Woven with Malice is a Lost Chapter quest in Where Winds Meet that refuses to guide you because it doesn’t appear in the quest log, the NPC to start the quest doesn’t always spawn, and many steps require you to pass an in-game time. Most players think they’re missing a trigger when the quest expects you to return on the next in-game day. If the scholar won’t show up for you at Buddha Fort or keeps disappearing, this walkthrough explains how to start Woven with Malice, all the quest objectives to complete, and what to do if the scholar never appears.
How to Start Woven With Malice in Where Winds Meet
Find the Scholar North of Buddha Fort
Go to Buddha Fort in northern Qinghe, follow north to find a scholar sitting on the grass near a large tree and the big bronze bell-like object.
Talk to him, and select any dialogue options when choices appear to progress, as they don’t impact the outcome. The conversation ends abruptly with the next objective to “return in a day.” There’s no quest marker yet, and that’s normal. If you’d like, go and clear Buddha Fort while you wait for the next day to try your luck at obtaining rare valuables like the Dragon Key. Otherwise, skip the clock forward from the menu one full day.
Come back the next morning and speak with the scholar again. There will be a new conversation with him, but once again, you have to wait another full day before returning to him.
Once you visit him on the third day, you won’t find the scholar at his usual spot. Go near the bell to see the prompt to interact with him, as he’s now inside the bell. Speak to him to start Woven with Malice, and it will track in the quest log.
Go to the Embroidery Ladies
The scholar sends you to the nearby Embroidery Ladies’ house in the village north of the fort, where you’ll find Little Needle near the stall. Talk to her, and she asks you to bring the dyes to use for the garment. So pick up the red and blue colors from the vats, and to dye cloth with black, collect charcoal ash from the brazier inside the building.
Return to the tailor to hand over the colors and wait a full day for the garment to finish. Run the clock to advance the time, talk to Needle the next day, and she will give you the ready Celestial Silk Garment. After that, head back to the scholar to give him the clothes.
Eavesdrop on the Scholar and Silkworn Lady
Instead of visiting him, go to the marked point on the cliff to listen to the argument between the scholar and the Silkworm Lady. Don’t interrupt them, stand away, and eavesdrop. After the conversation, approach the scholar to check his condition, and pick up the handkerchief. After a short talk with Little Needle, the next marker leads you south of the Buddha Fort.
Confront Monk Tranquillis
Head south of Buddha Fort to find Monk Tranquillis. Speak with him, and on his request, you’ll fight him a few times in short, scripted spars until he gets defeated and spills the information he knows. After that, inspect the leaves in the northwest part of the area to pick up the second handkerchief. Next, talk to the monk and the little tailor, and then find a trap location at the pointed spot.
Burn the vines using fire arrows or any fire-based skill. Monk Tranquillis sets his trap, and you receive a new spot to the left beside the cliffs.
Next, chase the mysterious woman, talk to her, and return to the monk, where a letter directs you to North Bamboo Grove. Before leaving, speak with Little Needle to get more details about the mysterious guy.
Find Embroidery Pavilion Owner
Fast travel to Bamboo Retreat Landmark and follow the lead to reach the grove. Once there, find a standing stranger who is the Embroidery Pavilion Owner to speak to him and hand over both handkerchiefs you picked earlier. Investigate his wagon and use Celestial Seize on the wagon when prompted to silently snatch a letter, which sends you to nearby ruins.
Drop into the Ruins & Investigate the Wall
Use Mighty Drop on the rocks to break the opening and drop into the small stone structure. Examine what’s inside and then climb back up to the ground to inspect the stone wall. If you’re unsure where the break point is, turn on Wind Sense to highlight the drop zone.
Eavesdrop on the Passerby
Head to find two passerby and use Wind Sense to spot the highlighted area behind the bamboo fuse. Stand in this glowing patch to eavesdrop on these men, where you’ll learn about the ambush. After that, return to the Pavilion Owner’s place at the grove to trigger the final events. After your cutscene with rescuers and a final conversation with Little Needle back in the village, the Woven with Malice quest ends in Where Winds Meet.
What to Do If the Scholar Doesn’t Spawn (Bugged Quest Fixes)
The quest has issues because the scholar won’t spawn in many cases when you visit his location to start the quest. If that happens to you, these are some fixes the community has confirmed can resolve the bug:
- Clear Buddha Fort Completely: Kill every enemy inside and around the fort, as some NPCs won’t appear in active combat zones. Leave the area and come back.
- Finish the Moth Poet Side Quest: A small quest in the nearby village might also unlock the world-state required for the scholar to appear.
- Relog or Channel Swap: Log out at the scholar’s spawn location, then reload, which forces him to show up.
- Change the In-Game Hour: Many players have the spawn trigger by setting the local time to Zi or Chou before approaching the bell.
The quest across the community is believed to be partially broken. Many players only find the scholar after a patch. If none of the above methods work, continue to progress in the Qinghe region and check Buddha Fort after updates.
