The quick answer
Use regions as separate exploration projects with their own stories, travel points and reward progress. Qinghe establishes the basics, Kaifeng expands the urban journey, Hexi includes Jade Gate Pass, Liangzhou and Qinchuan, and Hidden Mountain adds a strongly vertical mechanical landscape.
On this page
Find the right region before following a location guide
Open the world map and check the selected region or subregion name before placing a marker. Match that with the quest’s region and the nearest named Boundary Stone. A landmark can have a familiar-looking icon without being the destination described by your objective.
- Select the quest or activity you want to enter.
- Read its region and prerequisite.
- Open that region on the map and identify the relevant travel point.
- If the destination is unavailable, inspect its introduction rather than travelling along the border.
- Once inside, complete the first local tutorial and activate convenient Stones.
The aim is to establish access and a return route. You can decide how much optional exploration to do after you understand the region’s starting mechanics.
The major areas at a glance
| Area | Orientation | A useful first task |
|---|---|---|
| Qinghe | The opening region and foundation systems | Learn travel, local quests and Oddity exchanges. |
| Kaifeng | The city and its surrounding stories | Establish convenient travel points before following scattered leads. |
| Hexi | The wider journey through Jade Gate Pass, Liangzhou and Qinchuan | Select the correct subregion and follow its introduction. |
| Hidden Mountain | Layered terrain, Mohist mechanisms and later story chapters | Learn the intended routes and mechanism interactions. |
Follow the entry requirement for your destination
A region appearing on a world overview does not mean every character can immediately enter all of it. Track the relevant story introduction and read its level or quest conditions. When access is blocked, the destination entry is more useful than wandering along the map border.
Keep regional access separate from total completion. Unless a requirement explicitly names an exploration milestone, do not assume you must clear every older collectible before continuing the story. You can return to earlier areas for a particular reward later.
For Hidden Mountain, the entry begins with Yingying’s Invitation in Kaifeng; opening the world map is not the start trigger. Use the dedicated Hidden Mountain guide for the tavern, mechanical-bird and river sequence. For a specific activity within a region, check that activity’s release status separately from access to the region itself.
Check region, subregion and landmark names
Hexi is the broader region; Jade Gate Pass, Liangzhou Town and Qinchuan Path are names you will encounter within its exploration coverage. A guide can use the smaller area as its headline while the in-game activity belongs to the larger region.
Before following a location instruction, match three details: the broader map, the nearby Boundary Stone and the local landmark. This helps when translated names differ or when an external map opens in the wrong subregion.
A repeatable first-visit routine
- Read the region introduction and activate its tracked objective.
- Reveal local map information and activate travel points on your route.
- Learn any new interaction introduced by the quest.
- Complete a compact group of nearby discoveries.
- Inspect the region’s rewards and decide what you want to pursue next.
Our recommendation is to finish the introduction before starting a large collectible sweep. It gives you context for the mechanics and reduces the chance of misreading a quest-gated route as an inaccessible or broken map feature.
Return for a named goal
Choose one reason to revisit: a Melodies of Peace milestone, an unfinished side story, a required material or a specific completion category. Open the relevant regional filter and work around a convenient travel point. A clear goal makes a return visit more satisfying than trying to remember every unfinished icon at once.
Hidden Mountain’s story reached its finale in Version 2.2, so older introductions cover only part of its released content. Follow your current chapter sequence when returning; the newest campaign entry is not a substitute for the preceding story requirements.
Practical guides
Follow the introduction for the destination you want
- Enter Kaifeng from the Qinghe story
- Unlock the Hexi journey
- Start Hidden Mountain through Yingying’s Invitation
Each introduction has its own sequence. A later region appearing in the map selector or a patch announcement does not prove that your character has completed its entry steps. Read the destination’s actual requirement before treating it as a missing button.
Keep four regional questions separate
| Question | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Can I enter? | The region’s introduction and story requirement. |
| Can I see the local map? | The area’s discovery or Wayfarer information. |
| Can I travel back quickly? | Activated Boundary Stones. |
| What have I completed? | The correct region’s Journal and reward records. |
For example, revealing terrain is useful for navigation but does not clear its quests. Activating a Stone makes return trips easier but does not unlock every interior nearby. Keeping these states separate explains many apparently inconsistent map screens.
A worked return trip for one regional reward
Suppose you want a Qinghe Melodies of Peace milestone while currently exploring elsewhere. Check the Qinghe exchange requirement and the materials you already hold. Choose a Qinghe collection area near an activated Stone, complete the shortfall and return to its collector.
There is no need to reopen every unfinished quest in the region for this goal. Finish the selected exchange, note anything interesting for later and return to the story you were following. This gives an older region a clear purpose without turning every revisit into a full completion attempt.
What to read next
Common questions
Is Hidden Mountain the same place as Transdust Ruins?
No. Hidden Mountain is a region with story and exploration. Transdust Ruins is a separate extraction activity set in the Hexi desert, with its own preparation and match rules.
Why is Reflection Temple unavailable even though I reached the area?
The September 16 Version 2.2 notes temporarily closed its entrance until Jiangnan arrives, while preserving stage progress. That is an activity closure, not evidence that you need to clear more map icons. Recheck the official notices for reopening.
Sources & verification
Source research is separate from in-game testing. Recommendations are identified as editorial advice.
- Official: world and region overview
- Official: Hidden Mountain introduction
- Official: Hidden Mountain finale in Version 2.2
- Official: Version 2.2 fixes and temporary closure
Temporary Reflection Temple closure is distinct from region access.