You're standing in the middle of Qingce Village, talking to Granny Ruoxin, and she gives you that look. You know the one. It’s the look that says you’re about to spend the next forty minutes climbing cliffs and dodging Ruin Guards because someone decided to scatter ancient history across the Liyue landscape. If you're working through the "Chi of Yore" quest (formerly known as the Chi of Guyun), the objective to head to the ruin to search for fragments is usually where most players hit a brick wall. It's not just that the ruins are tucked away; it's that the game's internal logic for these puzzles can feel a bit like reading tea leaves in a thunderstorm.
Look, Genshin Impact doesn't always hold your hand. Honestly, that’s why we love it, but when you're stuck in a literal hole in the ground looking for a glowing rock, the charm wears off fast.
Getting to the Ruin Without Losing Your Mind
The quest starts simply enough near the Wuwang Hill area, but once you’re told to head to the ruin to search for fragments, the map marker is... well, it’s a suggestion. You’re looking for a specific site that sits south of the main Qingce Village hub. It’s a dilapidated circular arena-style structure. You’ll know you’re in the right place because a massive Ruin Hunter will likely try to drill a hole through your Traveler’s chest the moment you step foot inside.
Most players make the mistake of just wandering around the perimeter. Don't do that. You need to focus on the center where the incomplete writing is located. This isn't just flavor text; it's the mechanical trigger for the entire sequence. If you haven't interacted with the "Incomplete Writing" at the center of the ruins, those fragments you’re looking for won’t even be interactable.
Why does this matter? Because the game tracks quest states strictly. You can’t skip ahead. I’ve seen people spend an hour trying to "force" the statues to work before they've actually triggered the dialogue prompt at the ruin’s center. It’s frustrating. It's tedious. But it’s how Liyue’s ancient mechanisms operate.
Solving the Statue Puzzle
Once you’ve cleared out the Ruin Hunter—which, by the way, is much easier if you bring a bow character like Amber or Fischl to hit its eye—you have to deal with the statues. There are several Geo statues scattered around the inner lip of the ruin. The text tells you to "search for fragments," but what it actually means is "turn these specific statues on in a very specific order based on geographic landmarks."
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The writing mentions four specific points: the wind-swept ruin, the snow-capped peak, the adepti's abode, and the City of Liyue.
It sounds poetic. In reality, it’s a compass check.
- The Wind-Swept Ruin: This refers to Stormterror's Lair. Look towards the North/Northwest.
- The Snow-Capped Peak: This is Dragonspine. Look for the massive, freezing mountain to the East.
- The Adepti's Abode: This points toward Mt. Aocang to the Southwest.
- The City of Liyue: Look South toward the harbor.
You don't have to be pixel-perfect, but you do have to be close. If you activate them out of order, nothing happens. If you activate the wrong ones, you get a big fat nothing. When you get it right, a Precious Chest spawns. That’s your first fragment. It’s a heavy, jagged piece of stone that looks like it’s been through a blender.
The Fragments Near the Highest Point
After you head to the ruin to search for fragments at the base, the quest directs you upward. This is the part everyone hates. You have to climb to the very peak of the mountain overlooking Qingce Village. There’s a teleport waypoint nearby, but if you haven't unlocked it yet, prepare for a lot of stamina food consumption.
At the top, there’s another set of statues. This puzzle is slightly different. Instead of four landmarks, you have eight statues, and you only need to activate four of them. The logic is the same: look at the horizon.
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- Point toward the Wind-wail Highland (where the Stormterror dome is visible).
- Point toward the Qingyun Peak (the floating island in the sky).
- Point toward Liyue Harbor.
- Point toward Dragonspine.
It’s easy to get turned around up there because the clouds often obscure the view. If you’re playing on lower graphics settings, Dragonspine might just look like a grey blob. Pro tip: use your elemental sight. It doesn't solve the puzzle for you, but it highlights the interactable objects more clearly against the foggy backdrop of the Liyue peaks.
Why This Quest Tricked Everyone in 2020
When Genshin Impact first launched, the Chi of Yore was notorious. It was one of the few world quests that could actually "soft lock" a low-level player because the final encounter is incredibly difficult. After you head to the ruin to search for fragments and collect all three, you have to go into a cave. Inside that cave is a defense challenge where you protect a monolith from three Ruin Guards and a Ruin Hunter—simultaneously.
Back then, we didn't have the power creep of modern characters like Neuvillette or Arlecchino. We had Kaeya and a dream.
The fragments themselves are pieces of the "Chi," a dragon-like monster that Morax supposedly defeated and sealed away. The lore here is actually pretty dark. The "fragments" aren't just rocks; they are the literal remains of a god-like being whose blood turned into the amber found around Mt. Hulao. When you search for these pieces, you're essentially gathering the keys to a cage that was never meant to be opened.
Troubleshooting the "Missing" Fragment
Sometimes, even after you head to the ruin to search for fragments, the quest log won't update. This is a common bug. Usually, it happens because the third fragment is hidden behind a different puzzle near the teleport waypoint in the west of Qingce Village.
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Go to the bamboo forest. There’s a large clearing with Geo statues and some large amber chunks. You’ll need to interact with the statues in the correct order again. If the quest marker is stuck on the "head to the ruin" phase, try re-reading the "Incomplete Writing" at the first site. 90% of the time, the game just missed the trigger because you moved too fast or were in co-op mode.
Speaking of co-op, you can do the final fight with friends, but you cannot collect the fragments while in someone else's world. You have to be the host. I’ve seen people carry their friends through the puzzle only for the friend to realize they didn't get the item. Total waste of time.
Actionable Steps for Success
If you're currently staring at your screen wondering why the statues aren't glowing, follow this checklist. Don't skip steps.
- Check your inventory: You might already have one or two fragments without realizing it. They are in the "Quest" tab, not the materials tab.
- Clear the weather: If it's raining, the visibility for the mountain-top puzzle is zero. Use the "Wait" function in the menu to skip to a clear morning.
- Bring a Geo character: While not strictly required, having Noelle or Zhongli makes the "protection" part of the quest much easier later on.
- Focus on the landmarks: Stop looking at the statues and start looking at the horizon. The statues always face the direction they represent. If a statue is facing a wall, it’s probably a decoy.
- Lower your World Level: If the Ruin Hunter at the first ruin is killing you in one hit, you can lower your World Level (if you're at least WL 5) to make the fragments easier to obtain.
The Chi of Yore remains one of the most atmospheric quests in the game. It bridges the gap between the cozy vibes of Mondstadt and the high-stakes ancient history of Liyue. Once you've gathered all the pieces, head back to Granny Ruoxin. She’ll give you the location of the "vault," which is hidden behind a waterfall to the northwest of the village. Just make sure your team is healed up before you go in there. You'll need every bit of HP you can get.