What to know
- This puzzle appears in the Northern Vow Ruins during the “Echoes of Old Battles” side quest in Qinghe.
- You interact with glowing Chinese characters on two walls to form the phrase “山 河 寸 土, 誓 死 不 易” (roughly: “I vow to protect this land with my life”).
- The solution is: press 漂 on the left wall, then 百 and 移 on the right wall.
- If you press the wrong block, you can pull it back out and try again; the clue can be re-displayed with the clue key (L on PC).
The Northern Vow Ruins puzzle shows up in the early side quest “Echoes of Old Battles” in the Qinghe region, inside a stone chamber in the old fortress. After fighting through bandits and entering the main hall, you’ll find a large wall covered in protruding Chinese characters; this is the puzzle that blocks the way to the final chamber and the Touch of Death skill.
How to start the puzzle
Once inside the statue chamber, use the Yanyun Oath gesture to trigger and activate the wall puzzle.
How to solve the Northern Vow Ruins puzzle in Where Winds Meet
The puzzle requires you to press the correct character blocks so that the lit characters on each wall spell out the two parts of the vow: “山 河 寸 土” on the left and “誓 死 不 易” on the right.
Step 1: Understand the clue
The clue reads “山 河 寸 土, 誓 死 不 易”, roughly meaning “I vow to protect this land with my life.” The comma divides the phrase, place 山 河 寸 土 on the left wall and 誓 死 不 易 on the right wall.
Step 2: Solve the left wall
On the left wall, find the character block 漂 and interact with it. This will light up the block and form the phrase 山 河 寸 土. If you press the wrong block, simply interact with it again to reset it.
Step 3: Solve the right wall
On the right wall, interact with the character block 百 first, then press 移 on the same wall. Activating these two blocks in order will form the phrase 誓 死 不 易 and complete the right side of the puzzle.
Solve the right wall (Image credit: Everstone Studio | Via: YouTube - Patches the Fool)
Step 4: Open the door
After both walls display the correct phrases, the door at the far end of the chamber will unlock. Walk through to enter the final chamber and complete this part of the quest, earning the Touch of Death skill.
Rewards from Echoes of Old Battles
Completing the “Echoes of Old Battles” quest and solving the Northern Vow Ruins puzzle gives:
- Touch of Death: x1
- Wind Beneath Wings Page: x4
- Medicinal Tales: x1
- Lv. 2 Ebon Iron: x6
- Oscillating Jade: x2
- Echo Jade: x50
- Qinghe Exploration: x88 points
- Enlightenment Points: x100
- Character EXP: x13,000
- Zhou Coins: x13,000
Solving the puzzle
The Northern Vow Ruins puzzle is a straightforward early-game challenge in Where Winds Meet. Simply match the clue by pressing the correct characters on the two walls. Once both walls are correct, the door unlocks, letting you claim the Touch of Death skill and finish the quest.
Glad you followed along! If you have suggestions, questions, or want more details, just leave a comment—we’re always checking the section.
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