Version 2.3, “Friends From Afar”, begins the next major chapter in Where Winds Meet on 15 October 2026. The full update details now answer many of the questions from our Qingzhou preview: how do we reach the region, where do we get the new Martial Arts, and what happens to our existing gear?
The update also brings specific balance changes, new endgame goals and a busy event calendar. We round up the key points and explain what they mean for getting started and planning the next few gaming sessions.
The announced maintenance was scheduled to run from 14 October at 23:00 to 15 October at 06:00 CEST. However, the news available as of 15 October, 08:05 CEST, does not include an independently confirmed server status. The maintenance schedule alone therefore does not guarantee that logging in already works everywhere.
Entering Qingzhou: Level 32 and Heaven Has No Pier
To enter, you need to be at least Level 32 and have completed the Qinghe main chapter “Heaven Has No Pier”. The new Lost Chapter “Away to Qingzhou” then takes you to the region.
If you cannot start the journey yet, character level and Qinghe story progress are the first things to check. The published requirements do not state that you must complete every previous region.
Qingzhou includes Oddities, more Meow-Meow challenges and regional activities. Its three world bosses are Tidewatcher, Old Raftsman and Shuttlecock Champion. First victories against each offer rewards including Medicinal Tales, Inner Way Note: Custom Chests and Echo Jade. This does not yet tell us their specific boss mechanics.
How to unlock Silkbind: Wings
The new Path Silkbind: Wings combines two Martial Arts. Each has its own unlock route in Qingzhou:
| Martial Art | How to unlock it |
|---|---|
| Museflow Waist Drum | Jianghu Legacy Sea Shepherd |
| Willowbend Fan | Jianghu Legacy Riddled Echoes |
They are joined by the legendary Inner Way Harmony Song, as well as Zephyr Whispers, Melody of the Brush and Blade’s Will. The new gear sets are called Cloudshear and Reinchime.
There is good news for anyone with chests saved up: the new Inner Ways can come from eligible Inner Way chests, explicitly including certain chests awarded before the update. This does not apply to every old chest. Check each chest’s contents before opening it.
To help with the switch, there are also four additional free Inner Way conversions and eight free gear set conversions. It is worth checking existing gear and suitable chests before clearing them out. We now know the unlock routes; that does not yet give us a complete build with a tested rotation.
Season 5: Tier 100 gear and Relaying
Season 5, “Ever Aflame”, expands several progression systems. It is important to distinguish between character level, gear and Solo Mode:
| System | Season 5 status |
|---|---|
| Overall character level | Still 100 |
| Maximum Solo Mode level | 18 |
| New gear tier | Tier 100 |
| New gear enhancement levels | 66 to 70 |
| Mystic Skill progression | Up to Tier 6, Level 25 |
Tuning and Attunement are also expanded, with further catch-up options for earlier gear tiers.
Relaying is particularly useful: Tier 96 gear can be upgraded to Tier 100, while retaining its set bonuses and existing Tuning and Attunement properties.
Our take: well-developed items should not be replaced or dismantled solely because there is a new tier number. First, check which existing pieces can be developed further. The information used here does not detail the specific costs or material quantities for individual upgrades.
The new enhancement levels require Howling Ore: Dustless. This material is available in the Season Shop in exchange for Jade Fish. Available stock is replenished on Mondays at 05:00 server time. Unpurchased stock does not expire: it can accumulate over several weeks and be bought later. It remains stock available to purchase with Jade Fish; replenishment does not automatically credit you with materials.
Weapon buffs: the key changes for existing builds
The balance announcement from 14 October lists several adjustments for Version 2.3. These abilities deserve a closer look:
| Ability or Martial Art | Change |
|---|---|
| Bamboocut: Kite | Base damage of all Falcon’s Pursuit abilities +12 percent |
| Bursting Nine | Total damage multiplier rises from 200 to 270 percent when every arrow hits the same target |
| Blinding Mist | Vitality cost −30; cooldown of the base version falls from 45 to 30 seconds |
| Blinding Mist, Tier III | Touch of Death damage bonus rises from 20 to 30 percent |
| Nameless Spear | Qi Imbalance damage bonus against exhausted enemies rises from 8 to 10 percent |
| Inkwell Fan | Lingering Bone lasts 5 seconds instead of 2 on bosses |
| Towline Sweep, Tier VI | Soulbreak damage rises from 10 to 12 percent |
For Riven Twinblades, Hero’s Blood grants invulnerability during certain aerial attacks outside the Arena. Several Skystrike Gauntlets attacks gain improved interruption points and additional resistance effects. The Hawkwing and Ivorybloom sets are also adjusted; this summary does not include the precise set changes.
The conditions matter just as much as the numbers: the full Bursting Nine value requires every arrow to hit the same target, and the stated Twinblades invulnerability must not be assumed to apply in the Arena.
Our take: Bamboocut: Kite, Blinding Mist and Inkwell Fan in particular make it worth testing your own rotation again. Individual buffs are not enough to establish an entirely new meta.
New group challenges and Path Trials
Two endgame challenges are added for Level 100 characters:
- Compass & Chime: a Sword Trial Campaign for five players.
- Liminal Ascension: a Hero’s Realm Campaign for ten players.
You can take part through matchmaking or with a group you assemble yourself. Both activities have their own challenge and leaderboard phases.
