Travel to Kaifeng in Where Winds Meet is locked behind main story progression and level gates, so you cannot simply ride or walk there from Qinghe whenever you like. Access comes through a specific campaign chapter and quest chain that ferries you across as part of the storyline.
Story and level requirements to reach Kaifeng
Kaifeng is the second major region in Where Winds Meet, separate from the starter province of Qinghe. It only becomes available once certain main quests and level thresholds are met.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Complete Chapter 1 | Finish the Chapter 1 main storyline, ending with the campaign chain around Heaven’s Pier and the quest “For Whom Does He Return”. Your Journal shows this under the Chapter 1 block, with campaign chains like Still Shore and Blissful Retreat listed as completed. |
| Reach the required level | Reach at least level 32 to unlock the first Kaifeng story quest. Earlier in the game you also need to be roughly mid–30s to reach the later phase of Chapter 1 that includes “For Whom Does He Return”. |
| Unlock Chapter 2 | After finishing Chapter 1, Chapter 2 (“Universal Furnace”) becomes available. The opening Chapter 2 quest related to Kaifeng is named “New Arrival in Kaifeng” or “New Guest in Kaifeng”, depending on localization. |
Until both the story chapter and level conditions are met, Kaifeng remains locked for free travel. Some side content may temporarily move you into Kaifeng instances, but those do not unlock the region for normal exploration.
Method 1: Use the main quest to sail from Qinghe to Kaifeng
The intended and most reliable way to get to Kaifeng is through the Chapter 2 main quest that sends you there by boat.
1. Start the Kaifeng chapter from your quest journal
Step 1: Open your quest journal with J and switch to the main story tab.
Step 2: Look for the Chapter 2 quest related to Kaifeng, typically titled “New Arrival in Kaifeng” or “New Guest in Kaifeng”. If the quest appears greyed out with a level requirement, continue leveling until you meet it.
Step 3: Set this quest as your active objective so waypoints and markers appear on your map and HUD.
2. Talk to the dockmaster/boatman and leave for Kaifeng
Step 1: Travel to the dock area indicated by the main quest marker. This dock is near Blissful Retreat and Harvestfall Village in Qinghe.
Step 2: Approach the boatman or dockmaster NPC highlighted by the quest, and interact to start the dialogue about traveling to Kaifeng.
Step 3: When prompted, choose the option to leave for Kaifeng. If you are not ready, you can decline and return later, but you must accept this option at some point to unlock the region.
Once you confirm departure, a cutscene or load transition moves your character, your horse, and the ferryman toward Kaifeng as part of the story.
3. Arrive at Wheatwind Bazaar and unlock Kaifeng city
Step 1: After arriving at the Kaifeng region, control resumes at a dock area. Move forward to leave the dock, which updates the quest and confirms you have entered Kaifeng.
Step 2: Mount your horse and follow the waypoint toward Wheatwind Bazaar. This ride is part of the “New Arrival in Kaifeng” / “New Guest in Kaifeng” quest.
Step 3: When you reach Wheatwind Bazaar, head into the crowd event marked by the quest. Interacting here begins the first sequence of Kaifeng-specific story scenes.
At this point the Kaifeng region is considered unlocked for your character. You gain access to Kaifeng city as the main story continues, though some outer subregions remain gated behind further progression.
4. Progress the New Arrival in Kaifeng / New Guest in Kaifeng quest
The opening Kaifeng quest walks you through several steps that also introduce the city and its economy.
| Objective | What you do |
|---|---|
| Investigate Wheatwind Bazaar | Inspect the Hulking Man’s Treasure Basin in the crowd event and defeat him and his companions in combat when the scam is revealed. |
| Follow Yingying | Follow the NPC Yingying from the bazaar to an inn. After she leaves you with the bill, interact with the seat and choose the “Wait No More”‑style prompt to move things forward. |
| Pawn Parting Tears | Speak to the waiter outside or at the back of the inn to leave your Parting Tears wine as collateral so you can go earn money. |
| Buy 20 bags of grain | Locate the traveling merchant marked by the quest and spend 10,000 Coins to buy 20 bags of grain. This uses a single merchant’s full stock. |
| Sell grain with Old Jin and Shopkeeper Fu | Follow Old Jin to Shopkeeper Fu, sell all the grain as directed, and then return to redeem your Parting Tears from the waiter. |
| Follow Shopkeeper Fu to Revelry Hall | Follow Shopkeeper Fu (Little Fu) toward Revelry Hall, fighting government guards on the way and then hiding with Big Zhao when prompted. |
Finishing this chain grants Echo Jade, Kaifeng Exploration points, Coins, and Stored EXP, and it pushes the story deeper into Kaifeng’s politics and factions.
