Where Winds Meet‘s Version 2.0 update launched Hidden Mountain on July 23, 2026, kicking off the game’s new “wuxia meets clockwork” era. It’s one of the game’s largest and most vertically ambitious regional updates so far: four main areas, 14 sub-regions, and over 2,000 meters of vertical exploration, from underwater Mohist ruins to a mechanical city floating above the clouds. This guide covers how to unlock Hidden Mountain, prepare a returning character, and prioritize its major activities.
In this guide, we cover:
- How to unlock Hidden Mountain
- Returning-player catch-up priorities
- The map, Divinecraft, and mechanism puzzles
- Mohist Hill and the Qiongqi Artificers
- New weapons, bosses, and Tier 96 gear
- Launch rewards
How to Unlock Hidden Mountain Expansion
Hidden Mountain’s introduction begins with Yingying’s Invitation in Kaifeng and leads into the new Changeless Heart campaign. The route includes the Golden Escort Agency, a Lu Ban Lock, several river-crossing attempts, and a final entry trial.
1. Start Yingying’s Invitation
Visit the inn on South Gate Avenue, listen to the storyteller describe “the Haven,” and speak with Yingying. After she leaves, follow the mechanical bird to the Golden Escort Agency.
Inside, follow the bird through the underground passages. Inspect the marked chairs and activate the levers to open new routes through the central chamber. The final passage reunites you with Master Jin and reveals that the Haven lies inside Hidden Mountain.
2. Solve the Lu Ban Lock
Move the central piece completely to the left, then shift the vertical piece to release the lock and continue toward the river.
3. Cross the Misty River
The crossing is designed to fail several times, so being returned to shore is part of the quest.
Speak with the marked NPCs, gather the requested supplies, and complete the Gift of Gab interaction when prompted. During later attempts, use Wind Sense to reveal the hidden whirlpools and follow their route through the fog. Continue the scripted crossings until you reach Hidden Mountain’s shore.
4. Complete Heron’s Entry Trial
After landing, follow Feng inland and speak with the nearby Wayfarer to unlock the local map. Help Feng build the flying contraption, then begin Heron’s trial.
Lightness Skills are disabled here. Use Celestial Seize to reposition the hanging chains and place wooden planks across them to create bridges between the platforms. Repeat the process, clear the final enemy, and continue up the mountain to unlock Hidden Mountain’s main explorable area.
Progression note: The character level cap remains 95, while Version 2.0 introduces the new Tier 96 gear progression..
The Hidden Mountain introduction includes several story stages, mechanical puzzles, repeated river crossings, and Heron’s final entry trial. With our Where Winds Meet Story Boost, a professional booster can complete your selected story chapters manually, unlock their rewards, and move your character through the storyline without the lengthy quest grind.
Returning Player Catch-Up Checklist
If you’ve been away a season or two, run through this before touching Hidden Mountain content:
- Claim pending return/login rewards and clear obsolete gear and quest items out of your inventory.
- Check your level against the 95 cap and your Solo Mode tier.
- Open catch-up gear chests to replace outdated pieces or fill Arsenal gaps, but compare before investing — they’re not a guaranteed upgrade.
- Clear outstanding Breakthrough Trials (Solo Mode has a temporary difficulty option if a boss is out of reach) and check your Sword Trial Energy cap before spending it.
- Open Develop → Improvement Guide — the fastest way to see what needs your attention, flagging neglected Gear Enhancement, Martial Art, Inner Way, and Mystic Skill progression.
Worth knowing: Gear Enhancement is tied to your equipment slot, not a disposable drop, so switching to Gauntlets doesn’t reset that investment to zero — one of the safer places to put catch-up materials. None of this is Hidden Mountain-exclusive; Version 2.0 just gives you new Tier 96 targets to spend the results on.
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The New Region Itself
Hidden Mountain contains four main areas and 14 sub-regions arranged across an unusually vertical map — underwater Mohist ruins, underground labyrinths, mountain settlements, cloudways, clockwork towers, and a city suspended above the clouds. Two new traversal tools help you get around: Aircraft and a Shuttle Train, both used to travel between different parts of the region.
Hidden Mountain’s vertical layout spreads its waypoints, puzzles, activities, and exploration objectives across underwater ruins, underground passages, mountain paths, and elevated mechanical areas. Our Where Winds Meet Map Completion Boost handles the selected region’s available exploration content manually, including map unlocks, Jianghu Legacy activities, Outposts, and World Bosses included in map progression.
Divinecraft and Mechanism Puzzles
Divinecraft and Celestial Seize
The Divinecraft questline introduces Hidden Mountain’s Mohist mechanisms and teaches you how they interact with the environment. Celestial Seize is the main tool used to grab, move, and reposition objects or mechanism parts, opening blocked routes and solving exploration puzzles.
Common Puzzle Types
Lu Ban Lock mechanisms use interlocking pieces that must be moved in the correct order. Rotate the camera to identify the piece that can move first, then work outward from it.
