the adepti, to allow them to use her secret medical arts while she stabilizes their qi; that said, Changsheng warns Baizhu that he cannot keep using his life-force without serious drawbacks, so she asks the Traveler and Paimon to find the source of Jialiang's illness and eliminate it. Baizhu offers to join them after instructing Qiqi and Gui to mind the shop in his place, then suggests that they start with Ayu's home in a secluded corner of Qingce, as well as keep an eye on Jiangli, who happens to be his fellow disciple.

The Quest for a Cure

At Ayu's home, Baizhu recalls Jiangli, his senior back when he was an apprentice, having an argument with their master during her last since she married Jialiang, a herb picker, while his master made him swear on his deathbed to help her husband should they meet. Afterwards, the quartet split up to search Ayu's house, where Baizhu and Changsheng discover a bottle of seemingly living poison extracted from the remains of a fallen god; based on texts Baizhu read, the vial is an offshoot of a "mother lode," with which whoever was administering the poison can control the victim's behavior, as well as seemingly call the victim to its source, hence Jialiang straying from Ayu; given her knowledge with poisons, and the fact that the vial was found in the house, the quartet reluctantly hold Jiangli suspect, before Baizhu asks them to defer judgment until he hears Jialiang's side.

Because they have little idea which deity was the source of the poison, the Traveler summons Xiao, who is surprised to see Baizhu again after their first encounter during the previous Lantern Rite. Upon learning of the situation, the Conqueror of Demons confirms that they must be referring to Chi, a vile monster defeated by Rex Lapis centuries ago and buried underneath modern-day Qingce, suspecting the poison must be its blood leaking from deep underground. While he rarely intervenes in mortal affairs, he encourages the Traveler to call on him should the need arise, given that they are dealing with evil spirits, and before departing, he warns Baizhu that immortality may not be the blessing he thinks it is.

Before the quartet could start finding the source of the poison, Gui rushes in to alert Baizhu that Jialiang's condition has turned for the worse, despite the medicine prepared for him supposedly able to last at least three days. The group hastily returns to the Pharmacy, where Baizhu treats him anew, with Paimon worrying that he will suffer yet again. The following morning, Jialiang's condition stabilizes, with Ayu informing him that Jiangli has yet to be found and Gui reminding him again to stay at Liyue Harbor for observation.

Outside his private quarters, a newly-awakened Baizhu meets the Traveler and Paimon, where he admits to using even more of his life force for his second treatment, before confessing that he made an error in his earlier diagnosis of Jialiang: upon further review, Baizhu discovered that he had a congenital heart ailment, which Jiangli tried to stabilize using the poison, whose side effects worsened with continued intake; furthermore, with his body developing an immunity to it, Jiangli had to increase the dosages, hence her increasingly frequent trips to the source of the poison. Fearing for Jiangli's safety, given that humans have no innate immunity to god remains, Baizhu prepares to find her.

A still-recovering Jialiang volunteers to join his search, having recalled where he would usually see his wife off to gather his medicine. Despite Baizhu and Changsheng's worries for his health, Jialiang urges them to find Jiangli while he can still remember. Baizhu then orders Qiqi to prepare a special medicine once he returns, while unbeknownst to them Hu Tao is eavesdropping.

The Formula for a Miracle

Near Qingce, Jialiang complains of chest pain, which Baizhu interprets as a sign that they are nearing the source of the poison, which the group traces to an abandoned shaft south of his home. Inside, the group finds excavation tools Paimon believes to belong to an abortive Treasure Hoarder expedition, followed by a recently-used monster-repellent censer which Jialiang identifies to belong to Jiangli, hence confirming the shaft as the source of his medicine.

At the end of the cave, the group finds an unconscious Jiangli next to a Geovishap emitting dark energy in front of a fragment of Chi's remains. After defeating the monster, Baizhu performs a diagnosis on Jiangli and discovers that she, too, is succumbing to the effects of the remains. Changsheng rejects Paimon's suggestion that they destroy it, warning that it is inextricably linked to Jialiang, and that doing so could prove fatal, while Baizhu proposes using his technique to save Jiangli. Jialiang, however, urges Baizhu to destroy the remains to save Jiangli from having to keep risking herself for his sake, even if he dies in exchange, stating that having seen Ayu grow was enough blessing for him; seeing his resolve, Baizhu is reminded of the sacrifices of his predecessors, even as he laments such a necessary evil. As Baizhu reluctantly destroys the remains, Jialiang has flashbacks of his life with his wife and son, and the last thing he sees is Jiangli waking up.

Jialiang comes to inside Bubu Pharmacy, surrounded by his wife and son, and finds his body covered in paper talismans. Baizhu reveals that he did die after the god remains were destroyed, but that he was turned into a zombie through an elixir of immortality he had Qiqi create earlier, or at least an approximation thereof as its effects are only temporary, albeit long enough to buy him and his family time for closure, as well as to appease Hu Tao who is mildly annoyed at being denied another customer; Baizhu defends his actions by assuring her that the elixir was imperfect and only worked in conjunction with Jialiang's willpower, that he did so out of respect for his courage, and that Hu Tao unwittingly helped by encouraging Jialiang to recall the location of the god remains. After Hu Tao storms off in comical failure, Qiqi comes out of hiding from her, while Jialiang celebrates his new lease of life by inviting the Traveler, Paimon, Qiqi, and Gui to a feast with his family.

Later that night, Jiangli meets Baizhu for a private conversation, complimenting him for having copied and then refined the technique she used to extend her husband's lifespan, before confronting him with the knowledge that, in addition to life-force, Changsheng's contract also allows him to absorb toxins and diseases, such as her poison, hence allowing him to study it, though he assures her that it was eradicated along with the god remains. Jiangli confesses that she left their master out of fear that he will exhaust himself to death curing Jialiang, only to realize that she, too, became no different from him, and that self-sacrifice seems to be the destiny of the thaumaturges of Chenyu Vale. The Traveler, Paimon, and Ayu come to fetch Jiangli, who before parting ways with Baizhu beseeches him not to overwork himself to death for the sake of his loved ones.

