The quick answer
Reach level 14, complete Qinghe’s Still Shore campaign and follow By Lamplight from the Yellow River shore near Bamboo Abode. The route includes In the Quiet of Night and Desert Without Sails. Reaching the desert is only the first step: restore its three Flickering Orbs and strike the ship’s drum to open Jade Gate Pass.
On this page
Begin at the shore and return to the mural
- Track By Lamplight, whose opening objective is Drifting Through Dreams. Collect the Vessel of Soul bag on the marked Yellow River bank in eastern Qinghe.
- Go to the abandoned shed northwest of Bamboo Abode. Inspect the surroundings and mural.
- During Rendezvous by Lamplight, light the candle, finish the scene and take shelter. Speak with the Veiled Woman.
- Advance the clock to the following day’s requested Shen/You period. Return for the meeting and inspect the center of the mural again.
If the meeting does not trigger, check both parts of its objective: the time period and the following day. Moving the clock within the same day may leave the date condition unfinished.
Finish In the Quiet of Night
In the cabin, examine the painting at the far end of the room and complete its interaction. Continue to the cabin exit and the boat sequence. This carries you into Hexi and leads into Desert Without Sails; do not stop at the first arrival scene if the wider desert remains blocked.
Restore all three orbs and sound the drum
- Use Tai Chi to restore the broken bridge. Cross it, approach the sandy figure and collect the torn map he leaves behind. Descend to activate Celestial Spring Station’s Boundary Stone.
- At the first glowing shipwreck, defeat the Utuk Raptor and use Tai Chi on the flickering fragments. Give the map to the old man, then follow him and the footprints.
- Clear the raptors at the second wreck and restore its orb with Tai Chi. Follow the old man through the storm towards the large tree and stranded ship.
- Climb the ship’s ramp and restore the third orb. Defeat the attacking raptors and Utuk Vanguard.
- Take the next ramp to the top. After the figure disappears, strike the drum. The cleared sandstorm is the access checkpoint.
Complete the introduction and check what is still locked
Continue By Lamplight to the fish tank at the shipwreck. Investigating it provides the Mysterious Scroll used to track Burlap Sack, the next main-story section.
Our recommendation is to finish that handoff before starting a long collectible route. It leaves you with a clear story objective when you return. This opening grants access to Jade Gate Pass; later Hexi areas have their own progression requirements.
If the opening clue is absent, check level 14 and Still Shore first, then inspect the shoreline and quest log. Finishing all of Kaifeng is not the basic entry requirement. Read any story-order warning before choosing to start Hexi early.
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Common questions
Why am I in Hexi but still blocked by sand?
Finish Desert Without Sails: repair three Flickering Orbs, defeat the final enemies and strike the drum at the top of the ship.
Do I need to finish the entire Kaifeng story first?
No. The early access route uses level 14, Still Shore and the By Lamplight introduction. Starting early can reveal story material out of order.