This page is designed to guide you through Zhongli’s story quest “Shifting Earth and Lost Threads Come to Light” which is the third quest in Act II of his quest line “No Mere Stone”.

Unlock Criteria¶

Description¶

The evidence at the mining site suggests that the miners followed the road north. You follow the trail, gradually closing in on them. All manner of clues guide you along the way, including footprints, witnesses, and memories embedded in stone…

Steps¶

1. Head to Lingju Pass to investigate
2. Look for more clues in the area
3. Follow the footprints
4. Ask people nearby for information
5. Follow the road and keep up the pursuit
6. Save the ambushed scholar
7. Talk to the scholar
8. Head to Nantianmen and look for clues
9. Take the miner to a nearby camp to rest

Head to Lingju Pass to investigate¶

This quest starts off with you heading into Ligju Pass, head northeast, and up the stairs you saw in Kun Jun’s vision, continuing north until you reach the objective marker for a scene. Paimon will notice some tracks and assume it’s the miners. Zhongli will tell you to search the end of the pass and if no footprints are spotted, it means they’re still within the pass, if there are, then they left the pass, and you can follow the footprints.

Look for more clues in the area¶

When the scene ends, glide over to the ladder you saw in the previous scene, this will avoid any unnecessary fights, climb the ladder, and continue north until you see an inoperable Ruin Guard, as you get nearer, you’ll get another scene. Paimon will notice some more footprints, meaning that the miners left the pass, Zhongli will then suggest you keep following them.

Follow the footprints¶

After the scene ends, northeast a little and Paimon will tell you that the footprints end here. She suggests asking nearby people if they’ve seen your missing marker.

Ask people nearby for information¶

There are three people here that you can talk to: Yonggui, Wei, and Ling. Ling is the only person you need to talk to, to progress the quest. She is the furthest objective marker in the north. When you talk to her, you’ll find out that your missing miners looked like they were in a trance, and that the girl they were following had short blue hair. Ling will then point you in the direction they were heading.

Follow the road and keep up the pursuit¶

Follow the road northwest, and when you reach your destination, you’ll spot a group of enemies consisting of three pyro slimes and two Geovishaps, this will make your quest objective update.

Save the ambushed scholar¶

The Slimes will go down with a few Hydro or Cryo attacks, but the Geovishaps can be a pain. When you begin fighting them, they start off dealing Geo damage, during the fight, they can infuse themselves with any element in their vicinity, which may make their attacks vary. The most frustrating part about fighting them, is their constant burrowing, as well as some of their attacks can deal a fair bit of damage. Their most notable attacks are:

Charge Attack¶

They will curl themselves up into a ball, and charge straight at you, sometimes following it up with a rising jump attack. It’s best to wait until they get near to you, then dodge to the side to avoid it.

Rising Jump Attack¶

They will rise and jump into the air, landing at your current location in a small area of effect, when they land, they’ll be stunned for a couple of seconds, leaving you an opening for an attack. This attack varies depending on its element.

• Cryo

After landing, several spots will appear near the impact site which inflicts Cryo damage to you.

• Electro

After landing, several Electro orbs will hover around the impact site; if you’re hit by them, you’ll receive Electro damage.

• Hydro

This will be a standard area of effect, dealing Hydro damage.

• Pyro

This will be a standard area of effect, dealing Pyro damage.

Slash Combo¶

They will attack you in slashing motion with their right claws, and follow it up with a slam into the ground with its left. Once again, this attack varies with their element.

• Cryo

The slash will inflict physical damage, whilst the slam will inflict Cryo damage.

• Electro

The slash will inflict physical damage whilst the slam will inflict Electro damage, it’ll also send out Electro orbs, similar to the Rising Jump Attack.

• Hydro

The slash will inflict physical damage, whilst the slam will inflict Hydro damage.

• Pyro

The slash and slam will inflict Pyro damage.

Shockwave Combo¶

They will slam their right claw at the ground which sends a shockwave of spikes at your location, they’ll follow this up with the left claw straight after, before finally slamming down both for a final shockwave. Once again, this attack varies with their element.

• Cryo

The spikes will deal physical damage. Then a ring of spots appears around them dealing Cryo damage after a few seconds.

• Electro

The spikes will deal physical damage, it’ll also send out Electro orbs, similar to the Rising Jump Attack.

• Hydro

The spikes will deal Hydro damage.

• Pyro

The slashes will deal Pyro damage.

Most of these attacks are easily avoidable by a simple sidestep just before the attack will hit you. They don’t really have any weakness unless they’re infused with a different element.

• Cryo

If they’re the Cryo element, they’ll be weak to Pyro, Electro is OK too, and Hydro can freeze them.

• Electro

If they’re the Electro element, they’ll be weak to Cryo, Pyro is good too.

• Hydro

If they’re the Hydro element, they’ll be weak to Electro or Cryo, even Pyro works fine.

• Pyro

If they’re the Pyro element, they’ll be weak to Hydro, Cryo and Electro are OK too.

Talk to the scholar¶

When they’ve been defeated, you’ll get a scene with Wanyu, the scholar who was assaulted by the enemies. She’ll tell you who she is, and Paimon will ask her if she’s seen your group of missing miners. She’ll tell you she was in a hurry but did spot a group similar to your description about half way between Ligju Pass and Nantianmen, Zhongli will thank Wanyu for the information, and Kun Jun will suggest that the rock nearby might have some clues. He’ll tell you he saw the same group following this nearby road.

Head to Nantianmen and look for clues¶

Teleport to the Nantianmen Waypoint, and head west a little. You’ll find one of the missing miners, laying on the floor, head over to him for a scene. Apparently he must have collapsed from exhaustion, according to Zhongli, and there is a camp nearby.

Take the miner to a nearby camp to rest¶

When the scene ends, head west a little, and head towards the camp for another scene. Paimon is worried that the miner may die, but her worries are put to rest by Zhongli who says he’s exhausted but not in any serious danger. After emptying his pockets, Kun Jun gets another vision from the ore inside them. He confirms that this was one of the missing miners. Seeing this ore jogged the memory of Kun Jun, and he offers each of you a crystal from his pocket, he tells you it’s for helping him with this case, and that it feels like a fog is lifting around him, you’ll receive the key item: Archaic Stone.

He tells you to get some rest and he won’t be far away. Zhongli will ask you if Dragonfall means anything to you. Apparently, the ore was mined into obscurity centuries ago, and if Kun Jun knows about them, he’d know that too. Paimon gasps “is he a villain”, and Zhongli tells her that any conclusion is impossible to reach, but you’ll find out sooner or later, even so, your priority is the missing miners. Finally, he says when you’re well rested, you’ll continue the investigation. When the scene ends, so will the quest.