After mother and son joined Jialiang's feast, the Traveler and Paimon lingered on, curious at what Jiangli meant. Changsheng reveals that all of Baizhu's predecessors died young; in turn, Baizhu recalls his master's story about the first thaumaturge, who sought out Changsheng, the Herblord of Chenyu Vale, and made a pact with her to cure any kind of disease in exchange for consuming his life-force and absorbing his patients' infirmities, thus condemning him to an early death, but not before passing Changsheng to his last patient and favorite disciple, hence creating a lineage of thaumaturges. However, in the wake of his falling-out with Jiangli, his master reflected if his self-sacrifice was worth the grief of his loved ones, and shortly after his death, Baizhu also pondered on the question while visiting his grave; as Changsheng would also die if she does not immediately find a new host, he agrees to be one, telling her that he will find a way to make sure he will be the very last host. Hence, Baizhu seeks immortality so he and Changsheng can continue to heal as many people as they can, even as he admits to looking selfish and greedy in his pursuit. Ayu and Qiqi then invite the quartet to dinner, and as the Traveler and Paimon join them, Baizhu and Changsheng contemplate on humanity clinging on to life so they can keep enjoying its pleasures.

---

Hangout Events

Chongyun

Act I: Signs of Evil

Released: v1.4 "Invitation of Windblume" (March 17, 2021)
Minimum Adventure Rank: 26
Prerequisite Quest: "Song of the Dragon and Freedom" (Archon Quest Prologue, Act III)

[Start] Hard to Track

[Meeting by the Wharf] At the pier at Chihu Rock in Liyue Harbor, the Traveler encounters Chongyun, a teenage exorcist, who asks them if they have encountered evil spirits for him to deal with. Realizing the Traveler has not, he invites them to join his investigation of a "Test of Courage" event being held on Wuwang Hill, incidents of public disturbances at nighttime, and a huge shadow lurking in Guili Plains.

If the Traveler decides the reports are too farfetched, Chongyun apologizes for his overeagerness, attributing it to a childhood condition wherein he gathers excess "yang energy" that increases his aggression, which he remedies with popsicles; the two then find a young boy observing them, and decide to ask him out. Alternatively, they can humor Chongyun and help him investigate the reports despite some skepticism, who then proposes checking in on the Test of Courage; as it required a two-person team in order to participate, Chongyun invites the Traveler to accompany him.

[Branch A1] Distant Gaze

[A Curious Gaze] If the Traveler dissuaded Chongyun from invesigating the rumors and noticed the boy gazing at the latter's popsicles, the two catch up to the boy, Dalong, who hails from a poor family and has been eyeing the latter's popsicles to give to his little sister; Chongyun checks his supplies and finds that he only has two popsicles left. The Traveler can then suggest that he give either one for Dalong's little sister or both for the two of them to enjoy.

[Branch A2-A] The Exorcist's Path

[On the Evil Spirits' Trail] If the Traveler tells Chongyun to just give one popsicle to Dalong, the latter, with one popsicle to spare, decides to visit Wanwen Bookhouse to continue the search for clues provided by the latter's friend, the former helps the latter identify plausible reports on evil spirits such as a ghost stalking Feiyun Slope, a demon attacking fishing boats at the Sea of Clouds, and an invisible demon stalking central Liyue. Chongyun dismisses these clues as implausible, but nevertheless appreciates the input of his friend Xingqiu. He then finds another clue related to Wuwang Hill which, combined with reports of unusual weather and news about the test of courage, leads him to suspect supernatural activity therein.

[The Rumored Heretical Ground] At Wuwang Hill, Chongyun is again disappointed at the seeming mundanity of the place, which he attributes to his yang energy driving demons away. After some wandering around, he finds a strange smoke which he identifies as a trace of an evil spirit, from which contaminated hilichurls emerge. After defeating them, Chongyun realizes that the evil spirit has already fled upon sensing his aura, though he takes solace in having ridden of other creatures, resolving to continue exorcising demons, and thanks the Traveler for their assistance as the skies over Wuwang Hill clear up [Ending A: Blessing in Disguise].

[Branch A2-B1] Popsicles and Their Curious Uses

[Popsicle Emergency] If the Traveler urged Chongyun to give both popsicles to Dalong, they head to Wanmin Restaurant to purchase more, only to find that neither Chef Mao nor his daughter Xiangling are at work, so they have to make their own popsicles; worse still, Chongyun does not known the specific ingredients, forcing the Traveler to experiment.

[A Curious Mix] If the Traveler decides to fight fire with fire by using Jueyun Chili and Slime Condensate, Chongyun faints from the extreme spiciness [Ending C: Can't Beat This Heat]. On the other hand, if the Traveler tries either [A Cooling Mix] Mist Flowers and Qingxins or [A Sweet Mix] Sunsettias and Valberries, he would have a more positive reaction, and compliments the Traveler's kitchen skills; remembering Dalong, the duo decide to find him.

[Branch A2-B2] For a Child's Smile

[Lingering Worry] Near the western entrance to Liyue Harbor, the Traveler and Chongyun find Dalong being scolded by his mother Yuyan over the popsicles on the assumption that he begged for them. After Chongyun clears up the misunderstanding, he offers Dalong and his little sister, Le, more popsicles he and the Traveler made. Le then asks Chongyun and the Traveler to play with them, and despite the latter's reluctance, the former urges them to humor the children, even as he admits to being awkward in matters unrelated to his profession. Le proposes a game of hide-and-seek, with the Traveler playing the "ghost." After they, using their tracking skills honed throughout their adventures, finds Chongyun, Dalong, and Le, the four reconvene at their shack, where Chongyun prepares a cold noodle dish, endearing himself to the two children [Ending C: Idle Amusements].

