Chapter 3

Qinchuan Dreams

main-story released epilogue qinchuan

Summary

Chapter 3 finale on the boundless Qinchuan steppe — a season-shifting map closes the current main-story arc.

Characters

Young Master of Heaven's Pier

Independent qinghe

The player character - infant rescued by Uncle Jiang and raised by Aunt Han at Blissful Retreat. After Heaven's Pier falls, the Young Master becomes a wandering xiake whose true origin remains unknown.

Connections

Story Sequel Paper Moon

Synopsis

The Qinchuan finale of the Hexi chapter. Qinchuan is the final region of Hexi - a vast open steppe that breaks the Chapter 3 mold with its season-switching map: spring, summer, autumn, winter, each with its own vegetation, lighting tone, and ambient narrative texture. The map's seasonal cycle is the region's signature, and it is folded directly into the chapter's themes of transience.Access is gated. The player must reach the level threshold, complete the Liangzhou main storyline (specifically the Liangzhou Melody series finale), and unlock Dasan Pass via the Death of the Governor quest. To unlock the main story epilogue - Qinchuan Dreams - the player completes the main story line from Liangzhou Town and enters the Qinchuan Path. The epilogue triggers after entering the new region and opening the scroll.The Qinchuan finale closes the chapter rather than the protagonist's overall journey. The Hexi expansion's threads - Burlap Sack's memory, Liangzhou Melody's resolve, Paper Moon's loss - fold into the steppe's seasonal cycle as the closing meditation. New bosses and a new mystic skill (alongside Idle Wind and Inking unlocked earlier in the chapter) round out the finale's mechanical payload.

Key Events

Complete Liangzhou Melody series (prerequisite).
Unlock Dasan Pass via the Death of the Governor quest.
Enter the Qinchuan Path.
Open the scroll to trigger Qinchuan Dreams (the main-story epilogue).
Traverse the season-switching map across spring → summer → autumn → winter cycles.
Encounter new bosses introduced with the Qinchuan finale.
Use the new mystic skill (alongside Idle Wind, Inking).
Hexi expansion narrative folds toward closure.

Outcomes & Revelations

Qinchuan region fully opened for exploration.
Hexi expansion's primary themes resolved into the seasonal cycle.
New Qinchuan bosses available (specific names not widely surfaced on English wikis at time of writing).
Idle Wind and Inking mystic skills are recommended unlocked before entry - both gate traversal.
Chapter 3 main story complete on global; player's open-world tail moves to side content and the four-track companion arcs.

Notable Quotes

“The steppe turns from spring to winter in a single breath — Hexi teaches transience.”
- Protagonist
“Carry the Parting Tears with you. Grief doesn't need a name to weigh the same.”
- Lian Daozi
“Open the scroll when the road from Liangzhou ends — Qinchuan waits beyond Dasan Pass.”
- Protagonist

Gameplay Notes

The season-switching map is the mechanically distinctive feature: vegetation, lighting, and ambient audio all cycle, and certain traversal routes change accessibility depending on the season state. Players should unlock both Idle Wind and Inking before entering - these mystic skills are explicitly called out in guides as gating sidequest reachability. Recommended level is 14+ per official prerequisites, but practical level for the finale's bosses is higher (~end-of-Hexi gear). Combat-wise, new bosses introduce movesets distinct from the Aureate Pavilion enforcers of Chapters 1-2; expect more environmental hazard interplay. Expect 4-8 hours to fully clear Qinchuan including side content.