Shifting Earth and Lost Threads Come to Light
Last updated 2025-08-01
Shifting Earth and Lost Threads Come to Light is the third part of Zhongli's Story Quest, Historia Antiqua Chapter: Act II - No Mere Stone.
Steps
- Head to Lingju Pass to investigate
- Look for more clues in the area
- Follow the footprints
- Ask people nearby for information
- Only Ling, the one furthest from the starting area, needs to be spoken to in order to advance to the next step.
- Follow the road and keep up the pursuit
- Save the ambushed scholar
- Defeat opponents
- Talk to the scholar
- Head to Nantianmen and look for clues
- Take the miner to a nearby camp to rest
- Obtain Archaic Stone
Dialogue
Quest DescriptionThe evidence at the mining site suggests that the miners followed the road north. You follow the trail, gradually closing in on them.
All manner of clues guide you along the way, including footprints, witnesses, and memories embedded in stone...
All manner of clues guide you along the way, including footprints, witnesses, and memories embedded in stone...
- (Head to Lingju Pass to investigate)
- Paimon: Wait, there are tracks here!
- Paimon: These must have been left by the miners!
- Zhongli: Let us make our way to the end of Lingju Pass. If there are no footprints there, it would suggest that the miners are still within the pass itself. However, if we find new tracks, we can follow them wherever they may lead.
- (Look for more clues in the area)
- Paimon: Hey! Footprints!
- Zhongli: It would appear that they made their way through Lingju Pass and kept moving.
- Paimon: If we follow their footprints, we should be able to find where they went!
- (Follow the footprints)
- Paimon: Oh no! The footprints end here!
- Zhongli: We should inquire with anyone nearby. If the miners came through here, they may well have seen them.
- (Ask people nearby for information)
- (Talk to Yonggui)
- Paimon: Hi there, have you seen anyone dressed like a miner around here?
- Yonggui: A miner? I'm afraid not.
- Paimon: *sigh* Let's try someone else.
- (Talk to Yonggui again, optional)
- Yonggui: *sigh* My legs don't work like they used to... Guess my age is catching up with me...
- (Talk to Wei)
- Paimon: Hello! Have you seen any miners nearby? About this tall — four of them?
- Wei: Stop bothering me! Can't you see I'm cloud-watching?
- Paimon: Geez! A little grumpy, aren't we?
- Paimon: Whatever, let's go ask someone else.
- (Talk to Wei again, optional)
- Wei: You again... I'm busy!
- (Talk to Ling)
- Paimon: Hey there, seen any miners?
- Ling: ...It must have been about four or five days ago. There were a few men who came through here carrying baskets and picks... I guess that could have been them?
- Paimon: Yeah! That's them!
- Zhongli: Four or five days ago? It appears that they were moving slower than we'd anticipated. Traversing the geography of Lingju Pass must have held them up.
- Ling: It was so strange! Four big guys with lifeless expressions... It was like they were in some sort of trance! And there was a child staggering in front of them...
- Zhongli: Huh, this child... Did you see what they look like?
- Ling: I caught a glimpse... blue hair, short. I think... I think it was a girl! She wasn't smiling, in fact she looked very serious.
- Zhongli: And they took this road?
- Ling: Yes, they followed it straight from here.
- Paimon: Let's go after them!
- (Talk to Ling again, optional)
- Ling: I've never seen anything like it... Were they sleepwalking? So bizarre...
- (Follow the road and keep up the pursuit)
- (Save the ambushed scholar)
- Paimon: More footprints... *gasp* There's a person over there!
- ???: Help! Please, save me!
- Paimon: Is that one of the people we're looking for? Oh! Rescue first, ask questions later!
- (Talk to the scholar)
- Wanyu: Those monsters were so aggressive — they must have noticed me walking through! Before I knew it they were all over me... Thank you all for saving me.
- Wanyu: My name is Wanyu, I belong to Liyue's Shenglu Hall. I head up our human culture and civilization research.
- Paimon: Huh? You sure you're not... a miner?
- Wanyu: A miner?
- Paimon: Yeah. We're looking for a group of four strong fellas carrying mining equipment.
- Wanyu: I... I think I saw those people.
- Paimon: Really!?
- Wanyu: Yes. I set off from Nantianmen the day before yesterday heading for Lingju Pass. About halfway there I came across some people — a few men and a child.
Can you be a bit more specific?- Wanyu: I was in a hurry, I didn't get a good look. I'm afraid I'm not even sure what they looked like... apologies.
- Zhongli: I think that's all we needed to hear. Thank you.
- Wanyu: I hope it's useful to you!
- Wanyu: I'd better get going, there's a conference I need to attend. Again, thank you all for your help.
- Paimon: According to this scholar, the miners were heading for Nantianmen.
- Kun Jun: Can we be absolutely sure that it was the men that we're looking for?
- Paimon: A child with a group of adults! Sounds pretty close to Paimon!