[Branch B1] Test of Courage

[To Take a Test of Courage] If the Traveler humors Chongyun and joins his investigation of the Test of Courage event at Wuwang Hill, they meet Uncle Jia, the event manager, who offers entrants a potion laced with "yang energy" ostensibly designed to protect them from evil spirits, to Chongyun's concern, given that he is born with excessive such energy; either the Traveler encourages Chongyun to drink the potion together or they drink it all. Afterwards, Chongyun expresses concern that the Test of Courage has attracted dozens of entrants, despite the Traveler assuring him that the event is harmless, and after asking around the other attendants, Chongyun detects a strange smoke, which he believes may denote the sign of an evil spirit. [Chongyun's Determination] If Chongyun also drank the potion, he begins to feel uncomfortable due to excess yang energy, prompting the Traveler to either let him immediately find rest while they go on alone or bring him to a more suitable resting spot. [Unsettling Feeling] On the other hand, if the Traveler drank the potion alone, Chongyun asks the Traveler to go ahead of him, lest his aura alert nearby monsters

[Branch B2-A] The Bottom of Things

[No Wasted Effort] If Chongyun also drank the potion and is left alone by the Traveler to stabilize his excess yang energy, the latter meets Zhouliang, an associate of Uncle Jia, who reveals that he scares the entrants as part of the event. [Nothing Going to Bump After All...] Afterwards, the Traveler returns to Chongyun to tell him the truth, to his dismay [Ending D: Nothing Gained].

[Branch B2-B1] Sudden Discomfort

If Chongyun also drank the potion and had to be helped by the Traveler to somewhere safe, the former proposes that the latter forage for either Cryo Slime Condensate or Cryo Whopperflower Nectar to turn to an emergency medicine. [Cryo Slime Condensate Recipe or Cryo Whopperflower Recipe] After collecting the ingredients, the Traveler encounters Fu San'er, another worker at the Test of Courage event responsible for scaring attendants, advising them not to linger too long lest they encounter actual ghosts.

[Branch B2-C1] Ever Deeper

[Do Not Alert Your Quarry] If Chongyun did not drink the potion but nevertheless sends the Traveler ahead of him lest his aura drive away evil spirits, the latter encounters Zhouliang, who admits to scaring attendees at the Test of Courage event as part of his job, before returning to Chongyun to inform him of the truth.

[Branch B2-B2 or B2-C2] Killjoy

[Nothing Going Bump After All...] The Traveler returns to Chongyun to not only give him the treatment for his excess yang energy, had the need arisen, but also tell him the truth that the supernatural happenings in the Test of Courage event was conducted by humans, much to his disappointment. The Traveler can then suggest that they return home [Ending F: Small Regrets] or, remembering the dark mist they found earlier, urge Chongyun to make the most of their trip.

[Branch B2-B3 or B2-C3] Independent Actions

[As Yet Unresigned] The Traveler and Chongyun split up to continue their search. Along the way the Traveler meets the ghost of Qianqian, a little girl who is scared of Chongyun's yang energy threatening to make her disappear. Assuring her that Chongyun is not a bad person, the Traveler volunteers to help her get in touch with him. Downhill, they find Chongyun arguing with Zhouliang and Fu San'er over him ruining the atmosphere by warning visitors that there are no ghosts, before the latter two are distracted by screams from visitors having sighted a ghost. With the two staff members out of the way, the Traveler introduces Qianqian to Chongyun, the former having scared the visitors earlier. Chongyun, seeing that she is but a little girl, decides to spare her so long as she does not cause direct harm to anyone [Ending E: Goodbyes].

Beidou

Act I: When the Crux Shines Bright

Released: v2.3 "Shadows Amidst Snowstorms" (November 24, 2021)
Minimum Adventure Rank: 30
Prerequisite Quest: "Omnipresence Over Mortals" (Archon Quest Prologue, Act III)

[Start] A Special Guest

[A Special Guest] During a visit to the Alcor, now moored again at Guyun Stone Forest, the Traveler is hailed by her crew for their exploits in Inazuma, and is invited to her homecoming celebration led by Beidou, who, having seen the Traveler's potential, invites them to join the Crux Fleet, before retracting it once she realized that her seafaring lifestyle might conflict with the Traveler's adventures. After enjoying the feast, Beidou and the Traveler have a private conversation, where the latter can either express their interest in the seafaring life or gratitude to the Crux Fleet for bringing them to Inazuma.

[Sailor Training] At the former option, Beidou informs them that the Fleet also has an ongoing recruitment drive; furthermore, trainees are divided into either the support-oriented "Shield of the Crux" or the combat-oriented "Spear of the Crux" teams, to which the Traveler can chose one. [Private Chat] At the latter option, Beidou informs the Traveler that after they disembarked in Ritou, the crew of the Alcor found a treasure map from Liyue in a pirate shipwreck, the details of which elude her, and which the Traveler thinks may point to either Guili Plains or Qingce Village.

[Branch A] Life on the High Seas

[Training: The Shield of the Crux] If the Traveler opts to join the "Shield of the Crux" program, they take lessons from Yinxing, the resident surgeon, Huixing, the navigator, and Xu Liushi, the meteorologist. [A Little Test] Afterwards, Beidou challenges the Traveler to a pop quiz regarding their lessons. If the Traveler gets a lot of answers wrong, Beidou muses that they are better off in combat, and reassigns them to the "Spear of the Crux" program [switch to Beneath the Surface, below]; otherwise, Beidou, impressed at the Traveler's intellect, proceeds with the training, this time involving learning recreational skills to keep the Fleet's morale up.

