Villa Courtyard: Ink Study 2 (Qiankun)
Overview
- Stage Cost: None
- First Clear Rewards:
Astral Memory x80, 
Stellin x2000
- Note - During its initial limited run, this stage's first clear reward was:
Holly Stationery x800 (Clear), 
S-Chip x10, Holly Stationery x100 (Silk Pouch)
Guide
- Hover to view spoiler content.
Items of interest
- Clear conditions: Unlock 2 exit mechanisms
- Key:
Yang Fish Pendant - Silk Pouches: 1
- Note: The level must be cleared to obtain the items collected.
Map
Easter Egg note
The "Ex" mark on the map is an easter egg referencing 
Artem "The Weeds"; bring Artem as your exploration partner for extra dialogue.
Door code guide
Clues
This puzzle focuses on a 3x3 grid (Nine Palaces) with symbols (Eight Trigrams) and corresponding numbers in the grid squares.
Male lead's half (top+left):
- Clue 1: The bookshelf at the north center lists the eight trigrams by name: Li, Qian, Kun, Kan, Zhen, Gen, Xun, and Dui.
- Clue 2: The bookshelf at the northwest places five numbers on the grid: 2 and 4 as the "shoulders" (top corners), 6 and 8 as the "feet" (bottom corners), and 5 as the "core" (center). At this time, the left/right corner placement of the numbers is uncertain. It also notes "Xun" is the top left.
- Clue 3: The bookshelf at the northeast places four more numbers in the grid: 9 at the top, 1 at the bottom, 3 at the left, and 7 at the right. It also equates "Kun" to 2.
- Clue 4: Solve the mechanical lock to unlock the screen on the MC's half of the map and reveal that "Dui" is in the rightmost grid square.
MC's half (bottom+right):
- Clue 5: Solve the mechanical lock to unlock the screen on the ML's half of the map and reveal that "Zhen" is in the leftmost grid square.
- Clue 6: The tea table at the southwest notes that all lines in the 3x3 grid add up to 15 and equates "Gen" to 8.
- Clue 7: The plant at the south center equates "Kan" to 1, "Kun" to 2, "Zhen" to 3, and "Xun" to 4.
- Clue 8: The tea table at the southeast places the Qian mark at the bottom right of the grid.
Code entry
The ML's coded lock is located in the wall south of the eastmost shelf.
Clue summary:
- Kan is equated to "1" in clue 7; "1" is placed at the bottom square in clue 3.
- Zhen is equated to "3" in clue 7; "3" is placed at the left square in clue 3.
- Dui is placed at the far right in clue 4; clue 3 places "7" in that square.
- Kun is noted to correspond to "2" in clue 3. We can deduce its placement from the fact that clue 2 places "2" and "4" as the top corners, then notes "Xun" is at the top left, therefore "Kun" is at the top right with "2" and "Xun" must be "4".
- We know the bottom corners are the numbers "6" and "8." We also know Qian is the bottom right (clue 8) and Gen = "8" (clue 6), therefore Qian = "6" and Gen is at the bottom left.
- Li is never given a position or number, but since we have a location for all seven other trigrams, we can place it at the top, which is noted to be "9" in clue 3.
Final grid:
| Xun = 4 | Li = 9 | Kun = 2 |
| Zhen = 3 | 5 | Dui = 7 |
| Gen = 8 | Kan = 1 | Qian = 6 |
ML's lock hint 1:
MC's lock hint 1:
ML's lock final code:
MC's lock final code:
Quick Walkthrough
There can be multiple ways to do this stage; one solution is available below for a quick clear.
- On the main character's (MC) side, go to Clue 5 and solve the mechanical lock. This unlocks the screen on the male lead's (ML) side.
- On the ML's side, collect the Yang Fish Pendant.
- Go to Clue 4 and solve the mechanical lock. This unlocks the screen on the MC's side.
- On the MC's side, collect the
Silk Pouch. - Go to locked door and input MC's lock code: 6183.
- On the ML's side, go to locked door (wall south of the eastmost shelf) and input ML's lock code: 7294.
Mechanical Locks
ML's lock
MC's lock
The goal in this puzzle is to draw a path through the grid such that every square is drawn through and the Red "Start" is connected to the Red "End." There are many ways to solve this puzzle; one solution is available above in case of difficulty.