- It could easily have been a different group.
- Paimon: Uh... but...
- Kun Jun: Hey, perhaps that rock over there can tell us more!
- Paimon: Aha! Paimon nearly forgot about our secret weapon!
- Kun Jun: It looks promising, I'll do my best.
- (Kun Jun walks over to the rock)
- Kun Jun: Hmm...
- (Kun Jun sees a vision of four men walking along the road)
- Kun Jun: ...
- Kun Jun: It's the same group alright. They followed this road.
- Zhongli: Haha, Mr. Kun Jun, your stone-seeing is something I won't forget in a hurry.
- Kun Jun: I suppose it is an asset, though I rarely find a use for it. But praise from Mr. Zhongli is high praise indeed.
- Paimon: It's a good thing we brought our "Kun Jun compass" along! We would've lost all sense of direction a long time ago.
- Kun Jun: Hahaha, you think so? I guess it's been a worthwhile trip then.
- Kun Jun: It feels like... like we're cracking a criminal case. It's a lot of fun.
- Zhongli: Be that as it may, we would do well to keep our guards high.
- Zhongli: Four fully-grown men in a trance-like state... walking ceaselessly day and night... over hills and mountains... led by a child... This is no ordinary incident.
- Kun Jun: Oh! You're quite right, Mr. Zhongli. We should have our wits about us.
- Zhongli: That's not all. Our scholar was attacked by Geovishap Hatchlings, but the level of aggression they exhibited was... unusual.
- Zhongli: We have encountered many clues along the way. So far they've pointed us in the right direction.
- Zhongli: Hmm, the miners headed in the direction of Nantianmen the day before yesterday. From here they would have had to navigate a perilous mountain road. If their destination is indeed Nantianmen, we should be able to catch up with them.
- Paimon: Great! No time to lose!
- Zhongli: I left a mark in the vicinity just now. If Uncle Dai does pass through here, it should guide him to us.
- Paimon: Clever thinking! A classic Zhongli move.
- (Observe Stone, optional)
- Observe Stone: (This rock is no different from ordinary Cor Lapis... and yet, Kun Jun was able to see a memory through it.)
- Observe Stone: (It was thanks to this sort of rock that we were able to find some clues.)
- (Head to Nantianmen and look for clues)
- Paimon: Hey! Over here on the ground! Is this one of the missing people?
- Kun Jun: There's a basket lying here too... This must be one of the miners.
- Paimon: Hey! Hello? Can you hear us?
- Zhongli: Judging by his appearance, he must have collapsed from exhaustion.
- Paimon: Should we wake him up?
- Miner: I can... I can still dig...
- Paimon: *gasp* Sounds like he's whispering something...
- He looks like he's struggling...
- He looks like he's trying to stand up.
- Zhongli: It seems that he thinks he still has work to do. Something's not right.
- Zhongli: There's a camp nearby. We should take him there and monitor his condition before deciding our next move.
- (Take the miner to a nearby camp to rest)
- Zhongli: ...
- Paimon: How is he? H—He won't die, right?
- Zhongli: He's worked himself into a stupor. Thankfully, he's not in serious danger.
- How did he get so exhausted?
- Paimon: Paimon heard him talking about digging for something. Did he dig himself into this state?
- Zhongli: It's certainly a possibility.
- Strange...
- Wasn't he brought here?
- Kun Jun: Hm? It looks like there's something in his pocket...
- Kun Jun: Are these... ore fragments?
- Kun Jun: ...
- (Kun Jun sees a vision of the man picking up the ore fragments)
- Kun Jun: I just witnessed the memories within these ore fragments. This person brought these fragments out of the mine. He's one of the four that we're searching for.
- Zhongli: How he came to be here is what we need to understand.
- Paimon: So he was kidnapped, and then... abandoned here...
- Paimon: But if they didn't need him, why bring him all the way out here?
- Zhongli: Unless something happened... something that led him to fall behind.
- Paimon: Ugh...
- Paimon: Paimon's had enough! This is too mysterious!
- Kun Jun: Oh! Wait a moment! Seeing these fragments has jogged my memory — I have something for you.
- Paimon: What is it? Ooh! Is it a present?
- Zhongli: Something... for us?
- Kun Jun: As I mentioned, before I met Uncle Dai I was in a daze. After setting out with you on this case, it feels like a fog is lifting.
- Kun Jun: I was so happy when Uncle Dai enlisted you to help. I would never have managed to track down these clues by myself.
- Kun Jun: These are some crystals that I bought from the market. Not any old crystals mind you — this purity is extraordinarily rare! One for each of you. A memory, if you will.
- Paimon: It's beautiful... Oh — and the colors change as you turn it! It's like a different crystal from each angle.
- Looks expensive...
- Can I really keep this?
- Kun Jun: But of course, take it.
- Kun Jun: And this one is for Mr. Zhongli.
- Zhongli: ...
- Kun Jun: Huh? I—Is something wrong? Not to your liking?