[The Photography Crew] Elsewhere on the Alcor, the Traveler and Beidou find Juza, the ship's first mate, lamenting that the recruits' photography class had to be canceled due to the teacher's illness. The Traveler volunteers as substitute, and chooses Beidou as their model, to the latter's embarrassment. After some teasing from her crewmates, who remind her that it was her idea to take photographs of people as a change of pace from landscapes, Beidou accedes, then suggests a shooting location. Remembering an anecdote from Xu Liushi, the Traveler suggests a fishing village across the Bishui River from Wangshu Inn, which happens to be Beidou's hometown. Moved by nostalgia, she asks the Traveler to join her there.

[The Nameless Fishing Village] At Bishui Plain, Beidou finds her native Downriver in ruins. [The Long Years] As the duo wander, Beidou reminisces about her childhood, when the villagers adopted her after they found her chasing a dog over a rice bun, only to scapegoat her a year later for a series of tragedies, namely the death of the village chief, followed by a poor harvest and catch, noting that she was named after a constellation among whose stars, Alcor, was considered an omen of death. [A Smattering of Memories] Upon reaching the ruin of the chief's house, the Traveler expresses sympathy with Beidou on account of their apparently cursed existences, what with the Anemo, Geo, and Electro Gnoses having been taken away by the Fatui shortly after their arrival at Mondstadt, Liyue, and Inazuma; Beidou, thinking this is the Traveler's backhanded way of saying she is not cursed, thanks them anyways for the sentiment. Before the day ended, the two remember their purpose for visiting Downriver, and the Traveler asks Beidou to pose for a picture. If they ask her to strike a flirtatious pose, she argues with the Traveler, who accidentally takes a photograph of her in an embarrassing pose [Ending B: Flirtatious]; [Snap!] if they ask for an imposing pose, Beidou is satisfied with the result and takes the photograph for herself despite protests from the Traveler [Ending A: Photography Class for Two].

[Branch B] Beneath the Surface

[Training: The Spear of the Crux] If the Traveler opts for the "Spear of the Crux" training program—or, alternatively, they fail the "Shield of the Crux" examination—Beidou presents the Traveler small Skirmish Boats used as the first line of defense of the Alcor in case of conflict, a merciful rarity given that they are almost always resolved through negotiation. As part of their training, the Traveler rides one such boat and steers them along a prescribed route within a time limit. After clearing the task, Beidou invites them to Liyue Harbor.

[The Crux of Our Duties] At the pier on Chihu Rock, Beidou introduces the Traveler to the Crux Fleet's land-based activities such as trading, managed by Mora-Grubber, the Fleet's bookkeeper, who in turn alerts her boss that preparations for a transcation has been completed. At Beidou's invitation, the Traveler observes her haggling for bass from Wei and then Nai, a pair of fish vendors, then asks Iron Abacus, a warehouse keeper, for a batch of bass she ordered. Afterwards, Beidou reveals to the Traveler that the three men are her busines partners, whose words are a coded message to her that an under-the-table business deal is to be made at Guyun Stone Forest by midnight.

[A Strange Transaction] At the promised time and place, Beidou and the Traveler meet Iron Abacus to conduct business, only to be halted by a group of Millelith sent to investigate reports of an illicit transaction. Upon inspecting the wares, they find potatoes and flour, as well as paperwork with the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and leave the group in peace. After Iron Abacus returns to Liyue Harbor, Beidou informs the Traveler that the potatoes and flour are a red herring to throw the Ministry off her back, knowing that both she and the Traveler are on its watchlist over their international activities, even as she assures them it is part of Ningguang looking out for them and making sure they do not cause too much trouble, and that they are still in the second tier of said list, below a group of dangerous individuals even she is not privy to, before revealing that her transaction involves essentials for the Fleet she cannot disclose yet, and ends their adventure promising the Traveler that they are welcome to join the Crux Fleet once their adventures are over [Ending C: Once Everything is Over].

[Branch C] Guili Plains Treasure Hunt

[Guili Plains Treasure Hunt] If the Traveler thinks the treasure map the crew found points to Guili Plains, they and Beidou catch a band of Treasure Hoarders led by Golden Alligator, who recognizes the latter and are intimidated by her into yielding their loot. [Were You Expecting Someone Else?] While Beidou is trying in vain to find the treasure, Golden Alligator and his crew return, having decided to give up their activities and instead join the Crux Fleet, to inform Beidou that there is another site they were planning to excavate, the clues to its whereabouts concealed in a poem he has been struggling to decipher.

[Poetic Treasure] At the ruin, the Traveler deciphers the poem to suggest that the treasure can be discovered by observing a tree with red leaves in the ruin from afar at afternoon. Per the poem's implicit instructions, the Traveler and Beidou find the treasure, a check from the Northland Bank. Beidou remembers that the treasure map was enclosed in a bottle which belonged to an Inazuman man who perished with the Liyue-bound shipwreck, which states that the check is to be exchanged for his savings, a portion of which is to be handed to his mother, Minamoto Kotomi, who lives alone in Guili Plains, and expresses regret that he cannot give her Sakura Blooms for which he went back to Inazuma. [To the Rightful Owner, Returned] For their first task, Beidou orders Golden Alligator and his crew to hand the check to Kotomi, with the Traveler adding some Sakura Blooms they gathered during their trip to Inazuma [Ending D: Sakura Blooms Upon Guili Fell].

[Branch D] Qingce Village Treasure Hunt

[Qingce Village Treasure Hunt] If the Traveler thinks the treasure map points to Qingce, they and Beidou are greeted by Ruoxin, who asks both of them to mediate at an argument between Wenjing and Ji over a flock of finches the latter has been raising that had destroyed some of the former's crops. Next, they also had to mediate between neighbors Xing and Ren over a tree the latter's late father planted and which has since grown to block the sunlight from the former's house. Later, they also get caught up in an argument between Changping and Defu over a treasure chest the former dug up in the latter's property, to which Beidou intervenes by asking both of them to hand the chest over to her, which they agree to do so.