Their leaderboard rewards unlock on 16 October at 05:00 server time. The stated time in Germany is 15 October 2026 at 23:00 CEST. This date concerns leaderboard rewards and should not be treated as the start time for all of the content.
Compass & Chime offers Compass Chests and Chime Chests, among other rewards, with cosmetics such as Shattered Crest and Brainy Bell available through them. Liminal Ascension has its own reward chests and further exclusive decorations.
The Taiping Mausoleum Path Trials also begin a new phase. You can collect up to 60 stars. Rewards include Tier 100 Legendary Gear chests, Attunement Stones and other upgrade materials. The associated Path Trial Challenge Event runs until 29 October.
Guild League: qualification and dates
Season 5 resets systems including Guild Prosperity, the Prosperity leaderboards and Guild Technique progression. A portion of existing Wonder Jades and Mirage Incense Balls carries over. No precise carry-over percentage is given here.
Additional Breaking Army challenges bring Halcyon, Inkpincer Scorpion and Cloudclutch Serpent into the line-up.
The Guild League’s preparation phase runs from 15 to 23 October. There are no regular league matches during this time; Guild War matchmaking remains available.
To participate, a guild must meet at least one of these requirements:
- Win one Guild War matchmaking battle, or
- Reach 30,000 Guild Prosperity.
The subsequent three-week placement phase begins on 24 October. For planning together, it is worth choosing one of the two qualification routes early and keeping track of progress.
Qingzhou Opening Month and free rewards
Qingzhou Opening Month runs from 15 October to 14 November 2026. It requires Level 10 and completion of the Qinghe chapter “Another New Wing”. These are the event requirements; access to the region itself has the separate requirements described above.
Opening Month includes Oratory Debut, Inquiries of Ink-sight and the Exploration Manual. Rewards include Lingering Melody, Resonating Melody, accessories, decorations and an exclusive title.
Exam Showdown runs alongside it: players take the role of an examiner or examinee. Completing tasks earns Integrity Points, which can be used for additional rewards.
Other dates at a glance:
| Period or date | Activity |
|---|---|
| Until 29 October | Armament Drill: try Silkbind: Wings and the associated Inner Ways for free |
| From 22 October | Bubble Party and Merchant’s Way |
| Log in during the event period ending on 14 November | Five Surething Feathers |
In Merchant’s Way, players can sell Wooden Eagles along trade routes and earn Wooden Eagle Tokens. These can be exchanged for rewards including Lingering Melody and Resonating Melody.
Armament Drill’s free trial lets us look at the new Path before changing our own gear. It does not promise permanent access to the abilities. The information used here does not include precise German end times for the events listed.
Inkbound Order and War of Words
Joining the Inkbound Order starts with Master Goose near the Wayfarer area of Qingzhou. After receiving permission to apply, you take an entrance examination.
You can then join as a regular member or participate as a Visiting Disciple. The latter lets you retain your existing sect membership. No Severance Trial is required to leave the Inkbound Order. Regular members also receive a recommendation to join another sect when they leave for the first time after reaching the Initiate rank.
The War of Words debate system uses three lines of defence: Valour, Poetics and Discernment. Attacks use Gab Cards, Quip Cards and Maxim Cards. Once any one of the three lines is completely broken, the debate is lost.
The existing Gift of Gab remains in place, and the Scholar rank carries over. The Profession feature should be unlocked before getting started. New cards can be obtained through Gift of Gab challenges in Qingzhou.
PvP: Transdust Ruins around the clock and Arena changes
Transdust Ruins will be available around the clock in Solo and Trio modes. The previous time windows no longer apply to those two modes. Our Transdust Ruins guide covers the basics.
In the classic Arena, players can search for another opponent directly after a 1v1 match without leaving the scene. There are also matchmaking improvements and additional options for automatically starting further battles.
Players whose Arena level is at least ten levels below the current cap receive a substantially increased experience bonus. No specific amount is stated here. The new Arena season runs until 26 November and brings additional rank rewards.
For Perception Forest, leaderboard calculations and matchmaking are adjusted to reduce extreme rank differences. It also receives its own weapon balance changes: Vernal Umbrella’s invisibility gains a ten-second cooldown. This figure belongs to the Perception Forest context described here.
Clearer group combat and modular PC downloads
The previously announced quality-of-life improvements are also taking shape. Smart Martial Art VFX Transparency makes combat effects more transparent in Hero’s Realm and Sword Trial. Umbrella effects can be partially hidden when they obstruct the view of your character or the boss.
Group leaders gain a Ready Check and additional role management options. Groups formed through matchmaking gain an AFK detection and penalty system. Multiplayer training dummies with shared damage statistics are also being introduced, along with the Warehouse and Mount Sack system.
The official PC launcher gains Modular Downloads. The game should be able to launch once the basic data is available, while further packages download in the background. Resource management should also let you remove game data you no longer need. The targeted removal of individual regions remains not explicitly confirmed.
Conclusion
Version 2.3 offers far more than a new region: Qingzhou gets clear access and unlock routes, Season 5 expands gear progression, and existing builds receive several improvements. For the next few gaming sessions, it is worth checking story progress and existing gear first, then planning for events, group content and guild qualification.
Suitable old gear and chests do not need to disappear from our inventories straight away. And if the transparency settings deliver on their promise, we might even be able to see our own characters again during the new challenges.