Free roam access and further Kaifeng unlocks
Arriving via the Chapter 2 quest technically unlocks Kaifeng, but some parts of the region remain limited until you progress further.
| Area | Unlock details |
|---|---|
| Kaifeng City core | Unlocked as part of the first Kaifeng main quest. You can roam the main city districts while continuing the story. |
| Southern provinces / nearby subregions | Gradually open as you complete more of the Universal Furnace main quests and side content tied to Kaifeng. |
| Northern province of Kaifeng | Requires significantly more story progression and a much higher character level, around level 50, before it becomes available for normal exploration. |
Some side quests can move you into specific Kaifeng scenes earlier as temporary instances, but they do not grant you full map access until the main story conditions are met.
What Kaifeng unlocks for your character
Kaifeng is more than just a new map; it introduces systems and gear that are essential for long-term progression.
| Feature | What you gain |
|---|---|
| Additional weapons | Access to unlock weapons such as Thundercry Blade, Rope Dart, and several Fan and Umbrella types through activities and quests in the region. |
| Player Housing | Unlocks the player housing system, letting you obtain and manage a home, decorate it, and use related functions. |
| Commerce Coin gameplay | Deeper access to the Commerce Coin economy, including new shops and money‑making activities tied to Kaifeng’s markets. |
| Disguise feature | A disguise mechanic that becomes important in certain missions and sect activities, especially for Rope Dart‑related sect content. |
| Extra side content | Large numbers of side quests, Sentient Being activities (such as Oddities, Cat Play, Fishing Contests), and chests spread across Kaifeng City, Granary of Plenty, and Jadewood Court. |
Because many progression paths depend on these unlocks, pushing the story into Kaifeng early is usually more efficient than staying in Qinghe to grind lower-level content.
Troubleshooting: When Kaifeng does not unlock
Sometimes players complete earlier content but still cannot find a way into Kaifeng. A few common points are easy to miss.
Check the level requirement for the Kaifeng quest
Step 1: Open your journal with J and look specifically at the Chapter 2 or Kaifeng‑related main quest entry.
Step 2: If the quest name appears in the list but is locked with a level requirement (for example, level 32) and you are below that level, continue doing available main quests, side quests, exploration, and activities to reach the required level.
Step 3: Once you reach the required level, return to the journal and activate the Kaifeng quest so the dock marker and NPC become active.
Confirm that Chapter 1 is fully completed
Step 1: In the main story section of the journal, verify that all Chapter 1 quests appear as completed, including “For Whom Does He Return” at Heaven’s Pier.
Step 2: If any Chapter 1 campaign blocks, such as Still Shore or Blissful Retreat remain unfinished, track and complete those quests first.
Step 3: After fully clearing Chapter 1, reopen the journal to see if the Chapter 2 / Kaifeng quest has appeared or updated its status.
Use the correct dock and NPC
Step 1: Follow the main quest marker rather than random docks on the map, because only the designated dockmaster or boatman can send you to Kaifeng for the first time.
Step 2: If you are standing at a dock with no relevant dialogue option, double‑check that the Kaifeng quest is set as active in your journal.
Step 3: If the quest is active but no prompt appears, move slightly away and re‑enter the quest area, or relog to refresh NPC interactions.
Understand side quest limitations
Step 1: If a side quest has already shown you scenes set in Kaifeng, treat those as temporary story instances, not full unlocks.
Step 2: Do not rely on such side quests to return to Kaifeng; instead, focus on the Chapter 2 main quest that explicitly mentions traveling to Kaifeng.
Step 3: After completing the proper main quest journey to Kaifeng, confirm that Kaifeng waypoints and activities are now visible on your world map.
Once the story boat ride and first Kaifeng quest are complete, you gain lasting access to the region and can start using its systems, side content, and higher‑level progression paths at your own pace.