[Honorary Villager] Later that night, Ruoxin invites the Traveler and Beidou to a dinner as thanks for their earlier assistance. Afterwards, the two have a conversation on the waterwheel where they left the treasure chest Changping and Defu had been arguing about, where Beidou admits to lacking the business acumen of Ningguang and the sound judgment of Yanfei, instead choosing to give favors to everyone around her to cultivate bonds. The two then open the treasure chest, discovering that it contains nothing but rotten cabbages, which they laugh off before returning to the feast [Ending E: Between Us].

Ningguang

Act I: The Jade Chamber's Returning Guest

Released: v2.4 "Fleeting Colors in Flight" (January 5, 2022)
Minimum Adventure Rank: 28
Prerequisite Quest: "The Crane Returns on the Wind" (Archon Quest Interlude Chapter, Act I)

[Start] The Jade Chamber Once More

[The Jade Chamber Once More] Shortly after the completion of the second Jade Chamber, the Traveler and Paimon decide to visit anew, to the relief of Ningguang and her three secretaries, who have their hands full preparing to host an auction tomorrow; with Baishi, Baiwen, and Baixiao assigned to handle the auction, they recruit the Traveler to attend to Ningguang for the day. [Scheduling the Day] Inside the Chamber, Baishi tasks them with helping arrange Ningguang's schedule for the day. The Traveler can either arrange a meticulous schedule for Ningguang, for which Baishi praises their organizational skills, or simply propose that the Tianquan take a day off, to which Baishi will concede that ultimately Ningguang's health comes first. Once Ningguang's schedule has been set, Baishi asks the Traveler to attend to Ningguang the following morning.

[Branch A] Business as Usual

[Business as Usual] If the Traveler opts to manage Ningguang's schedule for the day, the Tianquan will ask the Traveler to help arrange her luncheon with Luo Qiao, a businesswoman who paid tens of millions of Mora to have an audience with her at Liuli Pavilion, starting with preparing a breakfast, with Ningguang praising the Traveler's culinary skills, as well as fetching a change of clothing for her.

[The Grand Banquet] Afterwards, the Traveler and Ningguang head to Liuli Pavilion, where the latter introduces the Traveler to Luo Qiao, who recalls rumors about the Tianquan's close relationship with them and Beidou; Ningguang downplays her relationship with the former as a gesture of gratitude for helping stop Osial and dismisses the latter as a rival. After the brief detour, the two get to their point, with Luo Qiao, owner of a textile business, asking for advice about entering a burgeoning market in Luminescent Spines, the demand for which spiked in conjunction with rumors about a newly-invented machine from Fontaine powered by them. Ningguang warns her against so risky an investment, citing her secretaries' analysis that presently the Spines' price far exceeds the potential profit, to say nothing of the questionable provenance of the rumors; Luo Qiao agrees to the assessment and contents herself with a business she is genuinely interested with. After Luo Qiao left, with the Traveler admitting to having learned a lot despite being a novice in business, Ningguang begins to wonder over how her secretaries are faring at the auction; the Traveler can either assure her that they can handle it well, leaving Ningguang to check in on her informants, or urge her to visit the auction, with Ningguang noting that several shady characters are among the bidders.

[Branch A-A] Exchanging Intelligence

[Greeting Gift] If the Traveler suggests that Ningguang meet the informants, the two head for Mingxing Jewelry, where the Tianquan picks up a comb she had them repaired, telling the Traveler that though it is mundane, it holds sentimental value for one of her informants, who are not easily swayed by Mora, hence the necessity of trust-building.

[Exchanging Intelligence] At Chihu Rock, the Traveler discovers that said informants are children; Ningguang admits that, despite her initial reluctance, she warmed up to the idea after seeing their enthusiasm in their activity, more so in the wake of Liyue Harbor working together to defeat Osial.

Amidst their reports, however, the Traveler and Ningguang notice one of them, Nannan, fumbling with words as she claims to have heard reports about a Fontainean merchant buying Luminescent Spines to sell them for higher prices, reminding them of the suspicious venture Luo Qiao nearly dabbled in. After Ningguang cheers her up by presenting her the repaired comb, a keepsake from her mother before she left Liyue Harbor, Nannan confesses that a couple men told her to lie to the Tianquan about the Spines in exchange for them buying her a new comb. Realizing someone was trying to scam her, Ningguang offers to bring back the new comb.

At the docks, Ningguang confronts the culprits, Big Xu and Lao Ke, warning them that though one-upmanship is par for the course in business, she draws the line at emotionally manipulating children. The two admit to have stockpiled the Spines in the hopes of capitalizing on the rumors about the Fontainean merchant, only for the market to collapse, and they fall into debt, as the aforementioned merchant failed to appear, a misfortune Ningguang deems a consequence of their greed. The Tianquan then proposes buying off the surplus Spines in exchange for the two men paying back the inflated sum in future business deals, hence they earn zero net profit but at least they can pay off their debts. In the meantime, Ningguang orders them to apologize to Nannan.

[Principles] Back at Chihu Rock, Big Xu and Lao Ke apologize to Nannan for lying to her that Ningguang was mad at her and will not repair the comb. To further make up for the deception, Zhizhi and Little Long, the other young informants, ask the two men to play a game of hide-and-seek with them. While watching them play, Ningguang allays the Traveler's concern that she is not so different from the two scammers by stating that she limits her curriculum to the basics, such as observation, analysis, and critical thinking, hence giving the children a headstart in life denied to most Liyuans, including herself, and preparing them to face the world, allowing her to leave behind a good example for future generations long after she has passed on [Ending A: While the View Remains Good].

[Branch A-B] Auction Games

[The Auction] If the Traveler encourages Ningguang to visit the auction, the two head to Feiyun Slope, where she takes over with preparations. At Ningguang's suggestion, the Traveler inspects the goods up for auction, only to realize that the items—a vase, a set of writing tools, and a hairpin—are nothing out of the ordinary, even as they are baffled at the bidders' enthusiasm.

