In Where Winds Meet, The Echoes of Old Battles quest begins at a crumbled fortress located in Qinghe where it won’t be long before you encounter hidden mechanisms and some unexpected combat during your exploration. If you feel uncertain of what to do after entering the stronghold or triggering the side quest, this guide outlines the essential steps needed to progress smoothly without revealing too much upfront.
Beginning the Quest
To begin the quest, travel to the marker in Qinghe and speak with Lie Bujin. After that, head to the ruined castle and eliminate the bandits blocking the way inside. As you explore the inside, you will encounter additional foes, including their boss, Zhang Bao. Once he has been defeated, check the nearby chest for clues leading you to the fire contraptions you’ll need to face next.
Lighting the Fire Contraptions
You’ll need to light four fire contraptions, and you can tackle them in whichever order you find them.
- Training Ground: The first contraption is in the same area where you defeated Zhang Bao.
- Castle Entrance Side: Head back toward the front gate. With the entrance ahead, turn left, go up the stairs, and follow the broken wall upward. You’ll find the second contraption already burning.
- End of the Crumbled Wall: Keep moving along that wall until you reach another contraption at the far end. Climb the small ledges to reach it and light it.
- Eastern Lower Platform: The final one is on a lower platform to the east. You can jump toward it and climb up, or drop down, fight through a few enemies, and climb from below.
Ignore the contraption near the bandits, it’s not part of the puzzle. The correct one is higher up. After all four are lit, go back to the training ground. A pressure plate will have appeared, use Mighty Drop to trigger it and reveal a hidden passage.
Accessing the Underground Section & Solving the Wall Puzzle
Follow the new opening downward. Not far inside, you’ll encounter a soldier’s body—interact with it to learn a pose. Continue until you reach a huge statue. To unlock the next puzzle, perform the Yanyun Oath pose in front of it. This activates the stone-block wall puzzle.
The chamber contains several stone blocks with characters carved into them, but only three of them need to be pushed.
On the Left Wall:
- Push the block marked 漂
On the Right Wall:
- Push the block marked 移
- Push the block marked 百
Doing this correctly unlocks a door deeper inside the ruin.
Reaching the Rewards Room
Head through the newly opened door, then slip behind the waterfall and pull the lever hidden there. This opens one final chamber. Inside is a chest containing several rewards, including the Touch of Death Assassin Mystic Skill, which lets you dispatch unaware enemies instantly from behind. To complete the quest fully, read the writing carved on the wall inside this chamber. Once you do, the Echoes of Old Battles storyline concludes.
