Encircling Lake's Treasure is a Wandering Tales side quest in Qinghe that sends you hunting for two Strange Keys to unlock a hidden chest behind a waterfall. The route is short but easy to misread, especially around Twinbeast Ridge and the nearby bamboo groves.
How to start Encircling Lake's Treasure
Step 1: Travel to Encircling Lake in Qinghe and use the nearby Boundary Stone or teleport waypoint to reach the main lake area near the waterfall.
Step 2: Look for the NPC Hong Yang near the lake, close to the waterfall. Speak to him and choose the first dialogue option to ask about the treasure. This costs 50 Coins and starts the Wandering Tales.
Hong Yang points you toward a locked chest hidden behind the waterfall and hints that you need two keys to open it. From here, the quest objective shifts to tracking down those keys.
First Strange Key location (Meow Meow puzzle near Twinbeast Ridge)
The first Strange Key is tied to a Meow Meow (cat) puzzle near Twinbeast Ridge, in a ruined or abandoned house close to bamboo.
Step 1: Head toward Twinbeast Ridge. From the nearby outpost/boundary stone, move toward the area with bamboo and a ruined or large abandoned house south or southwest of Twinbeast Ridge, depending on your map markers.
Step 2: Enter the house. Inside, you find the Meow Meow puzzle, centered on a cat and several interactable lanterns.
Step 3: Solve the lantern puzzle. The solution used in-game is to leave only the lantern closest to the cat or wine jar lit and turn the other lanterns off. Interact with the lanterns until that state is reached.
Step 4: Once the puzzle completes, a small chest appears in the room (it drops from above in some cases). Open this chest to obtain the first Strange Key.
Second Strange Key location (Tiger Fort rock wall)
The second key sits behind a destructible rock wall linked to Tiger Fort and the nearby outpost.
Step 1: Travel north from Twinbeast Ridge toward Tiger Fort and clear the enemies in and around the fort so you can search safely.
Step 2: From the fort area, move toward the outpost north of Tiger Fort. Look for a rock wall or hidden cave entrance marked by explosive barrels or powder kegs in front of it.
Step 3: Destroy the wall. Shoot the explosive barrels with arrows (fire arrows are commonly used) or trigger them from a safe distance so the blast opens the blocked passage.
Step 4: Enter the newly opened space. Inside are one or two small chests. Open the chest that contains the second Strange Key.
Players who only clear Tiger Fort’s main courtyard often miss this back cave. If you have already beaten the fort boss and still do not have the key, return and check behind the fort and around the outpost for the barrels against a rock wall.
How to find the treasure chest at Encircling Lake
With both Strange Keys in hand, you can finally reach the treasure that Hong Yang mentioned.
Step 1: Return to Encircling Lake using the Boundary Stone or teleport waypoint near the waterfall.
Step 2: Move toward the main waterfall visible from the lake. Climb up the first waterfall level using the environment as footholds.
Step 3: Behind a second waterfall further up is a hidden cave entrance. Enter this cave to find the locked treasure chest linked to Encircling Lake's Treasure.
Step 4: Interact with the chest. Two interaction options can appear, such as an initial “Investigate” and then “Open.” Use the Strange Keys to unlock and open the chest. In some cases, the chest can be opened twice in sequence to claim all rewards.
Once both openings are done, the Wandering Tales quest is marked complete.
Encircling Lake's Treasure quest rewards
| Reward | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Echo Jade | 40 | Premium currency used for various high-value purchases and systems. |
| Qinghe Exploration | 10 | Region exploration credit for Qinghe. |
| Coin | 5000 | General in-game currency. |
| EXP | 5000 | Character experience, counted over the quest and final chest. |
These rewards are granted across the quest steps, and when you finish opening the chest behind the waterfall.
Encircling Lake's Treasure is short once you know where the Meow Meow puzzle and explosive rock wall are. If you find yourself stuck, revisit the bamboo house near Twinbeast Ridge for the cat puzzle and the outpost-side cave near Tiger Fort for the second key, then head straight back to the hidden cave behind Encircling Lake’s second waterfall to complete the Wandering Tale.