- Zhongli: On the contrary... I just hadn't anticipated receiving a gift during the current circumstances.
- Zhongli: But, thank you. I will take good care of it.
- Kun Jun: I'm pleased you like them. It's nice to be able to give a gift that others can appreciate.
- Kun Jun: Oh! I see more rocks over there. You should all get some rest, I'm going to walk awhile — perhaps there are more memories to uncover.
- Paimon: You sure like rocks, huh Kun Jun...
- Kun Jun: Ores are the crystals of the earth, the sediment of time itself. I feel at peace among them.
- Kun Jun: Get some rest, and call me when you're ready to set off. I won't be far.
- (Kun Jun walks away)
- He'll be okay on his own, right?
- Zhongli: Rest easy, I surveyed the area. There's no danger here.
- Zhongli: Oh, however, there is something I wanted to discuss with you.
- Paimon: Huh? What's with the seriousness all of a sudden?
- Zhongli: Traveler... Does Dragonfall mean anything to you?
- No.
- Paimon: You mean the ore that Kun Jun's looking for? What's so special about it?
- Zhongli: Dragonfall is an incredibly rare ore used in forging. The majority of regular crystals are formed in high-temperature environments. Dragonfall, on the other hand, is formed as a product of elemental reactions.
- Paimon: Elemental reactions can produce material objects?
- Zhongli: Indeed they can. However, only a minority can survive for long periods of time.
- Zhongli: Dragonfall first emerged in the midst of a great battle, thousands of years ago. Powerful clashes of elemental energy gave birth to elemental crystals. When the fighting ceased, these geological remnants were miraculously preserved.
- Paimon: Cooool...
- Zhongli: And yet they are crystal creations all the same, few and far between, relatively unknown. A few hundred years ago, they were virtually mined into obscurity.
- Zhongli: Why is it then, that a citizen of Liyue now wishes to strike upon ore that has long since vanished from the earth?
- Paimon: Yeah! If he knows of its existence, surely he knows all of it's already been mined?
- Paimon: Weird... Paimon doesn't get it...
- Zhongli: There are those in the mining trade who retain a keen interest in Dragonfall. But for someone like Mr. Kun Jun... whose motivations for seeking it are unclear even unto himself... it's practically unheard-of.
- Perhaps he has ulterior motives.
- Paimon: Ulterior motives... *gasp* Is he a villain!?
- Zhongli: A conclusion that is presently impossible to reach. We must watch... and wait.
- Zhongli: Don't forget, rescuing those miners is the primary objective. As for anything else... Sooner or later the tide will reveal the lie of the land.
- Zhongli: We're drawing closer to our goal. I believe we should continue to follow this road through. Now that we've found one, the others won't be far away.
- Zhongli: When you're well-rested, call Mr. Kun Jun over to us. We still have more investigation ahead.
- Zhongli: We should ensure this miner is settled here at the camp. Once we've brought this matter to a close, we can return and attend to him. I suggest we leave a note for Uncle Dai. If he does find the camp he'll know what to do.
- (Obtain Archaic Stone ×1)
- (Interact with Mao the miner, optional)
- Miner: Ugh... Oh...
- Miner: (He looks exhausted.)
Trivia
- Differences between voice-overs and their official transcription:
- When Kun Jun has the line "Oh! I see more rocks over there. You should all get some rest, I'm going to walk awhile — perhaps there are more memories to uncover." his voice-over is "Oh! I see more rocks over there. You should all get some rest, I'm going to scan the surroundings — perhaps there are more memories to uncover."
Other Languages
| Language | Official Name | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| English | Shifting Earth and Lost Threads Come to Light | — |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 易地则明，失线则弗 Yì dì zé míng, shī xiàn zé fú | |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 易地則明，失線則弗 Yì dì zé míng, shī xiàn zé fú | |
| Japanese | 明るみに出た手がかり Akarumi ni Deta Te ga Kari | A Clue Which Came Into Bright Place |
| Korean | 단서를 따라서 Danseo-reul Ttara | Following the Clues |
| Spanish | Los cabos sueltos salen a la luz | The Loose Ends Come to Light |
| French | Changement de point de vue | Change of Point of View |
| Russian | По следу забытья Po sledu zabyt'ya | By Trace of Unconsciousness |
| Thai | เส้นทางที่เลือนราง | |
| Vietnamese | Truy tìm dấu tích | |
| German | Erdverschiebung und verlorene Fäden kommen ans Licht | Shifting Earth and Lost Strings Come to Light |
| Indonesian | Hilang Arah, Namun Tiba di Tujuan | Lost the Way, But Arrived at the End |
| Portuguese | A Mudança Leva à Clareza | |
| Turkish | Toprak Yer Değiştiriyor ve Kaybolan İpuçları Ortaya Çıkıyor | |
| Italian | La terra si muove e rivela ciò che è perduto |
Change History
Released in Version 1.5