It can be somewhat difficult to obtain the Vernal Umbrella from Where Winds Meet because it gives you some vague hints and locks you out of the banquet hall. This quest is tied to another quest within the game though and the whole area is blocked unless you unlock that chapter. This article will go through why that happens, how to start, and eventually get the umbrella for yourself.
Figuring Out Where the Quest Starts
When you’ll be examining the umbrella item in your inventory, you’ll see that the game asks you to activate either Martial Arts Talent or Basic Martial Arts. What you’ll need to do here is click on Martial Arts Talent and it will lead you to a quest location whose name is Ninefold Umbrella. The area will appear quite dark on the map but don’t worry, you’ll still be able to access it with ease.
Once you arrive on the site, a lost chapter called Shadows in Bloom will get triggered automatically. It’s important to remember that this isn’t optional and you have to finish it if you want to get your hands on the umbrella and use it.
Now if you have already completed Shadows in Bloom then that’s a different matter and your experience here might vary a bit, but for most players, the scene plays out the same.
The Banquet Barrier Problem
When you arrive, you will notice something strange: the front looks ordinary, but there is an unseen barrier in your way. When you try to slip inside, you will be warped back out with a message saying you’ve interrupted an official banquet—essentially the game’s way of saying, “you are not allowed to already be in here.”
This isn’t a glitch. It simply means that there’s a quest associated with this location that you must do before the game will allow you to go through the door.
Start the quest by speaking with Wang Ping’an, the young attendant posted at the entrance. After going inside, head up to the third floor to meet Jiang Ting’er.
She’ll block access to the private banquet until you retrieve a personal memento. To get it, you’ll need to track down several clues scattered around the pavilion.
The banquet area only becomes accessible to you when the quest is completed; entering the banquet area (or the Velvet Shade) will finally let you use the Vernal Umbrella.