[The Final Call] Later that afternoon, Ningguang hosts the auction; at her encouragement, the Traveler joins as a bidder, even as they are bewildered at the exorbitant sums the bidders have been offering for such seemingly mundane items. Afterwards, Ningguang confirms the Traveler's suspicions that she wasn't really auctioning away her belongings, and encourages them to interview the bidders. [Those Whose Faith is Blind] Afterwards, the Traveler reports back to Ningguang that most of them assumed that Ningguang has impeccable taste in her choice of belongings. The Tianquan then replies that their asumptions are not the only reason the bidders have attended, teasing that she handpicked them for reasons the Traveler will soon learn.

The two are then confronted by Yingfeng, one of the bidders, who has come to realize that he spent a fortune for an ordinary teacup and accuses Ningguang of having sold counterfeits. The Tianquan counters by claiming all the items were of legitimate provenance; furthermore, she reveals that he and his fellow bidders are suspected of having illegally taken several of her belongings salvaged from the wreckage of the first Jade Chamber; hence, to lure them out, she has appealed to their greed by sending out invitations to the sham auction. Nevertheless, she offers to refund the money he spent in exchange for returning her belongings, which Yingfeng reluctantly accepts.

Afterwards, Ningguang confesses to the Traveler that her belongings from the first Jade Chamber have changed hands so many times even Yanfei is having a hard time determining their legal status, let alone defend her claims, and neither is she willing to buy them back lest the current owners capitalize on her misfortune; hence, as a last resort she set up the sham auction to lure them out. Furthermore, as the combined weight of the Jade Chamber, including the ornaments, contributed to the force with which it struck down Osial, she deems the merchants' greed an insult to the sacrifices she made to save Liyue, a point the Traveler sympathizes with, who in turn wishes her luck in retrieving the remnants of the first Jade Chamber [Ending B: The Weight of a Collection].

[Branch B] Time Off!

[Time Off!] If the Traveler opined that Ningguang needed a day off, the Tianquan concedes that, even if she is not one to be stressed from all her work, it does not hurt to take an excursus once in a while, and has the Traveler suggest an activity she normally has little time or opportunity to do.

At the former option, Ningguang's thoughts wander to "Liyue Millennial," a board game she made based on Liyuan culture, which she is planning to update to reflect the Osial crisis, in addition to promoting a limited-edition chess piece patterened after the Traveler, before inviting them to a tailor to take their measurements.

At the latter option, Ningguang proposes that she revisit her life prior to joining the Qixing, revealing to the Traveler that she was born to a family of poor fishermen who, at an early age, had to work hard to earn her Mora, ranging between doing odd jobs and selling her parents' catch at Liyue Harbor. At the Traveler's suggestion, they can either do odd jobs at Chihu Rock, where Ningguang started her career, or find employment at Northland Bank despite some apprehension by Ningguang in light of frosty relations between Liyue and Snezhnaya in the wake of the Osial crisis.

[Branch B-A] Liyue Millennial

[Liyue Millennial] If the Traveler encourages Ningguang to revisit her proposed update to Liyue Millennial, the two visit The Scent of Spring, where Ying'er, a woman of many trades, begins to take measurements of the Traveler with which she is to base the limited-edition Traveler piece, even as she teases the two for their amicable relations, to Ningguang's annoyance.

Next, they head for Mingxing Jewelry, where Ningguang passes on Ying'er's measurements for Xingxi to use as reference for the limited-edition Traveler piece. When Xingxi warns her that the costs may exceed the profits, Ningguang claims this piece is not for sale, which Xingxi deems uncharacteristic for such a profit-minded woman as her. The Tianquan then reminisces of a time when her financial acumen made her as many enemies as friends, who refuse to deal with her until her sacrifice of the Jade Chamber improved her image; Xingxi interprets her action as a calculated gambit to sway her skeptics, and the chess pieces she commissioned as a way to capitalize on her newfound popularity, encouraging her to keep working on the Traveler piece.

[After the Descent] Upon returning to the Jade Chamber, however, Ningguang admits to the Traveler that she lied to Xingxi about the sacrifice of the first Jade Chamber being a gambit; rather, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision when Osial threatened to overwhelm Liyue Harbor's defenses, and though she tried to rationalize her action as being for the greater good, she ultimately grieved over it, until the wave of gratitude she received made her realize that she inspired the people into tackling their problems with unshakeable resolve, meaning her sacrifice was not in vain; furthermore, she admits to lying because most Liyuans might find it difficult to broach the idea that the seemingly formidable Ningguang also has her vulnerabilities. Ninguang then thanks the Traveler for lending a sympathetic ear, giving her such courage that she would be ready to sacrifice the second Jade Chamber should crisis befall Liyue Harbor anew [Ending C: Unchanging Will].

[Branch B-B] Starting From Zero

[Starting from Zero] If the Traveler decides that they and Ningguang revisit the latter's roots, they visit Gou San'er, foreman of the docks, on the pretext that the Tianquan is making a surprise inspection of unclaimed and abandoned goods. He returns with a bag of surplus from the latest clearance, which Ningguang nevertheless purchases, to his confusion. Next, the two head to Second Life, where they had Bolai appraise the bag of goods, which he values at hundreds of thousands of Mora, well beyond their normal market price, with Ningguang making a more honest assessment that they only cost a couple thousand. In light of such misunderstandings, the Traveler and Ningguang agree that they are making little headway in Liyue Harbor without everybody deferring to the latter's position, leading the former to suggest going on an adventure in the wild.

[Adventurer's Survival Handbook] In Guili Plains, the Traveler and Ningguang begin work by defeating slimes and hilichurls, with the latter expressing excitement over being able to go outdoors for the first time in a while, especially now that she is reliving her humbler roots, when she had to work hard to earn her Mora. Along the way, Ningguang finds a hole in the ground dug by a Weasel Thief, and the Traveler helps her chase it away and retrieve a bag of Mora it stole.

