Trying to complete the “Vernal Umbrella” quest in Where Winds Meet can be a little confusing when it suddenly asks you to go to the third floor, but doesn’t give you a direct way to do this. Instead you are now required to find six hidden clues scattered around the building. This guide will show you each clue and exactly where to find them, so that you can unlock the upstairs route and continue your quest.
How to Gather All Six Clues to Reach the Third Floor
Once the Vernal Umbrella storyline sends you on your way to the banquet hall, you will receive a request from the game to get to the third floor. The kicker is that you cannot progress until you collect six specific clues scattered around the building. Here is a rundown on how to collect all six:
Clue 1 – The Person Upstairs
Begin by going to the upstairs area where an NPC is standing. Speaking with them will unlock the first clue.
Clue 2 – The Man on the Stairwell
As you descend the stairs, the second clue will trigger automatically. If it does not, head back into the stairwell and locate a man who is lingering between the two floors, staring through a barred gate. Approaching him will also unlock clue two.
Clue 3 – Eavesdropping on the Outer Ledge
Now you’ll want to open your clues list, as these clues only make sense once you have read the suggested hints. For clue three, head outside into the courtyard, and ascend from the exterior toward the third floor. You won’t immediately enter the building, but you can traverse along the ledge. Continue traversing until you round a corner where you can listen in on a conversation through the wall. The eavesdropping through the wall completes clue three.
Clue 4 – The Tabby Cat on the West Side
From here, move down on the west portion of the building. A tabby cat is hiding in the back-left corner. Engage with the cat, and the fourth clue is automatically recorded.
Clue 5 – The Chess Players at the Pavilion
Turn back to where you found the cat. A pavilion is directly behind that location, inside which, there are two women playing chess. There is a small window on the left side of the pavilion. That window can be used to listen in, and what you hear counts as clue five.
Clue 6 – The Rear Room on the First Floor
For your final clue, head back indoors to the main building. Once back inside, head to the first floor and walk into the back left room, which is the room closest to where the quest first instructed you to get to the third floor. When you walk into that room, you will trigger another eavesdrop action, completing clue six.
Once every clue has been examined, begin drawing conclusions from the information you gathered. This process will send you to the location where the warehouse key is being kept. Use Heavenly Snatch to lift the key without being noticed, open the warehouse, and recover the keepsake stored inside, the Bramble Rose Hairpin. Deliver the item to Jiang Ting’er to proceed into the banquet.
After entering the hall, focus on the performance by Flower Messenger Hua Zhiqing. Wait for the correct timing, then activate Skill Theft to take the umbrella subtly, ensuring no one realizes it has been taken.