Chest and environmental puzzles generally involve:
- Activating components in sequence
- Inserting a missing mechanism piece
- Moving a connected obstacle
- Using explosives to clear a blockage
- Repairing or completing a larger structure
Look for movable parts, empty connection points, and nearby objects that react to Celestial Seize before assuming a mechanism is locked.
Exploration and Collectibles
Hidden Mountain contains five mechanical marvels, each requiring a different discovery method — the official preview highlights the sound-tracking Jadesong Cicada and the water-gliding Wicker Ray. The region also has eight Jianghu Legacies alongside dozens of side stories, so don’t treat chests and marvels as the only reason to clear the map.
Wildlife here is more reactive than in older regions — monkeys throw stones if provoked and have been seen riding wild boars. Flavor, not a combat system, but a nice touch while exploring.
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Mohist Hill and the Qiongqi Artificers
Mohist Hill is the engineering-focused new sect based within Hidden Mountain—the region and the sect are closely connected, but they are not the same thing.
The sect follows the principles of Utility, Universal Love, and Non-Aggression. Instead of progressing mainly through martial training, its disciples focus on research, mentorship, and submitting their creations. You begin as an apprentice and gradually work toward master-artisan status.
Mohist Hill sect stands in direct opposition to the Qiongqi Artificers, a rival faction that treats mechanical power as a means of control rather than public benefit. Their ideological conflict drives much of Hidden Mountain’s story and several of its enemy encounters.
Some Mohist Hill rewards may also be available through the Universal Love Shop without formally joining the sect. Check the live inventory before switching factions solely for a particular weapon or material.
New Weapons: Heavenwill Gauntlets and Skygrasp Rope Dart
Heavenwill Gauntlets are a close-range, high-tempo weapon built around fast combinations and explosive burst damage. Skygrasp Rope Dart pairs with them as the Bamboocut Kite path, handling crowd control and distance management to set up the Gauntlets’ burst window — a flexible pairing rather than a fixed “Rope Dart first” combo, since the ideal rotation depends on your unlocked skills and Inner Ways.
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Bosses
Mechanical puppetry defines many of Hidden Mountain’s encounters. Expect bosses built around wires, synchronized movements, controlled bodies, and visible mechanical weak points rather than straightforward damage checks.
Notable bosses include:
- Changeless Heart – Zhang Wanshi: Uses deadly puppet formations.
- Rosy-Faced Swordsworn: A twin-blade fighter controlled through hanging wires.
- Ci & Cuo: A synchronized World Boss duo that attacks as a coordinated pair.
- Ironheart Centipede: Uses rapid multi-leg strikes and toxic mist.
Hidden Mountain contains more than 10 new bosses in total, while Bell Toller and Golden Colossus have been announced for future content.
Across these encounters, focus on movement patterns, mechanical phases, and exposed weak points instead of relying on uninterrupted damage.
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Gear Preparation for Tier 96
Evaluate Gear Before Investing
Catch-up gear, Arsenal development, Tuning, and Attuning serve different purposes. When you obtain Tier 96 gear, compare its attributes, set bonuses, Tuning potential, and Attuning effects before spending materials. A higher-tier item is not automatically better if it does not support your Martial Art path.
Tuning Reset Restrictions
Version 2.0 also introduces Tuning Reset, but it applies only to eligible Tier 100 Epic and Legendary gear—not newly obtained Tier 96 pieces. Reset attempts are limited, have a cooldown, and cannot be reversed.
Gear Quality-of-Life Changes
Other improvements include:
- Modulating Stones from recycling Fully Tuned Legendary Gear
- Quick Add for Tuning materials
- Gear favoriting and pinning
- A shorter five-day Retuning Correction cooldown
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Version 2.0 Launch Rewards Overview
The developers have confirmed that completing Version 2.0’s Hidden Mountain content grants a total of 60 free pulls, including pulls converted from Echo Jades, plus three outfits. Check the live Events menu for the exact activity requirements, claim periods, and reward distribution.
Readiness Checklist
Required before entry
Confirm your character can pick up Yingying’s Invitation in Kaifeng — it’s a long, multi-stage quest, so budget real time for it rather than expecting a quick unlock.
Recommended before harder content
- Approach the current level cap before starting — it’s a smoother ride in, not a hard gate.
- Replace severely outdated equipment, update your Inner Ways, and finish available Martial Art/Mystic Skill breakthroughs.
- Learn Celestial Seize interactions before attempting story puzzles.
- Keep enough inventory space free for new gear and regional materials.
Hidden Mountain is a genuinely large addition, and most of what makes it worth playing — the vertical map, Divinecraft, the new weapons, the sect rivalry — has nothing to do with catch-up systems. Treat the returning-player prep as step one, not the whole guide.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do you unlock Hidden Mountain in Where Winds Meet?