[Opera Resourcer, Thrifty Expenditure] Later, though hungry, Ningguang rules out dining at nearby Wangshu Inn as part of her self-imposed poverty, so she proposes to the Traveler that they go hand-fishing at Bishui River like she did as a child. While enjoying their meal of grilled fish, Ningguang reminisces about her childhood, when she used to hurry home after work to do household chores, then head to Liyue Harbor with her family to sell their catch at the night market, before setting up her own business against her mother's wishes, from which she climbed up Liyue's social ladder until she earned a place among the Qixing. Nevertheless, she continues to have a special affinity for fish, a reminder of her roots, and thanks the Traveler for helping revisit her past, even as she jokingly warns the Traveler that she is a picky connoisseur in grilled fish [Ending D: Fortunes Shared].

[Branch B-C] Endless Smoke

[Endless Smoke] If the Traveler suggests that Ningguang revisit her past dealings with Northland Bank, they are given a cold reception by Ekaterina, who accuses the Tianquan of putting even more diplomatic pressure on the Fatui in the wake of the Osial crisis, putting off the Traveler and Ningguang, who claims she is out on a personal business. [A Clumsy Cover-Up] Outside the Bank, Ningguang notes that in the wake of said crisis, it was forced to pay reparations on behalf of Snezhnaya, warning the Traveler that with a few exceptions, the Bank and all its branches throughout Teyvat serve as the financial arm of the Fatui, before assuaging their embarrassment over having brought her there by incorporating their visit in their little survival game. Sensing that they are being spied upon by plainclothes Fatui, she proposes luring them into a trap while drawing as little attention to themselves as possible.

[The Snare] After inspecting their surroundings, the Traveler and Ningguang corner their spy, with the latter threatening him into cooperation with the knowledge that the Northland Bank would happily throw him to the wolves to cover their tracks. The man admits to having been sent by the Bank to spy on them after they were caught unaware by Ningguang's visit to ascertain her intentions, which Ningguang dismisses as overreaction on the Bank's part, even as she observes something suspicious about the whole affair, and decides to return to with the Traveler and the captured spy. [Confrontation] Therein, Ningguang catches Ekaterina still panicking over her surprise visit, chiding her for her overreaction to a small business matter and threatening them that she has ways to force the Bank to tell her what they are up to again [Ending E: Feint and Riposte].

Yun Jin

Act I: A Song That Knows Grace

Released: v2.4 "Fleeting Colors in Flight" (January 5, 2022)
Minimum Adventure Rank: 28
Prerequisite Quest: "The Crane Returns on the Wind" (Archon Quest Interlude Chapter, Act I)

[Start] Countryside Wandering

[Yun-Han Opera Troupe in Crisis] At the Liyue Adventurers' Guild, the Traveler meets Yunning, manager of the Yun-Han Opera Troupe, posting an emergency commission after Yun Jin left for Lingju Pass to seek inspiration anew following the debut of The Divine Maiden, fearing her prolonged absence may adversely affect the Troupe, or at least any injury might affect her performance, despite the Traveler assuring her that as a Vision holder Yun Jin can hold her own in battle. At the Pass, the Traveler finds Yun Jin struggling against a Ruin Hunter. After defeating it, they inform her that she has been sent by Yunning. Though relieved that the Traveler came to find her, she is also disappointed at having narrowly missed a chance to feel the same adrenaline rush borne of fear Shenhe felt long ago.

[Crisis Averted] Upon returning to Liyue Harbor, Yunning sternly warns Yun Jin not to pull such stunts mere days from her next performance; in turn, Yun Jin defends her actions as her way of getting into character. With both sides at an impasse, Yun Jin has the Traveler choose a side. If they err on the side of caution with Yunning, a reluctant Yun Jin concedes to skip outdoors practice and continue it in the safety of Liyue Harbor, before asking them to come see her at Heyu Tea House after her performance. Alternatively, if they side with Yun Jin, the Traveler tries to assuage Yunning's fears by pretending to be an applicant to the Troupe who has approached Yun Jin to take them in as apprentice, with the latter suggesting that they meet her tomorrow at Feiyun Slope.

[Branch A] After the Curtain Falls

[Midnight Meeting] If the Traveler suggested that Yun Jin continue her practice in Liyue Harbor, they visit her at Heyu Tea House the following evening after her performance, where they find her declining invitations from some of the audience to join them in after-show dinners, instead inviting the Traveler downstairs. [Guests from The Steambird] There, Yun Jin is approached by Boyi and Shiyun, ostensibly the editor-in-chief and a rookie journalist, respectively, from the Liyue branch of Fontaine-based newspaper The Steambird, who try to conduct an ambush interview. Faced with such a dilemma, Yun Jin consults the Traveler anew.

If the Traveler encourages Yun Jin to entertain Shiyun's request, both girls engage in a friendly conversation, having found common ground with their love for the theatrical arts, before Boyi interjects, warning his junior that they are out to get a scoop on Yun Jin's personal life, to the discomfort of both, with Shiyun abruptly leaving on the pretext of unfinished work and Boyi going after her. Yun Jin expresses exasperation over having to deal with the paparazzi, hence her need to have Yunning schedule and screen her interviews, even as she sympathizes with Shiyun, and so has the Traveler stalk Boyi and Shiyun to ascertain their intentions.

Alternatively, if the Traveler opted to follow Troupe protocol, Yun Jin refers Boyi and Shiyun to Yunning, only for both to go the other way, hence freeing the two of them to go on a tour of Liyue Harbor together.

[Branch A-A] Backstage Suspicions

[Suspicious Trails] If the Traveler allowed Yun Jin to be interviewed by Boyi and Shiyun, their strange behavior prompts Yun Jin to send the Traveler after them. If Boyi and Shiyun get too far away or they are alerted to the Traveler's presence and thus run away, the Traveler has no choice but report back to Yun Jin, who is dismayed that she was unable to continue her conversation with Shiyun, whose passion for opera has caught her attention, before Yunning fetches her [Ending A: A Shame That the Road is Rocky].

