Who Zhang Jiushu Is and Why He Matters
Zhang Jiushu is a craftsman NPC in the Qinghe region’s Heaven’s Pier area in Where Winds Meet. He is tied to two different systems:
- Jianghu Friend/Sentient Being – you can raise friendship with him through AI Chat.
- Dark Surge/trophy progress – in earlier versions, an interaction tied to him could block a Dark Surge enlightenment point and the related achievement.
Players originally ran into two problems around him: the AI chat hint about a “lost plummet” (a lead weight) that seemed impossible to find, and a period where his appearance or interaction state could lock people out of a Dark Surge point after story progress. Both behaviors have effectively been resolved through conversation tricks and later game updates.
How Zhang Jiushu’s “lost plummet” AI Chat Works
Zhang’s AI Chat revolves around a simple idea: he lost a plummet (a lead weight used for measuring verticals) while working, and you earn his trust by noticing it and returning it.
The key is that you do not need to physically loot a separate “lead weight” item in the world. The AI system accepts a consistent story that you picked it up and are now bringing it back.
Example AI Chat Lines That Succeed
Several short conversations reliably push Zhang straight to friendship. You can treat the actions in parentheses as narration for the AI Chat box.
Minimal one-line approach
Players report that this single line can be enough to become friends:
(holding up a worn lead hammer) Master Zhang, I came across this while foraging by the fence. Does this look like the plummet you lost?
This line does three things at once: it shows you noticed his problem, it presents the object, and it ties it to a believable location (“by the fence”). The AI usually responds by recognizing the plummet and thanking you, which is already enough for the friendship bump.
Two-line “safe” version
If you want to follow through with a clear return gesture, use two lines:
(holding up a worn lead hammer) Master Zhang, I came across this while foraging by the fence. Does this look like the plummet you lost?
(bowing slightly, offering the plummet with both hands) I’m glad I found it in time, Master Zhang. Please—take it back. May it serve you well once more.
In practice this reliably pushes Zhang to the “Friend” state in one conversation.
Alternate wording that also works
If the game responds a bit differently or you want more natural prose, other successful patterns look like this:
I found this lead hammer, is it yours? (show lead hammer)Maybe it’s this one? I found it by the fence when picking mushrooms. (give lead hammer)Are you sure it’s not yours? Look at it—the head has your mark on it. (offer the lead hammer again)
Some players also prompt Zhang first by asking what a plummet is, then follow up with something like:
(I hold up a lead hammer) Is this it?
Once he recognizes the tool and you hand it back, you can usually close with a simple line such as you’re welcome or a brief acknowledgement, and the chat will end with a friendship gain.
Fastest Way to Befriend Zhang Jiushu
Step 1: Start AI Chat with Zhang Jiushu at Heaven’s Pier. Make sure you are in the AI Chat interface, not ordinary dialogue.
Step 2: Paste or type a line that clearly shows him the plummet, for example: (holding up a worn lead hammer) Master Zhang, I came across this while foraging by the fence. Does this look like the plummet you lost?.
Step 3: If he asks to see it or reacts with surprise, answer with a giving gesture, such as: (bowing slightly, offering the plummet with both hands) I’m glad I found it in time. Please, take it back..
Step 4: Close out with a brief, polite response like you’re welcome if he thanks you. At this point, his affection should jump, and the friendship status will update.
What If the AI Chat Gets Stuck or He Won’t Respond?
Zhang’s AI Chat uses the same behavior quirks as other NPCs in Where Winds Meet:
- If the conversation goes in circles or never reaches a clear end, use the Refresh/reset button on the AI Chat window to restart from a blank state.
- If he suddenly aggroes during AI Chat and combat starts, exit to the login screen and load back in. NPCs are restored to their pre-fight state.
- If you accidentally defeat him in combat, he should respawn; however, it is safer to avoid attacking him at all while you are still trying to resolve the plummet conversation.
When in doubt, reset the dialogue and lead with the plummet line again. The AI system treats each run as a fresh interaction, so repeating a successful pattern is fine.
How Zhang Jiushu Connects to Dark Surge and Achievements
Qinghe’s first Dark Surge enlightenment point was briefly notorious because an NPC interaction around Heaven’s Pier could become unavailable after the story moved forward, especially once the area was damaged by fire in the campaign. At that time, some players could only earn the related Dark Surge trophy by joining another player’s earlier-phase world and talking to the required NPC there.
Two behaviors around Heaven’s Pier have since changed:
- The NPC tied to the Dark Surge point now appears reliably even after progressing the Qinghe main story. Players well beyond that arc report finding him alive in his house and able to hand out the missing Dark Surge fragment.
- An alternative vendor named Zhang near a teleport stone can also be involved for Dark Surge progress, depending on story timing. This gave early achievers a different route before later fixes restored the original NPC’s appearance.
With these adjustments in place, the “bugged” state for the first Dark Surge point is effectively resolved. New players should be able to obtain that enlightenment and unlock the associated trophy without leaving their own world or worrying about Qinghe story checkpoints.
Heaven’s Pier, Zhang Jiushu, and Other Qinghe Side Content
Zhang sits inside a dense web of early-game Qinghe content. Heaven’s Pier and its surroundings host:
- Jianghu Legacy quests, such as Meridian Touch, which sends you to find Yan Qiren “near Heaven’s Pier in Qinghe, surrounded by statues that all resemble his younger self”.
- Exploration and Sentient Beings tied to old friends, anecdotes, and Heaven’s Pier echoes. One player even noted finishing “Old Friends” 3/3 before meeting Zhang, then using him to grab their last Heaven’s Pier anecdote and a Dark Surge fragment called Theft at Heaven’s Pier.
- Movement and combat unlocks that pay off if you clear Qinghe thoroughly, such as Meteor Flight from the Afterglow quest, Blinding Mist from Blind to the World, or Tai Chi from Cries in the Distance. These all sit in the same wider exploration loop as your interactions at Heaven’s Pier.
None of these require Zhang Jiushu’s friendship specifically, but befriending him lets you tick off an extra Sentient Being in Heaven’s Pier, clean up any remaining anecdotes, and avoid confusion later when you start combing through Jianghu Friends and Dark Surge fragments for 100 percent completion.
Once Zhang Jiushu recognizes his plummet and you hand it back in AI Chat, he becomes one of the simpler friendships in the game. If Heaven’s Pier feels crowded with overlapping systems—Dark Surge, anecdotes, Heaven Has No Pier story beats—treat Zhang as the straightforward craftsman he is: he just wants his tool back, and a couple of respectful lines are all it takes.