Start Yingying’s Invitation at the inn on South Gate Avenue in Kaifeng. Follow the mechanical bird through the Golden Escort Agency, solve the Lu Ban Lock, complete the Misty River crossings, and finish Heron’s entry trial to reach Hidden Mountain’s main explorable area.
Where do you start Yingying’s Invitation in Where Winds Meet?
Travel to the inn on South Gate Avenue in Kaifeng. Listen to the storyteller describe “the Haven,” then speak with Yingying to begin the Hidden Mountain introduction.
How do you cross the Misty River to reach Hidden Mountain?
The river crossing is designed to fail several times. Speak with the marked NPCs, gather the requested supplies, complete the Gift of Gab interaction, and use Wind Sense during later attempts to reveal the hidden whirlpools guiding the route through the fog.
How do you use Wind Sense to follow the hidden whirlpools?
Activate Wind Sense during the later river-crossing attempts. It reveals the whirlpools hidden beneath the fog, allowing you to follow their route rather than sailing directly toward the destination.
What is the Lu Ban Lock solution in Yingying’s Invitation?
Move the central horizontal piece completely to the left, then shift the vertical piece. This releases the lock and allows the story to continue toward the river.
When was the Where Winds Meet Hidden Mountain expansion released?
The Hidden Mountain expansion launched with Where Winds Meet Version 2.0 on July 23, 2026.
Is the Hidden Mountain expansion free?
Yes. Hidden Mountain was released as part of the free Version 2.0 update rather than as a separately purchased expansion.
What is included in the Where Winds Meet Version 2.0 update?
Version 2.0 adds the Hidden Mountain region, the Changeless Heart campaign, Divinecraft puzzles, Celestial Seize interactions, Mohist Hill, the Qiongqi Artificers, Heavenwill Gauntlets, Skygrasp Rope Dart, more than 10 bosses, Tier 96 gear, and new launch rewards.
What level should you be before starting Hidden Mountain?
The guide recommends approaching the current Level 95 cap before attempting harder Hidden Mountain content. This is preparation advice rather than a confirmed entry requirement.
How big is the Hidden Mountain map?
Hidden Mountain contains four main areas and 14 sub-regions, with more than 2,000 meters of vertical exploration. Its environments include underwater ruins, underground labyrinths, mountain settlements, cloudways, clockwork towers, and a city suspended above the clouds.
How do you unlock the Hidden Mountain map and Wayfarer?
After crossing the Misty River, follow Feng inland and speak with the nearby Wayfarer. This unlocks the local map before you continue toward Heron’s entry trial.
What is Divinecraft in Where Winds Meet?
Divinecraft is a Hidden Mountain questline that teaches players how Mohist-built mechanisms work. It introduces the region’s environmental puzzles, movable components, mechanical structures, and traversal devices.
How does Celestial Seize work in Hidden Mountain puzzles?
Celestial Seize lets you grab, move, and reposition objects or mechanism parts. It is used to open blocked paths, move obstacles, repair structures, connect chains, and complete environmental puzzles.
How do you unlock Gauntlets in Where Winds Meet?
The guide explains that Heavenwill Gauntlets are one of Hidden Mountain’s new weapons, but it does not confirm their exact in-game unlock route. Check the live weapon or quest interface for the current requirement.
What is the Bamboocut Kite weapon path?
Bamboocut Kite combines Heavenwill Gauntlets with Skygrasp Rope Dart. Rope Dart provides crowd control and distance management, while Gauntlets deliver fast close-range combinations and burst damage.
Are Heavenwill Gauntlets and Skygrasp Rope Dart good together?
Yes. They are designed as a flexible pairing. Skygrasp Rope Dart helps control enemies and set up engagements, while Heavenwill Gauntlets capitalize on those openings with close-range pressure and burst damage.
What is Mohist Hill, and can you join the sect?
Mohist Hill is the engineering-focused sect based inside Hidden Mountain. Its disciples follow the principles of Utility, Universal Love, and Non-Aggression, progressing through research, mentorship, and submitted creations. The guide does not confirm the exact joining requirements.
What bosses are in the Hidden Mountain expansion?
Hidden Mountain includes more than 10 bosses. Named encounters include Changeless Heart – Zhang Wanshi, Rosy-Faced Swordsworn, Ci & Cuo, and Ironheart Centipede. Bell Toller and Golden Colossus were announced for future content.
How do you find and defeat the Ironheart Centipede?
The guide does not provide its exact map location. In combat, expect rapid multi-leg attacks and toxic mist. Watch its movement patterns, react to its mechanical phases, and target exposed weak points instead of relying only on uninterrupted damage.
What rewards do you get from completing Hidden Mountain content?
The developers confirmed a total of 60 free pulls, including pulls converted from Echo Jades, plus three outfits for completing Version 2.0 Hidden Mountain content. Exact activity requirements and claim periods should be checked in the live Events menu.
