Beauty in the Shade is one of the most atmospheric side quests in Where Winds Meet, slowly unfolding from a quiet roadside discovery into a haunting sequence involving illusion, betrayal, and survival. Below is a complete, step-by-step walkthrough covering how to start the quest, every major objective, and all rewards.
Location of Beauty in the Shade quest
This quest is picked in the Flower Expanse area of Qinghe. Since it is not a story quest, you need to go on foot to trigger the quest.
How to start Beauty in the Shade quest
To start this quest, reach the location on the map during evening or sun-setting hours. Interact with the shiny thing on the ground. You will be prompted to 'View' it.
Interact with shiny thing (Image Credits: Everstone Studio | YouTube - IQS_SHADOW)
A short cutscene in which you interact with the by-standing NPCs begins the quest.
How to complete Beauty in the Shade quest
Here is how you can complete the Beauty in the Shade quest in Where Winds Meet:
Step 1: Talk to the NPCs
When you get to the location in Flower Expanse, you will see a shiny earring on the ground. On viewing it, the NPCs start a conversation about a woman's exquisite beauty.
Talk to NPCs (Image Credits: Everstone Studio | YouTube - IQS_SHADOW)
Step 2: Interact with Courtesan
After the conversation finishes, you are thinking to go to the Blissful Retreat to give back the shiny earring.
On your way, you see a horse cart. Interact with the Courtesan in the cart. Return the earrings.
Talk to courtesan in the cart (Image Credits: Everstone Studio | YouTube - IQS_SHADOW)
Offer her help and promise to meet her in Qinghe.
She gives you a letter to keep with you when you visit, but with a request.
Step 3: Purge out the hideouts
The letter reads- "A fragrant note, steeped in the scent of flowers, lists three bandit strongholds – these are the places the courtesan wants you to purge."
The three bandit hideouts are:
- Gourmand's Grove
- Tiger Fort
- Buddha Fort
These hideouts are essentially pointing to the Outpost challenges in Qinghe. Start purging out and winning the three outposts to progress further.
1 - Gourmand's Grove
Gourmand's Grove is one of the enemy-held outposts in the Qinghe region of Where Winds Meet. Like other fortress-marked strongholds, entering it consumes energy, and clearing it requires defeating every enemy inside. This grove is occupied by rogue monks spread throughout the compound, so efficient enemy clearing and use of environmental hazards are key to a quick completion.
2 - Tiger Fort
Tiger Fort Outpost is home to a group of troublemakers led by Zhang Hu. Whether you choose to outsmart them in a chess game or confront them head-on, the outpost ultimately culminates in a decisive battle against Zhang Hu inside an abandoned house.
3 - Buddha Fort
Once loosely aligned with Mercyheart Monastery, Buddha Fort has transformed into a den of criminal activity. Huiyong and his so-called “ascetic monks” have seized control, masquerading as spiritual practitioners while launching raids and intimidating nearby villagers. Their recent stockpiling of gunpowder has made the outpost especially dangerous, forcing you to intervene.
Your mission is to gain entry, investigate their operations, expose their crimes, and reclaim the fort through strategic combat.
Step 4: Return to the Courtesan
Return to the courtesan after clearing out all 3 outposts. Talk to her.
She applauds you for conquering and offers you a way inside the carriage. Lift the carriage curtain.
When you try to get inside the carriage, delirium and fright hit you, and you faint, only to see the black cat in front of you.
This triggers a cutscene, and you wake up surrounded by mummified corpses.
You wake up in unknown place (Image Credits: Everstone Studio | YouTube - IQS_SHADOW)
Step 5: Find a way out of the room
As you move in the room, the corpses start moving and to escape their fury, you run out on the terrace.
Then you realize that these are the Tang Forces. Despite being heavily guarded you need an escape route.
Step 6: Find a way to escape the village
Move around and slash down some mercenaries and keep moving forward until you have successfully defeated the enemies.
These enemies drop:
- Pine resin ointment
- Scarlet flame ointment
- Gold inlay weapons
- Coins
- Beef tendons
- Ten Wonders Powder
- Braised fish head
On defeating these guards, you can also get the Money Bag item, used later in the story progression.
Step 7: Destroy the flower
In a coffin, in front of the Aureate house, there is a corpse lying with a purple flower. Destroy the flower.
Destroy purple flower (Image Credits: Everstone Studio | YouTube - IQS_SHADOW)
Step 8: Escape the village
Keep heading outwards from the area into the woods to find a way out of this village.
As you move further, look for another purple flower in a coffin, and destroy this too.
Step 9: Save Wen Wushuang
On your way out of the village, overhear the Aureate guards torturing Wen Wushuang.
They are asking him to pay on behalf of his brother.
He asks you to save him from the guards. Upon successfully defeating the guards, you will be guided by him forward. This is a short cutscene. Eventually, you both run away.
Step 10: Talk to Wushuang
You stop at the Jadebrook Mountain. He tells you everything that went down, and what you can expect in Qinghe.
He reveals the courtesan is actually the cat.
He gifts you a Kitty Bell. This unlocks a new appearance - Kitty Bell.
Step 11: Return to the Courtesan
Return the quest marker in floral expanse, only to find out that the carriage is empty.
You find a hairpin here, pick it up.
Further you can read the Courtesan's note.
Beauty in Shade quest rewards
- Echo Jade x50
- Courtesan's Note x1
- Coin x20000
- Stored EXP x20000
- Qinghe Exploration x50
Thanks for spending a moment with this Beauty in Shade quest guide. Comment your feedback or questions—we regularly monitor comments and enjoy interacting with readers.
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