[A Strict Contract] However, should the Traveler successfully stalk Boyi and Shiyun, the two stop at a secluded corner of Chihu Rock, where the former scolds the latter for failing to capitalize on her opportunity to get a scoop on Yun Jin's personal life, in particular her unusual closeness to a blond youth, and thus give their upstart tabloid a much-needed breakthrough. When Shiyun protests Boyi's demeaning treatment of Yun Jin and threatens to sue him for libel, he in turn reminds her that she is contract-bound under his employment such that he can easily ruin her financially for even the smallest of slights.

[Alerting the Quarry] If the Traveler intervenes on behalf of Shiyun, she recognizes the Traveler as someone who has the ear of the Qixing, to the horror of Boyi, before asking the Traveler to pass her apologies to Yun Jin, who in turn is disappointed over missing a chance to get to know Shiyun better [go to Ending A].

[Long-Term Planning] On the other hand, if they decide to keep their distance for the time being, they report back to Yun Jin, thus confirming her suspicions about Boyi; that said, she declines to take immediate legal action lest the whole affair instead give him more tabloid fodder, never mind that tabloids have no permanent addresses, allowing them to skip town on the Millelith should she call on them. Instead, having taken an interest in Shiyun, she has the Traveler send a letter for her. Returning to the secluded corner of Chihu Rock, the Traveler waits for Boyi to leave to present Shiyun the letter, which states that under Liyuan law any labor contract that imposes a penalty exceeding the employee's salary in the event of a breach is considered nonbinding, giving Shiyun both a way to escape her contract and blow the whistle on Boyi. As Shiyun had to directly hand her draft articles to Boyi such that the latter can keep his workplace secret, she decides to prioritize on the contract, and agrees to join the Traveler to meet with Yun Jin.

At Heyu Tea House, the two catch Yun Jin barely dodging Boyi's increasingly personal questions and confront the man about Shiyun's contract, while Yun Jin claims that recently the Qixing issued the clause regarding labor contracts and threatens to sue him for extortion, which in turn would cascade into a thorough investigation of his business history, forcing Boyi to flee. Yun Jin allays the Traveler and Shiyun's fears that Boyi might try to destroy evidence by having Yunning coordinate with the Millelith to stalk Boyi, admitting that she was bluffing about Shiyun's contract to trick him into leading the Millelith to his workplace, which she believes would make for a stronger case than were they to rely on the contract, suspecting Boyi might be using legal loopholes to keep it beneath suspicion. With Boyi certain to face litigation—and at the best-case scenario, Yunning hopes, forced to rat out rival tabloids—Yun Jin assures Shiyun that she is now free to pursue her goals, such as working for the actual Steambird, lifting Shiyun's spirits enough to continue her interview with her new friend, to some chagrin from Yunning [Ending B: And Few Friends You Shall Find].

[Branch A-B] Half a Day's Leisure

[Yun Jin's Offstage Break] If the Traveler decides to continue their trip with Yun Jin and refer Boyi and Shiyun to Yunning to schedule their interview, the two head to Chihu Rock, where Yun Jin suggests that they eat at the barbecue stall of Chen the Sharp, from whom they buy Grilled Tiger Fish, as well as milk tea he has been promoting recently, before engaging in a hot pot game.

[On Stage and Behind the Scenes] Afterwards, the Traveler expresses surprise with Yun Jin's mischievous side beneath her prim and proper façade, which she admits is difficult to maintain sometimes. If the Traveler tells her that such expectations are unavoidable given her striking onstage persona, a mildly dismayed Yun Jin hands the Traveler a prepared autograph everyone else in Liyue Harbor has, to some dismay, too, from the Traveler [Ending D: A Souvenir Without Sentiment is of Little Worth]. [Commemorative Photo] On the other hand, if the Traveler sympathizes with her, Yun Jin is relieved to find someone with whom she can be comfortable showing her true self, and to celebrate their friendship, she suggests taking a photograph with the Traveler in front of Chen's stall, followed with another one taken from a more picturesque vista from Feiyun Slope [Ending C: Brought Together by Common Interests].

[Branch B] First Glimpse of Meaning

[Immersive Performance] If the Traveler claims to be a disciple of Yun Jin, they meet her again the following morning at Feiyun Slope, where the latter begins the former's training by honing their powers of observation by counting a flock of pigeons, followed by reliving past experiences, with the Traveler focusing on the battle against Osial, only to give a dull performance which they attribute to the fact that they had little time to mentally prepare at the time. Yun Jin realizes that the Traveler needs a more conducive environment, such as Guyun Stone Forest; the latter dissuades her from doing so and instead convinces her to settle for the suburbs north of Liyue Harbor.

[Well-Honed Performance] There, Yun Jin has the Traveler imagine something more commonplace, such as the disappointment of digging up a treasure chest that contained nothing but common produce, which elicits a better delivery from the Traveler. Realizing that they respond better to things they experience every day, she suggests that they take on a group of Geo Slimes and Geovishaps to relive the thrill of battle; impressed at their dexterity, she then suggests that they replicate their battle with the Fatui during the defense of Liyue Harbor using a group of scarecrows dressed in red.

[Meticulous Performance] However, Yun Jin thought it was still not enough to impress the audience, and suggests a more complex test of the Traveler's coordination skills, namely by attacking the scarecrows clad in red while avoiding those clad in blue. Once the Traveler passes that challenge, Yun Jin is so impressed she admits that she, too, needed to further develop her skills. She then expresses to the Traveler her hope that one day their heroics will become an inspiration for Liyue's opera scene just like Shenhe's was for The Divine Damsel, before she begins to seriously consider becoming the Traveler's acting coach [Ending E: The Cast Contemplates the Play's Meaning].